Sustainability | Outlook Group

committed to environmental leadership

Sustainability in packaging is more important than ever with many major brands publishing lofty sustainability goals. As a company, Outlook Group has always been protective of the environment. We go well beyond printing industry standards in minimizing the amount of material utilized in our customers’ packaged products to make their packaging more green. We walk the sustainability talk internally also, continually implementing operational efficiencies and improving our processes to reduce energy and emissions, raw material usage, and waste.


SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS	MATERIAL REDUCTION	RECYCLING/LANDFILL AVOIDANCE	SUPPLY CHAIN OPTIMIZATION
CCNB recycled fiber paperboard FSC certified paper materials Biodegradable and recyclable films	Thin film pressure-sensitive label structures Liner waste reduction up to 80% Conversion to flexible packaging Downgauging of films	Recycling programs for liner material Waste-to-Energy (WTE) initiatives aid in achieving 95%+ landfill avoidance 100% paperboard waste recycled	Integrated contract packaging eliminates transport emissions Single-source packaging supplier Re-use of corrugate boxes Pallet exchange

Sustainable products & SERVICES

	MICROLINER^® and PSLite^®thin film labels Our customers who utilize MICROLINER® labels have reduced their liner waste by up to 80%. And because there are 30-100% more labels on a roll, they also save 15-50% on transportation, warehousing, and employee handling costs, including less down time spent on changeovers.
	PCR CONTENT LABELS Part of achieving the Circular Economy is driving demand for post-consumer recycle content. We can incorporate 90% PCR content into the liner of our MICROLINER^® labels. We also offer labels incorporating up to 90% PCR in the both the facestock and the liner.
	RECYCLE-FRIENDLY LABELS For PET bottle applications, we offer labels that remove cleanly during the PET recycling process and float in accordance with APR guidelines so they don't contaminate the PET flake.
	RECYCLE-FRIENDLY SHRINK SLEEVES We use APR certified shrink sleeve films that do not contaminate the PET recycling stream. These films do not sacrifice shrink percentage or application performance compared to PETG, PVC, and OPS shrink sleeve films.
	FSC-CERTIFIED LABELS FSC-certified labels are traced through the supply chain to ensure the paper facestocks and liners are sourced from sustainably-managed forests. Brand owners can market the FSC certification in their graphics.
	PEEL/RESEAL LABELS AND FILMS Peel/reseal labels and films are a more sustainable alternative to rigid lids on trays. Our peel/reseal products offer the consumer a convenient and easy-to-open and reclose feature without sacrificing tamper evidence.
	FLEXIBLE PACKAGING Delivering convenience, portability, high-impact graphic potential and specific product protection, flexible packaging delivers to consumers on many levels. The convenience of a re-closable pouch, the portability of a snack pack, or extending the shelf life of a perishable product, flexible packaging provides numerous characteristics not available in many alternative packaging formats. Outlook Group offers a variety of raw materials to meet the needs of nearly all flexible packaging applications, including biodegradable, recyclable and PCR content options.
	PAPERBOARD PACKAGING The most widely recyclable material on earth is paper. Therefore, the most widely recycled format of packaging is paperboard cartons. With our in-house design team and numerous raw material options, Outlook Group is positioned to provide the right carton for any application. We offer a number of substrate options including 85% post-consumer waste material for the most environmentally conscious consumers. Paperboard packaging offers a great sustainability story, offers a superb print surface for consistent brand imaging and protects products from damage while in transit. Paperboard packaging from Outlook Group delivers on all of your packaging needs.
	CONTRACT PACKAGING Customers who utilize our full-service contract packaging services have reduced their material waste and manufacturing footprint by consolidating suppliers to Outlook Group, thereby resulting in significant freight savings as well as increased speed-to-market.

