Coastal Source Delivers EVO Outdoor Lighting in New Recycled Packaging

Coastal Source has launched its new EVO™ lighting line with a strong focus on sustainability. Instead of the usual plastic packaging, the company is now using recycled and biodegradable materials like cardboard, paper, and cotton muslin bags. This move was driven by dealer and installer feedback about how much plastic waste was piling up on job sites, making cleanup harder and affecting their professional image. The new packaging design also ditches things like plastic twist-ties and adhesive stickers, replacing them with smarter, eco-friendly alternatives like water-based ink and QR codes for manuals.

The EVO lighting products themselves are built to last, with solid brass bodies and IP67-rated Plug+Play™ wiring that’s made to withstand tough weather conditions. Coastal Source sees this step as part of their commitment to the environment—especially important since they operate in coastal areas. And they’re not stopping here—the company plans to roll out this plastic-free packaging across more product lines in the near future, showing that sustainability and smart business can go hand in hand.

Coastal Source, the industry leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance outdoor audio and lighting, today announced that it will deliver its new EVO™ outdoor lighting solutions in innovative new packaging.

According to Aja Ferretti, Coastal Source Technical Specialist, the change is not so much about what’s included in the packaging but rather what’s not included: plastic. Instead of traditional plastic inserts, baggies, and bubble wrap, EVO arrives in recycled cardboard cartons that contain only cardboard, paper, and cotton muslin bags. Even the familiar twist-ties are missing. The shift in packaging was driven by dealer and installer feedback, specifically regarding the significant waste generated by each job.

“Our technical sales team took note of the dealer feedback we received regarding the excessive amount of packaging that came with each order. It was a real pain point for them. The abundance of non-biodegradable material ended up in dumpsters, creating unnecessary costs and adding time to waste disposal processes. Moreover, the jobsites themselves were messy, which diminished the professional image that dealers work hard to maintain,” said Ferretti.

“The launch of our EVO product line presented the perfect opportunity to transition to plastic-free packaging. What makes EVO different is that it arrives in recycled packaging, with the fixtures and components protected by cardboard inserts and tubes. Items like lenses and filters, which used to come in little plastic bags, now arrive in paper boxes and envelopes. Additionally, plastic bubble wrap has been replaced with cotton muslin bags, and there are no twist ties.”

“We’ve also eliminated the need for adhesive stickers, which are often made of plastic, by printing product identifiers directly on the box using water-based inks. Even the manual is no longer a separate printed sheet – it’s now a QR code, which can be found directly on the box or within the packing slip of the order,” added Ferretti.

All packaging materials are designed for street recycling or backyard composting. For locations where recycling is not available, the packaging is fully biodegradable, even without heat or chemical treatment.

Made of solid brass, EVO is engineered to DEFY THE ELEMENTS™ in challenging environments and comes with a lifetime warranty. EVO’s fully integrated LED modules with Coastal Source’s Plug+Play™ technology offer unmatched resistance to water, dust, and the elements. All wiring connections are IP67 rated and are backed by a 5-year warranty. They require no specialty tools to install or modify.

“At Coastal Source South, we’re on the shore every day. Marine conservation and environmental stewardship are part of our DNA – that’s something that sets us apart,” emphasized Ferretti. “By eliminating plastic and simplifying cleanup, we’re reducing time and labor for everyone. And, we plan to extend our no-plastic packaging to other product lines in the near future. EVO serves as a prime example of how doing the right thing can also be the smart thing.”