Abstract:
The manufacturing processes of baby products by creating a sustainable product,
especially the usage of bio-based plastic material, is quite challenging. Companies must
drive and strive to deliver the environmental message. In terms of the operational side, it
may lead to high production costs. Sustainability is not only about environmental or eco-
friendly materials, but also about the production process and ensuring its good
productivity. Bio-based plastic material is one of the non-fossil materials that gain
popularity these days. This kind of material is made from renewable energy that helps to
reduce the waste that impacts on the environment. Despite its popularity, this material
procurement is also another challenge due to its rare manufacturers or suppliers and
impacts the overall procurement cost and time consuming. Externally, baby products
using bio-based plastic material also affect consumer perception with regards to the
product price and its quality. Customers are very sensitive to product prices due to the
unstable global economic situations caused by climate change, geopolitical conditions,
government policies and the after-effects of the pandemic. This case study aims to
evaluate and assess the impact of using bio-based plastic material in the manufacturing
processes of baby products and its subsequent effect such as: productivity, quality, cost,
product sustainability and the market acceptance at PT. XYZ. The research employs a
mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative analysis of manufacturing productivity
metrics with market trend analysis. Preliminary findings at PT. XYZ found that the use
of biobased plastic material can reduce the manufacturing productivity due to its difficulty
of processing and cost-effectiveness. This research concludes with a discussion on the
implications of these findings and the solutions for manufacturers, marketers, and
policymakers in the baby products industry, and suggests directions for future research
improvement.
