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
Materials & PackagingInnovation & Technology
Brewers Take Note: Enzymes Can Play a Crucial Role in Global Climate Fightback
Brewers Take Note: Enzymes Can Play a Crucial Role in Global Climate Fightback
Published on May 15, 2020
About a 4 minute read

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. ... View More

Article
Materials & Packaging
#ItsInOurHands: Increasing Clarity Around Biodegradability
#ItsInOurHands: Increasing Clarity Around Biodegradability
Published on May 14, 2020
About a 3 minute read

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 thei... View More

Article
Materials & PackagingCircular Economy
How Gap, MycoWorks, Thousand Fell Are Edging Fashion Closer to Circularity
How Gap, MycoWorks, Thousand Fell Are Edging Fashion Closer to Circularity
Published on May 12, 2020
About a 4 minute read

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. ... View More

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Materials & Packaging
The ‘Secret’ Ingredient in the World’s ‘Greenest’ Buildings? FSC-Certified Wood
The ‘Secret’ Ingredient in the World’s ‘Greenest’ Buildings? FSC-Certified Wood
Published on May 11, 2020
About a 3 minute read

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 ... View More

Article
Innovation & TechnologyMaterials & Packaging
Trending: Startups Find Surprising Ways to Fuel Shift Away from Animal-Based Proteins
Trending: Startups Find Surprising Ways to Fuel Shift Away from Animal-Based Proteins
Published on May 7, 2020
About a 4 minute read

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. ... View More

Article
Materials & PackagingCircular Economy
New Concept Jacket Designed to Illustrate Viability of Fully Recyclable, Circular Garments
New Concept Jacket Designed to Illustrate Viability of Fully Recyclable, Circular Garments
Published on April 24, 2020
About a 5 minute read

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. ... View More

Article
Materials & PackagingCollaboration & Co-CreationInnovation & Technology
SB Corporate Members Collaborate to Drive Circular Innovation
SB Corporate Members Collaborate to Drive Circular Innovation
Published on April 21, 2020
About a 6 minute read

When BASF and its customer and fellow Sustainable Brands Corporate Member, Stanley Black & Decker, realized they had similar interest in recycling technologies for plastics and battery materials, they decided to launch an innovation challenge. ... View More

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Materials & PackagingInnovation & Technology
2019 Nobel-Winning Chemistry Professor Shares His Views on Renewable Energy
2019 Nobel-Winning Chemistry Professor Shares His Views on Renewable Energy
Published on April 16, 2020
About a 1 minute read

Dr. Stanley Whittingham, the pioneer of lithium-ion batteries, spoke with BASF about a fossil-fuel-free future. ... View More

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Materials & Packaging
Now Is the Time to Detox the Fashion Industry — Here's How to Do It
Now Is the Time to Detox the Fashion Industry — Here's How to Do It
Published on April 15, 2020
About a 4 minute read

Can the fashion industry take the lead to reduce the use of harmful chemicals and become an influential global force in sustainability? ZDHC Foundation Executive Director Frank Michel outlines why now is the time for the industry to stick to its sust... View More

Article
Materials & PackagingCollaboration & Co-Creation
Biodegradable, Recyclable: Designing Products for a Better End-of-Use Outcome
Biodegradable, Recyclable: Designing Products for a Better End-of-Use Outcome
Published on April 10, 2020
About a 8 minute read

As part of an effort to recognize and learn from a wide array of organizations about the ways we can each make a positive impact on people and the planet, Shaw is spotlighting 10 diverse organizations intently focused on products and initiatives that... View More

Article
Circular EconomyInnovation & TechnologyMaterials & Packaging
Fibersort Technology Could Be Game-Changing for Recycling Post-Consumer Textiles
Fibersort Technology Could Be Game-Changing for Recycling Post-Consumer Textiles
Published on April 9, 2020
About a 5 minute read

The tech can separate collected textiles by fiber composition and color into precise recycling feedstocks and return them to the supply chain — but studies show consumers need to drive the garment industry to use more recycled content in their prod... View More

