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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

Biodegradable Seat Covers: Lenzing on the Latest in Circular Auto Parts

Through a partnership with Swiss automaker Rinspeed, textile giant Lenzing is expanding into auto upholstery — and changing what it feels like to sit on wood.

Good Scents: An Inside Look at Cradle to Cradle’s New Certified Fragrances

What do actress Michelle Pfeiffer; William McDonough, creator of the Cradle to Cradle® design framework and a pioneer of the circular economy movement; and perfume have in common? Likely nothing, until recently — when two newly launched products brought the certification into new territory.

Beer, Plastic, Insect Feed: Almonds Find Unexpected Uses in Journey to Zero Waste

Almonds are a fantastic food — they contain 6g of protein, have good fat, are an excellent snack themselves and make great alternatives to milk and flour products. But almonds may soon bring us joy in a host of new ways.

Beverage Giants, L’Oréal, Tupperware Continue Paving Way for Circular Plastics Economy

Expanded collaborations aimed at scaling the use of the world’s first enzymatic plastic-recycling technology and introducing recycled polymers into durable storage ware.

Trending: Billerudkorsnäs, Evian, PepsiCo Aim to Redesign How We Hydrate

From shrinking jugs to paper bottles to eschewing bottles completely, here are some of the latest ways beverage and packaging giants are innovating to eliminate plastic pollution.

Trending: Cannabis Companies Cultivating Circular, Degradable Packaging Solutions

As the cannabis industry continues to proliferate, so, too, does it packaging waste. But more and more companies are taking a long view, incorporating sustainability into their products and processes.

Chemical Recycling of Plastic: Waste No More?

When it comes to the circular economy transition, plastics recycling is as much of a challenge as an opportunity. Could chemical recycling make the plastics value chain more circular whilst providing a profitable new industry branch?

Trending: Players Large and Small Leveling Up Sustainable Personal Care

While momentum builds around improving our food system — what we put in our bodies — chemical giants and savvy startups alike are hard at work creating next-generation products that take just as much care of the environment as they do for our bodies.

The Impact of Aluminum in a Circular Economy

Hydro's new products and processes will increase recycling of post-consumer scrap to 250,000 metric tons per year by 2020, reduce waste to landfill by 60%, and reduce water usage in water-stressed areas by 15%.

Trending: IBM, Subaru Announce Recycling Milestones

The tech giant and the automaker both announced progress this week in their respective attacks on plastic waste.

Q&A: How to Know When Products Are Truly MADE SAFE®

The MADE SAFE® certification is on the verge of certifying its 1,000th product. Three years ago, this program didn’t even exist.

Novozymes, VTT Crafting Next-Gen Solutions to Plastic Waste (and More)

Cross-Posted from Circular Economy. Promising technologies from Finland, France could bring waste-free future closer to reality.

Over 170 Brand Partners, Innovators Hard at Work on Sustainable Viscose

Global fashion brands highlight new solutions to viscose made from ancient and endangered forests.

Unifi, Saint Haven, TreeToTextile Pioneering New Breed of Sustainable Textiles

Market demands continue to drive innovation in sustainable fabrics.

BillerudKornsäs Offers Unique Insights on Packaging Sustainability

As consumers look to brands to lead the way in packaging sustainability, brands can choose responsibly sourced, light and easy-to-recycle packaging solutions to get there.

Trending: Lush, M&S, Nestlé Accelerate Plastic-Free Strategies

The work to clean up our plastic mess continues with new initiatives from more major brands.

UK to Hold Companies Responsible for Packaging Recycling, Disposal

Businesses and manufacturers will pay the full cost of recycling or disposing of their packaging waste, under a major new government strategy unveiled late last month by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

China Lags on Sustainable Viscose, Australia Unveils Tree-Free Alternative

Report: Chinese viscose sector’s sustainability roadmap fails to deliver

Beyond Transparency: The Next Essential Step in Product Optimization

If you’ve been around the building products industry in the last five years, you’ve probably encountered conversations about transparency — around material health, chemical hazards, environmental impacts, you name it. To be fair, if you were around the building products industry 10 years ago, no one was really talking about transparency (at least not like today). The buzzword of the day back then was recycled content. Before that, it was indoor air quality. And over time those attributes have become commonplace for most manufacturers; transparency is the next attribute to achieve.

Trending: Biomimetic Cement, Self-Healing Polymer Could Revolutionize Materials Game

New innovations in materials science by two of the US’ most respected engineering and research institutions could revolutionize the materials we use for a host of applications across industries. First, what if the inherent weaknesses of a material actually made houses and buildings stronger during wildfires and earthquakes?