The Humble Co. uses digital platform to identify sustainable packaging suppliers

The Humble Co. has used the Packaged Sustainable sourcing platform to identify suppliers capable of meeting specific sustainability and performance requirements for its personal care packaging.

The Swedish-founded oral and personal care company was looking for a leak-proof packaging solution that could combine reduced environmental impact with the durability and moisture protection required for products moving through retail distribution.

Packaged Sustainable connects consumer goods companies with packaging suppliers based on factors including format, production volumes, sustainability objectives and technical requirements. Its Smart Matching tool allows brands to describe their packaging needs and receive potential supplier matches.

Performance remains critical for sustainable personal care packaging

For personal care brands, moving towards lower-impact packaging can be complicated by the need to maintain barrier performance, product protection and shelf life.

The Humble Co. said this balance has historically been one of the main challenges when evaluating alternative packaging materials, particularly for oral care products where moisture resistance and product freshness remain important.

“When we needed a specific, leak-proof sustainable packaging solution, Packaged Sustainable quickly matched us with the right suppliers to get the job done right,” said Rich Hewton, President and CEO North America at The Humble Co.

The company has been developing its sustainability strategy since launching its bamboo toothbrush in 2013 and today uses materials including recyclable paperboard and plant-based alternatives across parts of its product portfolio.

Digital sourcing tools target increasingly complex packaging requirements

Packaged Sustainable positions its platform as an alternative to conventional supplier discovery processes, allowing brands to search packaging formats and sustainability characteristics before contacting potential manufacturing partners.

Available categories include bottles, jars, cartons, pouches, sachets and stick packs, while solutions can also be filtered according to approaches such as recyclable, compostable, reusable and plastic-free packaging.

The platform says it has generated enquiries during its beta phase from companies operating across food and beverage, health and wellness, pet care, beauty and personal care.

The development reflects a broader challenge for packaging buyers as sustainability requirements become more detailed. Material choice increasingly has to be considered alongside recyclability infrastructure, regulatory requirements, manufacturing scale, barrier performance and compatibility with existing supply chains.

Digital supplier-matching platforms could therefore play a growing role in helping brands narrow down suitable packaging options before beginning technical validation and production trials with individual suppliers.