Green packaging, also called pollution-free packaging or environmental friendly package, refers to the packaging which is harmless to ecological environment and human health, is regeneration, can be reused, and accords with sustainable development. Its philosophy has two aspects, the protection of environment and the saving of natural resources, which are supplement each other and indivisible. The former is the core, and the latter is closely related to it in that the saving of natural resources can reduce castoff.

At present, the world set off a Green Storm to protect environment and conserve natural resources. The design concept, material selection, production technology, product performance, waste disposal and other areas are all moving in the direction of green packaging. How to apply the modern sense of thrift among the packaging design is a new task. We should change from raw material selection, process equipment selection, production line, development, circulation sales, waste disposal, as well as utilization of the entire life cycle of the production technology. Specifically, green packaging should have these meanings below.

Packaging reduction--To satisfy the conditions of the functions, such as protection, convenience and marketing etc., green packaging should be the moderate packaging which has the fewest usage of material.

Easily be reused or recycled---Packaging can achieve the purpose of reuse by varieties of measures, such as recovering of castoff, production of regenerative products, burning to make use of the thermal power, composting to improve soil, and so on.

Package rubbish is degradable. In order not to produce permanent garbage, package rubbish which can't be recycled should be degradable to achieve the aim of improving soil.

Packaging materials are non-poisonous or harmless to human body and living beings. In other words, packaging materials should not contain toxic substance or the content of toxic substance should be controlled in the relevant standards.

Packaging products should not pollute the environment during the whole life cycle. That is to say, packaging products should not cause public hazard to human body and environment during the whole process of their life, including the collection of raw materials, material processing, manufacture of products, use of products, recycle of rubbish, and the final disposal.

In green packaging design, the so-called three R principles, reduce, reuse and recycle, must be abided by. In order to achieve these purposes, we must adopt a series of effective measures.

Firstly, in the selection of packaging materials, we should employ reusable or renewable materials, or edible materials, or degradable materials, or paper materials etc.

Secondly, reducing the classifications and application amount of packaging materials is another important measure. In order to satisfy the requirement of the product appearance, improve the class of products, and attract an increasing number of consumers, package designers generally make use of different kinds of materials as many as possible, which causes the problem of resources waste.

Thirdly, package designers may apply effective graphic pattern or color so that the packaging can arouse people's awareness of environmental protection. In appearance, packing graphic pattern or color of products has nothing to do with environmental protection.

Nevertheless, green point or environmental protection pictures in the outer packing can stimulate consumers’ brain and remind them not to discard packaging rubbish optionally.

Finally, adopting harmless packaging should be stipulated in the form of legislating in each country.