Sustainable practices

Our internal company-wide recycling and energy reduction efforts have yielded:

Zero dumpsters outside of our 330,000 sq. ft. printing and packaging facility
95-98% of the waste generated in our facility (by weight) is recycled, reused, or converted to energy
Motion-sense LED lighting installed throughout the manufacturing plant and warehouse reduced electrical consumption for lighting by 44%
Investment in pre-press equipment has reduced our solvent use in the flexographic plate making process by over 50%
Recycling programs for source materials

SUSTAINABLE WAYS TO DIVERT PACKAGING WASTE FROM LANDFILLS

Sustainability awards

TLMI Environmental Leadership Award 2019

Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment

Because of our ongoing environmental commitment, Outlook Group has been named a 2019 Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment (BFOE) by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) in the Sustainability category for demonstrating practices, processes and projects that reduce or minimize pollution and/or contribute to the long term economic, social, and environmental well-being of our business and community.
[Read more on our blog...]

calvin frost Environmental leadership award

Outlook Group has been named a 2019 Calvin Frost Environmental Leader by Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute (TLMI) in the converter category for consistently demonstrating a commitment to progressive environmental practices, achieving nearly 100% landfill avoidance and being committed to using suppliers that offer more sustainable products and solutions.
[Read more on our blog...]

Sustainability Blogs

	RESPONSIBLY SOURCED RAW MATERIALS AND POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED CONTENT Our last article discussed how downgauging has been and will continue to be a fundamental way of enhancing sustainability by reducing the amount of packaging needed for a product. In this article, we highlight two additional ways[…]
	SOURCE REDUCTION SUPPORTS CPG SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING OBJECTIVES November 17, 2020 When it comes to sustainable packaging, source reduction is a key factor in minimizing environmental impact. Reduce is the first of the 3Rs of sustainability, and it’s all about creating less waste […]
	GET THE LEAD (AND OTHER HARMFUL CHEMICALS) OUT! In our most recent article, we talked about what’s real in regard to compostable, recycle-ready, and biodegradable packaging. In this month’s article, we continue the discussion about real ways to enhance the sustainability of packaging. One of the ways you can make an impact today is by eliminating harmful chemicals from your packaging […]
	ACHIEVING PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY WITH BIODEGRADABLE VS. COMPOSTABLE Today’s Compostable Reality: We see bags of snacks on the store shelf flaunting compostable film packaging. Consumers think, “Wow this is great! By choosing this product with sustainable packaging, I’m doing my part to slow the […]
	Building a sustainability roadmap to success In our last post, we talked about packaging trends in a post COVID-19 supply chain. While the pandemic has influenced sustainability in packaging as a priority, the trend continues to be a part of national, local and own brand project conversations. […]
	KEY PACKAGING TRENDS: POST-COVID SUPPLY CHAIN None of us could have predicted the impact of COVID-19 on our global and local communities at the end of Q1 2020. Many questions linger within the packaging supply chain: Will COVID-19 change the mindset of consumers? Will sustainability continue […]
	DIVERTING PACKAGING WASTE FROM LANDFILLS In this video, Outlook Group shares details of our success in diverting packaging waste from landfills. As a leading manufacturer of flexible packaging, folding cartons, pressure sensitive labels and shrink sleeve labels, we have a variety of […]
	REDUCING COMPLEXITY IN THE PACKAGING SUPPLY CHAIN Packaging is a key component to delivering a quality, branded product on time. This is challenging for brand leaders since packaging supply chain management is a complex process filled with hidden costs, risk and compromised quality associated with […]
	HOW DO YOU MAKE A CIRCULAR ECONOMY? Our last month's blog, Packaging Sustainability’s Alphabet Soup provided background on some of the key acronyms for sustainability and the organizations behind them to feed your sustainability cravings. In this month’s blog, we’ll be talking about a […]
	PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY’S ALPHABET SOUP In our last blog post, we talked about the fourth “R” of sustainability, Reality. In this blog post, we’ll shed some light on additional letters that are important in maintaining a nutritious sustainable packaging diet. These three letter acronyms […]
	SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING REALITY - THE FOURTH R We've all heard the catch phrase "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle," or the Three R's, related to sustainability. The saying has been around since the 70's and has steadily gained popularity over the decades. Today, not only are consumers continuing to go […]