7 Groundbreaking Eco-Friendly Packaging Innovations

Discover the latest sustainable materials revolutionizing packaging circularity and improving environmental impact.

Led by the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” mantra, the packaging industry is always in search of new ways to do better for the environment, whether it’s through the use of reduced reliance on eco-complicated materials, an increased adoption of recycled materials, or by exploring new frontiers in otherwise improbable source materials.

While conventional glass, aluminum, paper, and plastic will always have a place in the packaging materials landscape, incredible strides have been made to make use of other resources that aren’t traditionally associated with packaging materials, like using seaweed to create plastic; creating a water dissolvable, home compostable foam; finding new uses for dry molded fiber; and even repurposing sheep’s wool to make protective bubble wrap and bottle sleeves.

This list below reports on new uses for some materials that will probably seem familiar and others that are downright incredible.

1. Sugarcane-Derived PLA

100% biodegradable water bottles are a win-win solution. Image: WIN WIN WATER

Earlier this year, Win Win Water launched a bottled water packaged in a 100% plant-based bottle that’s fully biodegradable. The company’s bottles, including the label and lid, are crafted entirely from Luminy PLA, a sugarcane-derived polylactic acid (PLA) material from TotalEnergies Corbion.

Designed for rapid biodegradation, the bottles decompose within 90 days in commercial composting facilities. Despite their composability, the bottles are said to be durable enough for multiple reuses, offering versatility to consumers.

2. Lignin-Based Polymer

A fully recyclable, Renol-based ecommerce bag. Image: LIGNIN INDUSTRIES

Billed as a bio-based plastic that “unlocks the power of forest residues,” Renol from Lignin Industries is developed using lignin, a natural polymer found in the cell walls of plants and a byproduct of the forestry and agricultural sectors. In trees, lignin constitutes about 20-30% of their structure and contributes to the stiffness and decay resistance of wood.

Lignin typically presents challenges for the plastics industry due to its hygroscopic and low-density powder form, which isn’t compatible with the standard granules manufacturers are accustomed to. Lignin Industries addressed this by combining lignin with a bio-based oil to produce thermoplastic granules called Renol. The granules are highly compostable and can easily be mixed (up to 40%) with various fossil-based or recycled polymers, making them practical and efficient for industrial use.

3. Sustainable Printed Wax & Parchment Paper

Customizable, biodegradable food wrapping papers. Image: WAX PAPERIE

Custom-printed wax paper and parchment paper are sustainable food wrapping alternatives for foodservice businesses. Wax Paperie’s new custom-printed wax paper and parchment paper feature biodegradable coatings and soy-based inks that meet strict food safety regulations while delivering moisture protection and grease resistance.

Specifically, the company’s R&D team identified chitosan (a biodegradable polymer derived from crustaceans) as an effective coating for grease resistance and PLA-based coatings for moisture protection, ensuring a reliable barrier against food-related challenges while maintaining compliance with regulatory standards. The company said extensive testing under FDA Title 21 and European standard EN 1186 confirms that ink migration levels remain well below regulatory limits, addressing safety concerns in food packaging.

4. Plastic-Free Barrier Coating & Edible Films

Morrow Coating for foodservice packaging (left) and Edible Film film for single-serve applications. Image: XAMPLA

The Morrow line from Xampla delivers two unique options for different food needs: an edible film and a plastic-free barrier coating.

Morro Edible Film is made from plants with no chemical modification and simply dissolves in hot or cold water with no impact on the food’s flavor. The gluten-free, vegan-friendly, heat-sealable film protects foods such as stock cubes, seasoning packs, oats, pasta, and rice until they’re submerged in water. The company is positioning the film as ideal for single-serve foods and as an alternative to single-use packaging.

Morro Coating is a plastic-free, plant-based, barrier coating with excellent grease, water, and oxygen barrier properties for foodservice applications. Positioned as an alternative to traditional plastic or PFAS coatings, Morro Coating taps into Xampla’s multi-patented technologies that make use of plant proteins from a range of different protein feedstock sources, including peas, potatoes, and rapeseed, for full biodegradability and composability.

5. ACTGreen Barrier Coatings

ACTEGA and Standridge partner-up for a more recyclable single-use cup. Image: ACTEGA

A partnership between Standridge Color Corporation (SCC) and ACTEGA has resulted in the improved sustainability of single-use paper cups featuring a water-based barrier coating.

ACTEGA developed the water-based technology while SCC built a coater to apply the coatings. Together, they have built a supply chain to supply water-based, barrier-coated paper to the marketplace.

Unlike poly-coated boards, water-based barrier-coated boards are re-pulpable and recyclable. The use of water-based coatings also allows for a reduction in coat weight, reducing the materials used and making the board lighter to transport.

6. CareTips Biopolymer

CareTips polymer granules. Image: LACTIPS

Made from casein, a naturally occurring protein obtained from milk, and plant-based additives, CareTips from Lactips biodegrades in soil and compost without any microplastic residue. It also dissolves completely in fresh water and seawater, even at room temperature. Not only is it 100% biobased, but it’s also home compostable and PFA-free.

Lactips’ latest application with this material is CareTips PFP344MAX, a paper coating that’s said to offer strong sealability for optimal protection for the packaging of inert and dry food products, as well as secondary packaging.

7. CornNext-17 Biopolymer

Applications of CornNext-17, which biodegrades in 30 days. Image: CORN NEXT

Made of corn starch, natural enzymes, and water, CornNext-17 from Corn Next is a 100% plastic-free polymer alternative to disposable plastic products that biodegrades in 30 days with no industrial composting needed, leaving zero microplastics or toxic residues behind.

The polymer can be used in traditional extrusion, injection molding, and 3D printing technologies, and Corn Next’s R&D team is currently exploring advanced material blends by integrating CornNext-17 with other 100% natural components, such as graphene, to enhance its performance and expand its range of applications.

Source: Joanna Cosgrove – Packaging Digest.