Sportswear giant Puma has unveiled plans to completely overhaul its footwear packaging with a departure from the traditional shoe box that will slash the amount of paper used.

The company has collaborated with renowned industrial designer Yves Behar to create the Clever Little Bag, which replaces the cardboard show box with a reusable bag, reinforced with some cardboard.

The Clever Little Bag is made from rPET and is designed to function both as retail packaging for the shoes and a take-home bag for the customer.

According to Puma, the move will reduces paper consumption by 65%, save 20 million megajoules of electricity and 275 tonnes of plastic per year.

Behar has also addressed other forms of packaging. The company's T-shirts, for example, will be folded an extra time to reduce the amount of packaging required.

"Puma's initiative to look closely at one of the most challenging issues facing the retail industry in regards to sustainable and environmental harm are inspirational," said Behar.

"In changing the packaging and distribution life-cycle from the ground up, we hope our new design and comprehensive solution encourages other retail companies to follow suit."

Puma announced the new packaging at the Design Museum in London this week.

Chief executive Jochen Zeitz told delegates that the packaging would initially be manufactured in China before eventually sub-contracted to companies closer to its global manufacturing bases.

"For Puma this is a very long-term commitment," he said, adding that the next step would be to look at its products.

Puma is undertaking final trials before the planned roll-out of the new packaging in the second half of 2011.

Yves Behar is an industrial designer and founder of brand consultancy Fuseproject in San Francisco. He was the designer behind the One Laptop Per Child XO Laptop.