Reusable packaging is manufactured of durable materials and is specifically designed for multiple trips and extended life. A reusable package or container is "designed for reuse without impairment of its protective function."[1] The term returnable is sometimes used interchangeably but it can also include returning packages or components for other than reuse: recycling, disposal, incineration, etc. Typically, the materials used to make returnable packaging include steel, wood, polypropylene sheets or other plastic materials.[2]
Reusability of packaging is an important consideration of the environmental credo of "reduce, reuse, and recycle". It is also important to the movement toward more sustainable packaging. Returnable packaging is encouraged by regulators.[3][4]