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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LanzaTech, lululemon Partner to Create First Fabric Made from Recycled Carbon Emissions

The carbon-capture experts and the high-end yoga pants purveyor have developed a waste-gas-based polyester with the same appearance, properties and functionality of virgin polyester — a lower-carbon potential game-changer for the apparel industry. ... View More

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L’Oréal, Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo, Suntory Unveil World’s First Enzymatically Recycled Bottles

Food-grade sample bottles produced by a consortium of companies dedicated to the cause are using Carbios' breakthrough enzymatic recycling process. ... View More

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Trending: Burberry, Gucci Strut Ever Closer to Sustainability

The luxury fashion giants continue to lead the industry toward a cruelty-free and climate-resilient future — Gucci with its new, biobased, animal-free textile; and Burberry with its bar-raising goal to be climate positive by 2040. ... View More

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Best Intentions: Surviving a Sustainability Story Setback with Transparency and Truth

When Kevin Murphy announced that all of its packaging would be made from “plastic pulled from the ocean,” it had every intention of delivering that. While the claim was doomed from the start, the company quickly communicated its mistake with tact... View More

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Canopy Welcomes LVMH, 29 More Brands to Coalitions Working to Preserve the World’s Forests

Corporate participation in Canopy’s CanopyStyle and Pack4Good initiatives — which work with the world’s biggest brands to protect forests and transform destructive supply chains in the fashion and packaging industries, respectively — is at an... View More

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Designing for Humanity: New Possibilities for Plastic

Ensuring recyclability starts with putting people at the forefront to develop new systems and materials to create a continuous lifecycle for plastics. We need to design systems for humanity. By harnessing design thinking, it’s possible to make huma... View More

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10 Nature-Inspired Innovations Compete for 2021 Ray of Hope Prize

Sustainable building materials, textiles, cooling systems and water-filtration technologies are among the top 10 nature-inspired solutions participating in the Biomimicry Institute’s 10-week accelerator program and in the running for the annual $10... View More

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Trending: Fashion, Beverage Industries Continue to Advance Solutions to Plastic Waste

The $1.2M Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize seeks scalable, alternative solutions for thin-film plastic; while Paboco has eliminated plastic from Absolut’s bio-based beverage bottle, making it fully recyclable. ... View More

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Are 3D-Printed Buildings the Sustainable Future of Construction?

The construction industry must adopt technologies that increase productivity while mitigating the impact of our growing housing needs on the climate crisis. Mighty Buildings’ technology may be ‘one of the only in existence’ that could unlock th... View More

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Why Community Clean-Up Action Is More Important Than Ever

Noticing that litter is a problem is the first step in taking action to create a cleaner, more sustainable planet. The next step is taking action. Partner with community members and local organizations to get involved and create meaningful change. ... View More

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Trending: Fashion Industry Advancing Transparency, Circularity – Thread by Thread

Two new initiatives leveraging connected products and scaling recycled polyester aim to accelerate industry transparency, and circular materials and business models. ... View More

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Decoding Ocean Plastic for Brands: Small Details, Big Impacts

While the terminology soup of recycled plastic sourcing is daunting, at the end of the day every ton of plastic recycled and put back into a circular economy is part of the solution. The key for brands is to be clear and honest in communications with... View More

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Pandora Nixes Mined Diamonds for Lab-Grown

The world’s largest jewelry company aims to make diamond jewelry accessible to a wider audience. Its new Pandora Brilliance collection marks its first collection without mined diamonds. ... View More

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Preventing Toxic Pollution in a Pandemic: Retailers Report Progress Toward Safer Chemicals

The fifth annual 'Who's Minding the Store?' retailer report card shines a light on both market leaders and laggards in chemical safety. Grading retailers against one another motivates action to improve; and mobilizing public concern reminds companies... View More

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Co|Lab is a HITT: Innovative Facility Serves as Hub for R&D of Emerging Materials

HITT Contracting’s demo facility was designed to highlight circular design; focus on healthy material selection; and meet the most rigorous, sustainable standards for the construction industry. ... View More

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Are you ‘Looped In’? Circular Economy Leaders Share Their Latest Solutions

In Dow’s ‘Looped In’ series, Global Sustainability Director Jeff Wooster talks with circular economy advocates from major brands to discuss promising initiatives and partnerships, and what we can learn from the results. ... View More

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One Life Is Not Enough for Plastics: How Dow Is Designing for Recyclability

Dow’s Pack Studios has collaborated with consumer brands and helped create products that enable plastic packages to be lighter with the design features consumers want — thus improving packaging, meeting consumers’ needs and ultimately reducing ... View More

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For Bumble Bee, Circular Packaging Solutions Are Both New, Tried and True

The Bumble Bee Seafood Company is diving in headfirst to tackle circular packaging strategies in new ways — and some old ways. ... View More

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Even COVID Can’t Stop Sustainable Packaging

As hopes mount for a new, post-COVID “normal,” many systems are in flux and the state of sustainable packaging is once again in question. How will businesses adapt? Or re-adapt? Or un-adapt? Shelton Group CEO Suzanne Shelton and the Sustainable P... View More

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Dow Unwraps Packaging Science, Sustainability Topics with New Podcast

"Plastics Unwrapped" provides savvy brands an insider’s look into some of the latest innovations in recyclable plastics, and tackles complex and fascinating science and sustainability questions. ... View More

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