Case Studies

Where the (Recycled) Rubber Meets the Road

The true measure of the NextLife&trade value proposition; is not what we can do, but what we’ve already done to save our planet in partnership with some of the largest companies in the world.

The case studies here include examples of our eco marketing expertise, green consulting, sustainable product development, and most importantly how our NextLife brand licensees have benefited from carrying the NextLife Seal of Sustainability.

Dell Computers - Reusing Materials to Produce Sustainable Ink Cartridges

NextLife partners with Dell to bring one of the most sustainable printer ink cartridges available to market.

At A Glance

Goal: Reduce environmental impact, such as global warming, caused by ink cartridge production

Requirements: Work with Dell’s select supply chain vendors to vouch sustainable manufacturing processes and support the product launch with an eco-marketing strategy and tactical implementation plan that insures that Dell accomplishes the stated goal, without a hint of greenwashing.

Result: NextLife Ink by Dell

The Details

Something you might not know is that more than 70% of ink cartridges used everyday are trashed - that’s around 8 printer cartridges every second of every day! Dell and NextLife saw a tremendous change to the way consumers think about ink cartridges and their printing habits.

Dell didn’t have time to reinvent the wheel and source a new supply chain to support this effort. NextLife assessed Dell’s current chain using its LifeCycle Assessment (LCA) discipline and determined how to work with Dell’s current chain vendors to ensure that every cartridge produced was done so in the most sustainable way possible. This included every step of ink cartridge production – from energy and water consumption to packaging, to disposal of “waste.”

The result is NextLife Ink by Dell, an ink cartridge that has a smaller carbon footprint, utilizes renewable energy, and has a higher percentage of recycled content than competitors. Ultimately, NextLife Ink by Dell utilizes 43% - 62% of reclaimed materials…far and away the highest such reuse in the industry. Introducing a “bright green” printer cartridge wasn’t enough for Dell or NextLife, the NextLife Ink by Dell cartridges print up to 20% more pages and save consumers up to 30% when compared to competitive cartridges.

NextLife then supported this ink cartridge launch with eco-marketing strategy development and other “green” messaging and communication support to ensure that Dell’s consumers clearly understood the steps that Dell had taken to offer the marketplace an eco-friendly printer inkjet cartridge. This included NextLife’s proprietary Environmental Index, which Dell proudly showcased on the product packaging.