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Chemistry, Materials & Packaging

The latest developments in safe and sustainable chemicals, new materials, fuels, and more.

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Trending: Returnity, Venetian Resort Working to Cut Out COVID Waste

Surgical mask upcycling and antimicrobial, reusable packaging solutions are some of the latest initiatives aiming to clean up some of our COVID-fueled, plastic-covered mess.

From the Source: New System Offers Brands Data on Sustainable Cotton-Growing Practices

Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. The US Cotton Trust Protocol provides measured and verified data about US cotton; which allows fashion and textile brands and retailers to track annual progress toward their targets, and help them tell their sustainability stories.

US Retail Giants Convene to Reinvent the Plastic Retail Bag

Cross-Posted from Collaboration. Leading retailers CVS Health, Target and Walmart — joined by Kroger and Walgreens, and NGOs Conservation International and Ocean Conservancy — unite to tackle retail bag waste and invite others to join the effort.

Recycled Plastic Certifications Are Stifling Innovation

Recycled plastic certification makes sense. Manufacturers need confidence that the raw materials they’re acquiring meet their requirements and are truly recycled. But more certifications likely means higher costs and thus less recycled plastic.

Diageo Announces World’s First 100% Plastic-Free, Paper-Based Spirits Bottle

Looks like Johnnie Walker scotch could be first to market with a paper-based packaging solution, made from sustainably sourced wood pulp, early next year.

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Trending: Meet the Innovators Hell-Bent for Plant-Based Leather

While companies such as Amadou and MycoWorks are charging ahead with mushroom-based leather, here we see the material made from eggplant, cacti and apples — and taking a bite out of food waste at the same time.

‘About the Box’ Thinking: A Brewer's Sustainability Story

Watch what happens when a sustainable hard kombucha brand teams up with WestRock for packaging that reflects its brand values.

Regenerative Agriculture the Linchpin for a Sustainable Fashion Future

New report reveals how emulating nature’s lessons in the fashion industry can enhance ecosystems to boost biodiversity, build soil, support communities, and clean up existing pollution.

Trending: Reports Examine Corporate Progress on Tackling Plastic Pollution

Cross-Posted from Waste Not. New reports from As You Sow and WWF dig into action taking place around corporate commitments to eliminate plastic waste in their operations and environment — along with ways to effectively trudge forward.

Ambitious Vision for Manmade Cellulosic Fibers Promises Greater Resilience for Textile Industry

New report highlights the huge potential of manmade fibers such as viscose, modal and lyocell to create a more sustainable future, and outlines a sector-wide vision that could revolutionize multiple industries.

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Circularity, Human Rights, Regeneration Pillars of Natura &Co’s 2030 ‘Commitment to Life’ Strategy

Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. “We are confident that we will be able to reach these targets by 2030, but we are ambitious to get there sooner; because that is what the planet needs and what our consumers are asking for.” — Christopher Davis, The Body Shop

Stella McCartney, Telus Join Initiative to Tackle Paper Packaging Problem

Cross-Posted from Supply Chain. Participation in Canopy’s Pack4Good initiative to keep the world’s ancient and endangered forests out of packaging supply chains doubles, with the addition of 11 new companies.

Biomimetic Cooling, Housing Solutions Take Top Honors in Youth Design Challenge

Cross-Posted from Product, Service & Design Innovation. The Biomimicry Institute’s third annual Youth Design Challenge engaged 6,000 students across the US; and yielded ingenious designs for solutions to problems in cities and nature alike.

Report Outlines Critical Actions for Beauty Brands to Sustainably ‘Make Up the Future’

A new report published this week by sustainability consulting group Quantis maps the urgent actions that cosmetics and personal care brands must address to achieve sustainability in today’s fast-changing world.

Brewers Take Note: Enzymes Can Play a Crucial Role in Global Climate Fightback

LCAs are becoming increasingly important in identifying ways to help solve the climate crisis — not only in pinpointing inefficiencies, but in highlighting how relatively small changes can create a huge, lasting, collective impact.

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#ItsInOurHands: Increasing Clarity Around Biodegradability

In a recent Sustainable Brands webinar, Lenzing Group and a panel of experts discussed the implications and applications of biodegradable alternatives to fossil-based plastic products such as wet wipes; as well as efforts to engage the public on their benefits.

How Gap, MycoWorks, Thousand Fell Are Edging Fashion Closer to Circularity

Denim and leather have helped style some of the most iconic fashion statements throughout history — so when taking apparel full circle, it makes sense to start with these types of classic materials that never seem to go out of vogue.

The ‘Secret’ Ingredient in the World’s ‘Greenest’ Buildings? FSC-Certified Wood

Across the country and around the world, thousands of buildings use FSC certification as a way to ensure that the wood materials used support responsible management of forests, keeping them intact and healthy for the people and animals who depend on them.

Trending: Startups Find Surprising Ways to Fuel Shift Away from Animal-Based Proteins

Cross-Posted from Product, Service & Design Innovation. Startups in Israel and Colorado are hitting the lab to reinvent dairy products and pet treats, respectively, without a single animal protein (as we know it) in sight.

New Concept Jacket Designed to Illustrate Viability of Fully Recyclable, Circular Garments

DuPont Biomaterials teamed up with Youngone to design a jacket comprised of recycled and plant-based fabrics that can be mechanically recycled at end of life — providing a glimpse into a circular future for textiles.

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