The manufacturing industry is one of the top business sectors impacted by advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics. Now that factories have embraced some of the robotic trends and automations, they’re looking at ways to tap into sustainability trends and make their companies more eco-friendly. 

Why Are Sustainability Trends Important in Manufacturing? 

NielsenIQ's 2023 The Changing Climate of Sustainability report, researchers found climate change is on consumers' minds more than ever before, forcing companies to consider sustainable approaches. Around 69% of people said sustainability was more important to them than two years ago. Around 11% consider environmentally friendliness when choosing a brand to buy from.

If companies want to remain competitive, they must find ways to be greener. In the past, manufacturing has gotten a bad rap because a few big players polluted waters or stomped around the countryside with their big carbon feet. A few ruined it for everyone and gave factories a poor image.

One thing you can do to rescue your brand image and build rapport between the industry and local citizens is to adopt the sustainability trends that make the most sense for your business. Here are a few of the more popular ones and how you can implement them immediately. 

1. Shift to Recycled Materials

One of the trends being adopted by many facilities includes using recycled materials to make new products. Rather than culling raw materials, manufacturers take old items and give them new life through various processes.

Make sure you do research on the process to recycle whatever materials you use. If the process to recycle is more invasive than just creating new materials, it might not be worth the additional investment.

If you use cloth or paper consider sources such as bamboo that might grow more quickly than say hardwoods. Think through what has the least impact on the environment and make changes as needed. 

2. Choose Sustainable Packaging

The packaging you send out your product in and the boxes you use to pack and ship orders have an impact on the environment. You might not directly contribute to the manufacture of these items, but you can partner with companies that use greener practices.

When given the option between a new box and one made from recycled materials, opt for the repurposed one. Customers who care about reducing their own carbon footprint will appreciate your efforts. The goal for many companies is to eventually get to 100% recyclable packaging that is used over and over, such as via refills.

You can even give your packaging a new purpose once the item is purchased and removed and inform consumers how they can use it. You might include a small package of seeds and make the material biodegradable so they can start a plant or a tree in their yard. 

3. Start With a Zero Waste Approach

Zero carbon and zero waste are current buzzwords in the green living sphere. Meet with leadership and employees and discuss ways to work toward a zero basis. How can you ensure your facility has no impact on the environment? Perhaps you could even improve the local environment in some way to offset any past damage.

Getting to a zero carbon footprint isn’t an easy task. It requires a lot of focus and determination. When things aren’t working the way you expected, you should change them and try other methods, always keeping in mind the impact on the people and wildlife around you. 

4. Extend the Useful Life of Products

Another trend in green manufacturing is extending the life of products so they don’t have to be repurchased constantly. For some products, it might mean offering a refill in a biodegradable container. For others, it could mean add-ons that keep the item functional for longer periods.

Companies still want to remain profitable, so there must be a balance for add-ons and bringing in a consistent reorder while still maintaining your passion for green practices. 

5. Invest in Green Technology Partners

Technology is moving faster than most manufacturers can keep up. The global AI market is already at $142.3 billion and continues to grow. Artificial intelligence takes over the heavy lifting of humans and can even be used to figure out which areas might be improved when it comes to green manufacturing.

One area that might create a bigger carbon footprint than you’d like is your website and cloud-based servers. The power to run huge databases means big energy uses. However, you can get to zero waste by teaming up with a provider that also makes green technology a priority. For example, they might run their servers on solar power.

6. Utilize On-Demand Optimization

Many manufacturers today have gone to a more on-demand production model. Rather than just making many items ahead, they fill orders as they come and try to find the medium between having what customers want and not running too much inventory. 

Stores run a mean supply chain model now, which means manufacturers must as well. Shifting to an on-demand model is quite challenging for brands whose clients rely on them always having the inventory they need. However, allowing items to sit around unused for months on end risks them going bad and utilizes more raw material than might ever be used. 

It’s crucial to find a balance between filling orders quickly and storing too much inventory at one time. 

A Prediction of Upcoming Changes

Technologies such as AI will continue to drive sustainability trends in the near future. Pay attention to what competitors are doing to get greener. Watch big corporations, automakers and others to see how they improve the environment and communities surrounding them. You can learn a lot by studying other businesses and through trial and error of adopting popular sustainability trends.