Burton Snowboards is showing how packaging innovation can help brands reduce single-use plastic, advance source reduction goals, and move sustainability commitments from aspiration to action.
A recent article from SNOWBOARDER Magazine highlighted Burton Snowboards’ ongoing effort to eliminate single-use plastic from its packaging systems, a journey that has already resulted in a reported 90% reduction in single-use plastics across its retail consumer-facing packaging.
The article follows the work of Mitch Rovito, Burton’s Packaging Manager, and the team behind a series of packaging innovations that are helping reimagine how outdoor products move through the supply chain. From replacing conventional polybags with FSC-certified glassine paper to exploring seaweed-based materials for snowboard protection, Burton has demonstrated that reducing plastic waste doesn’t require sacrificing performance or customer experience.
A Different Way to Think About Packaging
Packaging often serves its purpose for only a matter of days or weeks, yet the materials can remain in the environment for decades. Burton recognized this disconnect and began asking a simple question: what if packaging materials aligned more closely with the values of the outdoor community they serve?
That question led Burton to evaluate every part of its packaging portfolio and pursue alternatives that could reduce dependence on fossil-fuel-based plastics while maintaining the durability needed for global distribution.
The Promise of Seaweed-Based Packaging
One of the most exciting developments highlighted in the story is Burton’s exploration of seaweed-derived materials through its partnership with Sway Seaweed Packaging and A New Earth Project.
Seaweed presents a compelling opportunity for packaging innovation. Unlike many traditional feedstocks, it can be cultivated without farmland, freshwater, or fertilizer inputs. It grows rapidly, supports marine ecosystems, and can serve as the foundation for next-generation materials designed to reduce reliance on conventional plastics.
At Atlantic Packaging and A New Earth Project, we’ve been proud to work alongside Burton and Sway as these solutions move closer to commercial scale. Sway’s proprietary seaweed-based materials are designed to work within existing manufacturing systems while offering brands a practical pathway away from traditional plastic packaging.
Innovation Requires Leadership
One of the most compelling themes from the SNOWBOARDER article is the role leadership plays in driving change. In an interview on the Sustainable Packaging Podcast, Mitch Rovito credited Burton’s leadership team for creating an environment where sustainability goals could be pursued even when they challenged conventional business practices.
That willingness to experiment, collaborate, and iterate is often what separates incremental improvements from transformational change.
The reality is that no single material or packaging format will solve the plastic pollution challenge on its own. Progress requires brands, material innovators, manufacturers, retailers, and packaging partners working together to test new approaches and scale what works.
What This Means for Other Brands
Burton’s story offers an important reminder for organizations evaluating their own packaging footprints:
- Start with source reduction wherever possible.
- Challenge long-standing packaging assumptions.
- Pilot new materials before committing at scale.
- Partner with suppliers and innovators who share your goals.
- View packaging as a strategic opportunity rather than a fixed cost.
The transition away from single-use plastic won’t happen overnight. But as Burton demonstrates, significant progress can happen surprisingly quickly when sustainability becomes an operational priority.
Looking Forward
The outdoor industry has long been a leader in environmental stewardship, and Burton’s packaging journey reflects that tradition. From glassine apparel packaging to seaweed-based snowboard protection, the company is helping to show what a lower-plastic future can look like.
We’re honored to support innovators like Burton and Sway as they push the boundaries of what’s possible in packaging design and material science.
Read the original article from SNOWBOARDER Magazine: Burton’s Quest To End Single-Use Plastic Continues
Listen to the Sustainable Packaging Podcast episode featuring Mitch Rovito to learn more about Burton’s packaging journey and their work to eliminate single-use plastic.