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
Researchers Tweak Bacteria to Create Strong, Flexible, Sustainable Plastic
Researchers at Kobe University have engineered bacteria to produce a plastic modifier that makes bioplastic more processable, more fracture resistant and highly biodegradable —which holds great potential for enabling sustainable plastic production.... View More
More Beauty Retailers Embracing a Circular Economy for Packaging
New initiatives from Kiehl’s, Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart and Ulta lay further groundwork for reducing the beauty industry’s massive plastic footprint. ... View More
Major Snack Brands Continue to Cut Plastic in Packaging
While Walkers and the British Crisp Co shift to paper, Mars embraces digital simulation software to slash its amount of plastic needed. ... View More
‘Keggers,’ Elevated: Winemakers Tapping Into More Sustainable Vessels
Wine packers such as Sonoma-based Free Flow Wines are taking advantage of the reduced stigma of stainless steel-bound wine, along with increased ambitions from winemakers to reduce their packaging footprint. ... View More
Startup Using Biomimicry to Break Textile Dyeing Down to Its DNA
Colorifix's technology uses DNA sequencing to replicate nature's hues into sustainable pigments, curbing the industry's overreliance on water- and chemical-intensive dyeing processes. ... View More
3 Takeaways from Our Ongoing Journey to ‘Innovate Boldly. Package Sustainably.’
We’re constantly exploring ways to achieve the functional benefits of plastic with fiber-based packaging alternatives, so that no one walking down a grocery store aisle must choose between function and sustainability. ... View More
The Forever Cost of Materials: Considerations for Conscious Designers
By designing with the end in mind and considering durability, construction, recyclability and production, designers who create products with ‘lower-cost’ ingredients bring us one step closer to a circular economy. ... View More
Awards Recognize Green Chemistry Innovators Solving Critical Industry Challenges
Winners of this year’s Green Chemistry Challenge Awards include Modern Meadow’s Bio-FREED technology — which uses bio-based proteins to create a sustainable dyeing process that can be applied to any type of fiber and uses 95% less water, 75% le... View More
Lululemon’s Enzymatically Recycled Nylon 6,6 Advancing Circular Fashion
The brand has partnered with Samsara Eco to extract nylon 6,6 from end-of-life textiles, demonstrating the potential to create a fully circular ecosystem for apparel. ... View More
California Wineries Finding Significant Cost, Emission Savings with rPET Wine Bottles
Amcor is ramping up usage of an industry-standard, 750-ml version of a recycled PET bottle with technology that’s long been in use in smaller formats. ... View More
Coca-Cola Removes Labels from Sprite Bottles to Simplify Recycling
Labels will be replaced with an embossed logo on Sprite and Sprite Zero 500ml rPET bottles as part of a UK trial designed to reduce use of packaging materials. ... View More
Parts of Future Fords Could Be Made from Olive Waste
Ford engineers are conducting trials on parts made from 40% olive tree fibers and 60% recycled plastic — which is heated and injection-molded into the shape of the selected part. ... View More
How Research & Insights Help Brands Meet Consumer Desire for More Sustainable Products
Assessing how products resonate with consumers and using those insights to refine them is a critical part of product development — and just one way that strategic insights add value for brands. ... View More
Digitization, Data Driving the Quest to Decarbonize Building Materials
Shaw’s Kellie Ballew spoke with Stacy Smedley, executive director of Building Transparency, about the organization’s role in decarbonizing the construction industry. ... View More
The 5 Biggest Packaging Trends Impacting Sustainability in 2024
Improved automation is a major driver behind several of the biggest trends that will impact packaging sustainability in 2024. ... View More
Under Armour’s Breakthrough Fiber-Shed Test Method Now Available to Industry
The brand is sharing its solution with the apparel industry and suppliers, and developing a reduced-shed version of its largest fleece offering. ... View More
Molecular Recycling Could Be Crucial to Realizing a Circular Economy
We caught up with Eastman’s Plastics Division President, Scott Ballard, who explained the potential of molecular recycling as the company prepares to show the world what’s possible. ... View More
Venerable Japanese Company Goes Circular with Versatile, Upcycled Textile
Meet NUNOUS — a brand-new, radically versatile material made from fabric waste — developed by fabric-dyeing giant Seishoku Co., Ltd. ... View More
A Clean, Circular Materials Future Is No Longer a Fabrication
At SB’23 San Diego, three sets of innovators at the forefront of the materials and packaging space shared key insights into the biobased and circular solutions driving a sea change in the market. ... View More
2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back: LEGO Is Latest Company to Disclose Sustainability Setback
The world’s largest toymaker acknowledged the issues it encountered in pursuit of a more sustainable alternative to its oil-based plastic bricks, illustrating the still-circuitous path to sustainable solutions. ... View More
