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Materials & Packaging

The latest developments in materials, feedstocks and processes that are transforming the way many conventional products are made and packaged — and eliminating their negative impacts

Article
bluesign Continues to Clean Up Fashion with Expansion into Denim, Footwear

Partnerships with brands including Madewell and Vibram will help adapt bluesign’s existing standards and guidelines for two untapped industries. ... View More

Article
Consumers Want More Sustainable Packaging But Struggle to Identify It

Retailers continue to refine what packaging they find acceptable to answer consumer demand for more sustainable solutions — and consumer goods companies must keep innovating to keep pace. ... View More

Article
New Insulating Paints Reduce Energy, Costs, Emissions, Discomfort in Extreme Temperatures

The paints, developed by Stanford researchers, can reduce the need for both heating and air conditioning in buildings, as well as refrigerated cargo spaces such as trains and trucks. ... View More

Article
Royal Society of Chemistry Task Force Aims to Make Liquid Polymers ‘Benign by Design’

The Sustainable Polymers in Liquid Formulation (PLFs) Task Force will collaborate to innovate throughout the value chain and across sectors including cosmetics, water treatments, lubricants and agricultural products. ... View More

Article
Beyond Bioplastics: Agricultural Waste Streams Becoming Next-Gen Packaging Materials

By upcycling agricultural waste, these three startups are replacing plastic with a new wave of packaging materials that ‘make no compromises along the supply chain.’ ... View More

Article
On the Importance of Made-to-Scale, Sustainable Chemicals for Products

Consumers deserve access to functional, sustainable and affordable products without having to sacrifice quality or their health. Scalable, bio-based chemicals hold tremendous promise in accomplishing these goals. ... View More

Article
Textile Additive Expedites Breakdown of Stubborn, Synthetic Fibers

Despite its potential to address microplastic pollution on a number of fronts, the makers of CiCLO stress they don’t want to enable more unnecessary plastic consumption justified by ‘biodegradability.’ ... View More

Article
Change the Product, Not Just the Packaging: A Crucial Step Towards a Sustainable Food Future

A growing industry solution to plastic packaging pollution is to create food products that are more stable and compatible with more minimal and sustainable packaging materials. ... View More

Article
Industry of All Nations’ Undyed Cotton Initiative Shows Proof of Concept for a More Natural End Product

The popularity of the company’s undyed apparel collection proves the business case and consumer demand for more consciously produced, less toxic clothing. ... View More

Article
Could This Circular Textile Put Conventional Leather Out to Pasture?

Modern Meadow’s Bio-VERA™ is a high-performance, upcycled alternative to traditional bovine leather with significantly lower environmental and supply chain impacts. ... View More

Article
What Plastic Pollution? These Companies Are Making Packaging Disappear

As innovators such as Notpla and B’ZEOS continue to prove, the potential uses for seaweed — including as plastic alternatives that are truly compostable and biodegradable — are endless. ... View More

Article
Global Fashion Houses, NGOs Call on Industry to Commit to Deforestation-Free Leather

The Deforestation-Free Call to Action for Leather calls on brands and retailers to ensure sourcing of bovine leather from deforestation-free supply chains by 2030 or earlier. ... View More

Article
These Fermented Oils Could Be a Game-Changer for Human, Planetary Health

Along with being sub-optimal for human health, many conventional cooking oils contribute to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and soil and water pollution. Fermented oils could save both the environment and our diets. ... View More

Article
Closed-Loop, Reusable Distribution System Saves Spirits Producers Costs, Emissions, Materials

EcoSPIRITS’ EcoTOTE system replaces traditional, 1.75-liter liquor bottles with reusable glass containers that reduce emissions by 60-90% while maintaining product quality. ... View More

Article
Next-Generation Beauty: How Nature-Inspired Biotech Is Evolving Ethical Skincare

Modern Meadow’s Bio-Coll@gen offers a solution to a long-standing cosmetic and skincare challenge: finding a safe, sustainable and scalable replacement for animal-derived collagen. ... View More

Article
Cornell Researchers Upcycling Polyester Textile Waste into Functional Coatings

A new method chemically breaks down old fabric and reuses polyester compounds to create fire-resistant, anti-bacterial or wrinkle-free coatings that can then be applied to new clothes and fabrics. ... View More

Article
Champagne Telmont Raises a Glass to World’s Lightest Champagne Bottle

The bottle, 35 grams lighter than the commercial standard, could represent a significant decrease in the carbon footprint of Champagne bottling. ... View More

Article
One Company May Just Solve Some of Our Most Material Issues

Bio-design tech company Modern Meadow develops circular and regenerative approaches to creating a wide range of versatile materials, with no loss of performance or quality, that can be quickly scaled and brought to market. ... View More

Article
How eCommerce Retailers Can Satisfy Today’s Sustainability-Demanding Shoppers

Gen Z shoppers are more informed about what sustainability should look like in practice — but whether they know it or not, their shopping habits don’t always reflect that. Either way, retailers are striving to keep up sustainably. ... View More

Article
Apparel Giants Bringing Future-Friendly Fabrics to the Mainstream

The apparel industry is awash in launches of circular, plant-based and carbon-sequestering fabrics set to help future-proof fashion. ... View More

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