| In the past few years, "going green" has become | | | | Another option is to eliminate the plastic |
| very important for almost every type of | | | | altogether and use packaging made entirely out of |
| business. The CD and DVD packaging industry | | | | card. In these types of packaging, the CD or DVD |
| have been no different. In fact, promoting | | | | is held in die-cut slots or paper holders. A new and |
| environmentally friendly products has become a | | | | ingenious product available is the Jakebox which |
| major marketing focus. So what are your options | | | | holds the media in a patented paper "claw". In |
| if you want to package your media and limit your | | | | addition, you can request that the card used for |
| carbon footprint at the same time? | | | | the creation of the packaging is recycled. Paper |
| Your first option is to limit the amount of plastic in | | | | types such as Resa offset are made of 100% |
| the packaging that you use for your CD or DVD. | | | | post consumer recycled fibres instead of virgin |
| Packaging has always focussed on the use of | | | | fibres. If you like the idea of a tray, there is a |
| plastics mainly because plastics are cheap. The | | | | product called the Paperfoam tray which is made |
| industry standard for an audio CD is still the jewel | | | | of starch and cellulose. It can be used in the place |
| case which is made of polystyrene. The industry | | | | of plastic trays in products such as the digipak. |
| standard for the DVD is the Amaray DVD case | | | | This product has already been used in music |
| which is made of polypropylene and the new box | | | | releases for artists such as Keane and Motley |
| for the Blu-ray will also be made of this material. | | | | Crue. |
| Keeping the sizes and styles of alternative | | | | A third option, which can be used in combination |
| packaging similar to the industry standards has | | | | with the above choices, is to use soy or |
| been very important when developing a solution | | | | vegetable based inks in the printing process. Not |
| which consumers would recognize and accept. | | | | many manufacturers offer this at the moment |
| The Digipak is a fantastic alternative to the jewel | | | | but it is increasing in popularity. |
| case and the DVD case. It is made mostly of | | | | Keep in mind that there are significant additional |
| thick printed card and only includes plastic trays as | | | | costs to production of this type of packaging. In |
| the holders for the CD or DVD. The digipak looks | | | | quantities around 1000 units, the costs for |
| expensive and impressive because of the large | | | | recycled paper and vegetable based inks can triple |
| amount of space available for graphic display. | | | | the standard pricing. |