4 min read
Environmental claims that survive a question
Every claim on a pack is a promise to a customer and, in several markets, a regulated statement.
Three tiers of claim
Structural claims describe what the product is: plastic-free, cellulose-based, unbleached. These can be defended with the composition, provided the declaration covers the whole construction including the binder and the pack.
Performance claims — biodegradable, compostable, dispersible — require a test report against a named standard on the finished construction. Fibre-level certificates do not transfer.
What to leave off
"Eco-friendly", "green" and "sustainable" without a defined scope are the claims that invite a complaint, because they cannot be tested and cannot be withdrawn once printed.
If a customer asks for one of them, the useful move is to replace it with the structural fact behind it. That fact is usually stronger, and it is always safer.