Sustainable Packaging Design for the Chawaty Batik Collection (MSME, Surabaya)

Strategies and practical guidelines for sustainable packaging design

Abstract

Packaging is a design element that directly interacts with consumers of the Batik ChawatyCollection, while also serving as a major source of waste resulting from both consumeractivity and the production processes of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).This study aims to provide a conceptual overview and practical guidelines for implementingsustainable packaging in MSMEs, using the Batik Chawaty Collection in Surabaya as a casestudy. Through a literature review, the study identifies four components of sustainablepackaging: material efficiency, the selection of eco-friendly materials, and visual ortypographic efficiency. The findings indicate that sustainable packaging can be implementedincrementally applying the "reduce, reuse, and recycle" (3R) principles in alignment with anMSME's operational capacity. These four components are illustrated through the ChawatyCollection’s hand drawn batik, stamped batik, and traditional headgear products anenterprise that also fosters social empowerment for residents of the former Dolly district. The study outlines a five step practical guide to assist MSMEs in transitioning toward moresustainable packaging without compromising product functionality, cost effectiveness, orvisual appeal.