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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
Perfect Day Is Helping Brands Give Cows, and the Planet, a Rest with Animal-Free Dairy

The biotech startup uses microflora to produce whey protein that’s genetically identical to the milk-derived version, without a cow in sight. And it’s poised for massive impacts, thanks to a growing number of brand partnerships. ... View More

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Opportunity Renewed: Solving Circular Challenges with the Right Partnership

A key component of Procter & Gamble’s Climate Transition Action Plan is reducing the amount of virgin fossil-based plastic in packaging by 50% by 2030. How can P&G brands do their part, without compromising on the unique beauty, branding an... View More

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Trending: Pangaia, Primark Expand Efforts to Turn Waste Textiles Into New Colors

The latest in a growing wave of circular textile innovations, the materials-science company and the global retailer have both launched collections that turn waste materials into new, colored textiles that require no dyeing. ... View More

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Unilever, Geno Launch $120M Venture to Scale Alternative to Palm Oil-, Fossil Fuel-Based Cleansers

The partnership aims to commercialize and scale more sustainable alternatives to palm oil and fossil-fuel-derived cleansing ingredients — the current industry standard in everyday cleaning and personal care products. ... View More

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Finding New Within the Old: Innovating to Advance the Circularity of Plastic

Rather than focus solely on plastic alternatives, we must consider the full lifecycle of materials to see the benefits of circularity. Three technologies are surfacing as viable solutions to increase plastic’s circularity with low-carbon performanc... View More

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LanzaTech, Danone Discover Breakthrough Method to Produce PET from Captured Carbon

Proof of concept for direct production of monoethylene glycol (MEG), a key building block in sustainable PET manufacturing, has been completed at lab scale. ... View More

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The Humble Crab Shell Could Upend a Variety of Polluting Industries — Starting with Wastewater

Washington-based startup Tidal Vision upcycles discarded crab shells to produce chitosan — a positively charged biopolymer with myriad applications in sustainable water treatment, textile production, agriculture and more. ... View More

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Bridgestone, LanzaTech Partner to Explore Opportunities for Tire Circularity

The exclusive partnership will leverage LanzaTech’s technology to create a pathway toward tire material circularity and the decarbonization of new tire production. ... View More

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Keeping Up with Regulatory Trends, Business Opportunities in Sustainable Packaging

As we see more and more legislation aimed at improving both recyclability and safety of packaging, it is best to first understand your company’s baseline in sustainable packaging. Then, there are a growing number of tools designed to help companies... View More

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Embracing Digital Tools, EPR to Achieve Sustainable Design

The future of sustainable packaging and design lies in our ability to do most of the important work in a digital space. Manufacturers will be left behind if they fail to embrace tools such as digital twins, 3D product and packaging visualization, and... View More

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From Seed to Recycling Center: How Companies Can Enable a Circular Economy at Every Step

While not every company is equipped or positioned to follow its products through their entire lifecycle, there are a few ways companies can think about participating at individual or multiple points in the circular cycle. ... View More

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Bumble Bee Slips Off Plastic Film, Takes One Step Closer to Circularity

Since January, Bumble Bee has switched to using cardboard, instead of plastic film, to wrap all of its products. It’s just one machine, and one company; but the impact is significant — the elimination of an estimated 23M pieces of plastic waste p... View More

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Green Science Policy Institute: Engaging Across Sectors to Drive Meaningful Change

The Institute’s work includes education and cross-sector partnerships to reduce harmful chemicals in products. We spoke with Senior Scientist Tom Bruton, PhD to learn more about the organization’s history, cross-sector collaborative efforts and f... View More

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From Shores to Shelves: Codifying Ocean Plastic Supply Chains

Brands committed to increasing sustainability by putting ocean plastic to good use deserve the infrastructure and data they need to verify their products and meet the standards that consumers demand. ... View More

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After Going Public, On Rightly Has Its Head in the Cloud

The Swiss company now has the funds to take its sustainability ethos to the next level — with the launch of a potentially game-changing, truly circular shoe and long-awaited subscription service. ... View More

Article
Making a Hot Cup Recyclable: The Innovation Behind the Scenes at WestRock

In 2019, WestRock’s answer to a recyclable hot cup was named a winner of the NextGen Cup challenge. Here, we go behind the scenes of developing this innovative barrier technology and hear what’s next for the holy grail of the easily recycled hot ... View More

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‘Toxic Tours’ Shed Light on Communities Most Affected by Petrochemical Pollution

New platform from Break Free from Plastic explores the hardest-hit frontline communities in the world, from India to Ohio. After hearing each story, viewers can choose to view another location, or take actions designed to make local and global impact... View More

Article
After Disaster in Texas, Community and Industry Come Together to Transform Water Infrastructure

Disasters such as the aftermath of the February 2021 ice storm that left millions of Texans without running water lay bare the urgent need for updated utility infrastructure across the US. This would involve repairing and replacing hundreds of thousa... View More

Article
Driscoll’s Working to Scale Circular Plastics Economy, from Field to Clamshell

Driscoll’s leads the produce industry in increasing the circularity of packaging and landfill diversion of agricultural plastics. It’s the first berry company to make public commitments and inject serious funding into innovation — with a goal t... View More

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US Plastics Pact Unveils List of 11 ‘Problematic and Unnecessary’ Materials to Be Eliminated by 2025

The US Pact’s brands, retailers and materials manufacturers are seek to develop immediate solutions to the 11 ubiquitous and unrecyclable materials — but the plastics industry is up in arms. ... View More

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