PLEASE NOTE: This document is available for free download, click here.
The South African Plastics Pact members have collaborated to produce the Design for Circularity Guideline – a first-of-its-kind publication which aims to support the establishment of a circular economy for plastic packaging in South Africa. The document will also be a critical tool to support the members in their progress towards the Pact targets.
The production of the Guideline has been supported by the Anglo American Foundation and complied, with input from the Pact membership, by GreenCape.
The Guideline provides practical, locally relevant guidance for designing plastic packaging that supports a circular economy in South Africa. It adapts the Consumer Goods Forum’s Golden Design Rules to South African infrastructure, markets, and recycling systems, helping businesses align with global best practice while considering local challenges.
The nine Golden Design Rules presented in the document directly support the SA Plastics Pact’s targets. The document provides clear, actionable steps for brand owners & retailers, converters, and packaging designers to improve the recyclability and circularity of plastic packaging in the South African market.
The Guideline serves six critical functions:
- Reflects local conditions – The document is tailored to South Africa’s infrastructure, markets, and value chains
- Co-designed with members – The document has been compiled with input from Pact members across the value chain
- Bridges existing gaps – The document adapts and supplements global guidance where it falls short
- Aligns with Pact targets – The document directly supports progress toward our collective 2025 and 2030 goals
- Supports suppliers – The document helps brands and converters align on packaging design specifications
- Provides practical tools – The document is designed for daily decision-making by packaging designers and sustainability teams
This document is available for free download, please click here.
