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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

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Staples, Marriott Now Requiring Suppliers to Assess 'Chemical Footprints'

Next Wednesday, June 17, U.S. businesses representing more than $50 billion in investment and purchasing power will require that their vendors, suppliers, and builders use a new assessment tool that measures usage of harmful chemicals in their produc... View More

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Building 'a Single Version of the Truth': How BASF, thinkstep Are Scaling Sustainable Portfolio Management, Part 1

On Wednesday at SB ’15 San Diego, BASF and thinkstep announced their collaboration in marketing the Sustainable Solution Steering method developed by BASF for sustainable portfolio management. The two organizations have signed a licensing agreement... View More

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How UL Environment Is Helping Industry Develop Credible Claims Around Product Chemical Safety

On Tuesday evening, I had a chance to speak with Dr. Angela Griffiths, Director of the UL Environment Advisory Services group in the Activation Hub at SB ’15 San Diego. She shared with me the newest research and recommended best practices for asses... View More

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Coke Unveils World's First Entirely Plant-Based PET Bottle

The Coca-Cola Company today unveiled the world’s first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant materials at the World Expo — Milan.PlantBottle packaging is Coca-Cola’s vision to develop a more responsible plant-based alternative to packagin... View More

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How to Invest in Municipalities to Increase Recycling in the U.S.: The Case of the Closed Loop Fund

How do we make recycling work and be cost-effective? Bridget Croke, Director of Partnerships and Communications at the Closed Loop Fund (CLF), posed this question to a panel of three of CLF’s leading investors: Tim Carey, Senior Director of Sustain... View More

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Sustainable Design, Consumer Behavior Change Key to Moving Away from Wood-Based Paper, Packaging

Jeff Mendelsohn, moderator and founder of New Leaf Paper, opened up Tuesday’s SB ‘15 San Diego panel about the use of non-wood fiber with two questions that — from a consumer’s perspective — are questions we all should embrace and act on, n... View More

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#SB15sd Workshop Demystifies Range of Tools for Evaluating Chemicals in Products

Kicking off Sustainable Brands ‘15 San Diego this morning was an informative workshop on evaluating product chemicals and the most useful tools for doing so. Consumers have recently become hyper-aware of chemicals used in their products, but the wa... View More

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Trending: Gold-Plated Onions and 3D-Printed Skin — the Next Wave of Human Tissue Technology?

Every day seems to bring new uses for 3D printing – earlier this week, NASA announced a competition to design 3D printing settlements for deep space. Now, L’Oréal has revealed plans to 3D print human skin. ... View More

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How Do We Create the Sustainable Leaders That We Need? Start by Inspiring Kids to Recycle

Survey data indicates that, compared to older generations, younger generations are more supportive of environmental legislation and the notion that global climate change is the result of human activity, yet are simultaneously less likely to recycle o... View More

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Study: Tech Sector Leads the Way in Conflict Mineral Reporting; Packaging, Healthcare, Energy Sectors Lag

Today, the Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN) released a study measuring large cap company performance on a major human rights risk and ascertained the industries both leading and lagging when it comes to conflict minerals reporting.To conduct the pi... View More

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2015 Dupont Packaging Innovation Winners Feature Less Material, Increased Recyclability

The DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation are the industry's longest-running, global, independently judged recognition of innovation and collaboration throughout the packaging value chain. This year, a panel of experts evaluated almost 140 entries f... View More

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MillerCoors' Trenton Brewery Upcycling Wastewater Into Fish, Animal Feed

MillerCoors’ Trenton Brewery in Ohio will now also produce fish and animal feed.Thanks to a partnership with biotech company Nutrinsic, wastewater from MillerCoors’ beer-making process will now enter Nutrinsic’s sustainable protein production f... View More

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Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute Announces New Material Health Certificate Registry

This morning, the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute launched the Material Health Certificate Registry, a new online tool for identifying and communicating the work of manufacturers toward chemically optimized products. Two pilot companie... View More

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Mars Agrees with WHO, Promises to List Added Sugars in Nutritional Facts

On Friday, Mars announced it would support two important recommendations designed to help consumers limit their intake of added sugars and achieve healthier, more balanced diets.The candy giant is endorsing recommendations that people should limit th... View More

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Shareholders, Interest Groups Launch Two-Pronged Assault on Kraft’s Non-Recyclable Capri Sun Pouches

At a shareholder meeting on Tuesday, a proposal to Kraft Foods Group asserting that non-recyclable packaging — particularly that of Capri Sun pouches — is wasting valuable resources received the support of 29.2 percent of shares voted, according ... View More

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Method Opens First LEED-Platinum Certified Factory in Chicago

Method Products, maker of eco-friendly household, fabric and personal care products, has opened the doors of its 'South Side Soapbox' factory in the Pullman Park district of Chicago. Designed by architects and sustainable designers, William McDonough... View More

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UCSD Undergrads Create First Algae-Based Sustainable Surfboard

San Diego is home to a robust surfing industry and now, thanks to a collaboration with UC San Diego’s biology and chemistry students, the city is also home to the world’s first algae-based surfboard. The prototype was publicly introduced last wee... View More

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UPSTREAM Hands State Officials Model Legislation for Optimizing Packaging Recycling

Today, environmental advocacy organization UPSTREAM announced the release of model legislation that state legislatures can adopt to optimize recycling, address litter and create jobs through shared responsibility for packaging. The model legislation ... View More

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Biome Bioplastics Leading £3M Program to Develop, Scale Plant-Based Chemical Feedstocks

Biome Bioplastics, one of the UK’s leading developers of bio-based alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, has begun a major development program to progress successful bio-based chemicals research through to industrial scale production. The proje... View More

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Trending: Plastic Hotel Sheets and a Dress Made from Beer … the Latest in Sustainable Textiles

This week, W Hotels Worldwide, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, became the latest company to jump on the plastic-waste-to-fabric train when it announced a new partnership with global music artist and entrepreneur will.i.am and The Coc... View More

Upcoming Events

October 13-16, 2025
SB'25 San Diego
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March 18-19, 2025
SB'25 Tokyo Marunouchi
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April 9-10, 2025
SB Member Network: Accelerating Good Growth Spring Member Meeting
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