Article
Materials & PackagingInnovation & Technology
Meet 5 More Disruptors That Could Transform Fashion as We Know It
Meet 5 More Disruptors That Could Transform Fashion as We Know It
Published on April 2, 2020
About a 2 minute read

The H&M Foundation has unveiled the latest crop of innovators to earn its Global Change Award. The five startups share a €1 million prize pot and will participate in the Foundation’s Innovation Acceleration Program. ... View More

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Materials & Packaging
Forestry Day and Every Day: Don’t Overlook the ‘Urban Forest’
Forestry Day and Every Day: Don’t Overlook the ‘Urban Forest’
Published on March 25, 2020
About a 5 minute read

While it is crucial to maintain sustainability managed forests, sourcing paper fiber from them is not the only option to consider. As we all move toward creating a more circular economy, it’s important to also consider sourcing materials from the �... View More

Article
Materials & PackagingInnovation & Technology
Trending: With COVID-19, It’s 2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back in Fight Against Single-Use Beverage Waste
Trending: With COVID-19, It’s 2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back in Fight Against Single-Use Beverage Waste
Published on March 11, 2020
About a 3 minute read

While Starbucks trials a NextGen coffee cup solution, COVID-19 concerns lead to reusable cup bans around the globe. Meanwhile, a UK soft drink manufacturer rolls out beverages in seaweed cachets. ... View More

Article
Materials & PackagingCircular EconomyCollaboration & Co-Creation
Trending: In Fashion, What’s Outside Also Counts
Trending: In Fashion, What’s Outside Also Counts
Published on February 27, 2020
About a 4 minute read

New partnerships aim to tackle the fashion industry’s packaging footprint — with circular solutions for polybags and MATCHESFASHION’s new, recyclable boxes furthering the cause. ... View More

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Materials & Packaging
Igniting the Healthy Building Materials Movement: A Conversation with Perkins&Will
Igniting the Healthy Building Materials Movement: A Conversation with Perkins&Will
Published on February 21, 2020
About a 6 minute read

Here, Mary Dickinson, co-director of Perkins&Will's Material Performance Lab, sheds light on the firm’s efforts related to the environments in which we live, work and play; the market drivers for those initiatives; and the challenges and keys t... View More

Article
Circular EconomyCircular EconomyMaterials & Packaging
Anti-Plastic Regulation Risks Less Sustainable Alternatives
Anti-Plastic Regulation Risks Less Sustainable Alternatives
Published on February 12, 2020
About a 5 minute read

Faced with shortages of suitable recycled material, a growing consumer backlash and a hostile regulatory environment, it is no wonder that some companies are shifting away from plastics. But encouraging this shift towards material choices that do lit... View More

Article
Materials & PackagingInnovation & Technology
Trending: C&A, G-Star, Genomatica Set New Course for Sustainable Textiles
Trending: C&A, G-Star, Genomatica Set New Course for Sustainable Textiles
Published on February 5, 2020
About a 4 minute read

The two clothing giants and the leader in bioengineering have each achieved industry-first milestones with their latest innovations — which raise the bar for sustainable denim and biobased nylon. ... View More

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Materials & Packaging
Tools for Healthy Buildings — at All Price Points
Tools for Healthy Buildings — at All Price Points
Published on February 3, 2020
About a 4 minute read

The Healthy Building Network’s HomeFree initiative helps leaders in affordable housing "do better" through scientific guidance and educational resources. The following insights from Billy Weber, HBN’s Collective Impact Director, were ta... View More

Article
Materials & PackagingInnovation & Technology
#ItsInOurHands: How Cleansing Wipes Can Be Both Convenient and Sustainable
#ItsInOurHands: How Cleansing Wipes Can Be Both Convenient and Sustainable
Published on January 31, 2020
About a 4 minute read

Fact: Most personal-care wipes contain plastic and therefore can become a burden on the environment. Lenzing‘s biodegradable VEOCEL™ fibers offer an alternative solution. We talked to Jürgen Eizinger, VP of Global Business Management, Nonwovens... View More

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