Our everyday life is surrounded by consumption, with stores in almost every street, supermarkets becoming larger and larger, and internet shopping more prominent than ever before. Nonetheless, with consumption comes packaging. Packaging innovations often revolve around their appeal to customers, introducing brighter colors, interesting textures, or more product separation to enhance the customer journey. Nonetheless, most packaging is made of different kinds of paper, plastic, and metals. Therefore, a challenge comes forth: how to enable sustainable consumption through a change in packaging innovation?

With the poor waste management issues faced globally, solving this challenge may well be an enormous step forward. Nonetheless, where can manufacturers start and how may consumers respond to sustainable packaging?

Where manufacturers can start

Several materials and designs have been used as sustainable packaging options. We notice plant-based plastics, or bioplastics, used as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics, reusable packaging, such as glass, or even seaweed-based packaging.

One option has been growing recently, particularly due to its natural feel and style: the mushroom packaging. Mushroom packaging is made of hemp hurd and mycelium, offering a sustainable alternative to polystyrene and plastic, as explained by Ecovative Design LLC. Ecovative mentions ‘growing’ packaging rather than manufacturing and is grown in 7 days only. Whilst being a hydrophobic material, this packaging remains 100% home and marine compostable and even contributes as a soil nutrient. This type of packaging alternative is particularly relevant to ocean pollution when considering that plastic is the first source of ocean pollution. Ecovative’s mushroom packaging also has a 30-year shelf life when ‘kept in standard dry storage conditions’.

Consumers response

A recent market study from McKinsey indicates that most consumers are open to paying more for sustainable packaging. Nonetheless, higher numbers are found in higher-developing countries and higher socio-economic households. Regarding what consumers find as the most sustainable packaging, the answer differs between nations, although McKinsey points out that ‘plastic films made from renewable or compostable material’ and ‘compostable and plant-based packaging’ tend to rank higher across different countries, while paper. With rising awareness regarding waste pollution and sustainable innovations, consumers are likely to continue changing towards sustainable products, including sustainable packaging.

A ground-breaking innovation

In the packaging creation process, many actors are involved, from raw materials to ink providers. One particular interest in today’s issue is ink providers. What innovation can ink manufacturing companies put forward to contribute to this sustainability goal?

One example shined through 2023 and is linked to single-use paper plates.

General research mentions convenience and efficacy as the main factors behind single-use cutlery, which became particularly popular after World War Two. Today, in the US only, for instance, 66% of the population responded ‘yes’ when asked if they used disposable cups and plates in 2024. Additionally, the disposable plates market has been consistently growing, reaching $5.38 billion in 2024, an almost 50% increase in market value since 2017. In terms of product, single-use paper plates ought to be coated to limit risks of absorption before use; however, restrictions apply following the Single Use Plastics Directive (EU 2019/904). The EU directive pushes member states to implement actions limiting the upward consumption trend of single-use plastic products, which includes non-recyclable paper plates with a plastic coating or lining. Therefore, a product had to be developed to close the loop for paper plate products by providing a sustainable alternative to coatings restricted by the Single Use Plastics Directive.

Developing a sustainable coating for a product such as paper plates would adhere to the circular economy principle and limit plastic usage and leakage, thus strongly enhancing the sustainability of this growing market. Consequently, Sigewerk developed the Cirkit Natubar PR 4798 Coating.

Siegwerk, a family-owned company for 200 years originating from Germany, is a leading global provider of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels. In February 2023, the company released a press release launching their new product, Cirkit Natubar, as the ‘first barrier solution with 100% natural content certified for application on paper plates.’ certified for short-term direct food contact. Hence, the company’s innovation offers a sustainable alternative to other coated or laminated materials. Siegwerk explains that this new product, tested by an independent international testing company, ‘does not require a primer, is suitable as an Over-Print varnish with Siegwerk’s water-based ink systems, and is compatible with all standard water-based printing processes and printing machines.’. Therefore, the supply chain is simplified and enables greater recycling and composting opportunities for the packaging industry.

Packaging solutions, like the new water-based coating Cirkit innovation from Siegwerk, are paving the way towards greater sustainability and recyclability in the packaging industry. As discussed previously, the use of sustainable materials and creation of products supporting sustainability principles is popular among consumers and should become a production and innovation driver. Therefore, manufacturers at all stages of the supply chain should work towards greater sustainability and will likely encounter gains in doing so.