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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

Royal Society of Chemistry Task Force Aims to Make Liquid Polymers ‘Benign by Design’

The Sustainable Polymers in Liquid Formulation (PLFs) Task Force will collaborate to innovate throughout the value chain and across sectors including cosmetics, water treatments, lubricants and agricultural products. Read More...

Beyond Bioplastics: Agricultural Waste Streams Becoming Next-Gen Packaging Materials

By upcycling agricultural waste, these three startups are replacing plastic with a new wave of packaging materials that ‘make no compromises along the supply chain.’ Read More...

On the Importance of Made-to-Scale, Sustainable Chemicals for Products

Consumers deserve access to functional, sustainable and affordable products without having to sacrifice quality or their health. Scalable, bio-based chemicals hold tremendous promise in accomplishing these goals. Read More...

Textile Additive Expedites Breakdown of Stubborn, Synthetic Fibers

Despite its potential to address microplastic pollution on a number of fronts, the makers of CiCLO stress they don’t want to enable more unnecessary plastic consumption justified by ‘biodegradability.’ Read More...

Change the Product, Not Just the Packaging: A Crucial Step Towards a Sustainable Food Future

A growing industry solution to plastic packaging pollution is to create food products that are more stable and compatible with more minimal and sustainable packaging materials. Read More...

Industry of All Nations’ Undyed Cotton Initiative Shows Proof of Concept for a More Natural End Product

The popularity of the company’s undyed apparel collection proves the business case and consumer demand for more consciously produced, less toxic clothing. Read More...

Could This Circular Textile Put Conventional Leather Out to Pasture?

Modern Meadow’s Bio-VERA™ is a high-performance, upcycled alternative to traditional bovine leather with significantly lower environmental and supply chain impacts. Read More...

What Plastic Pollution? These Companies Are Making Packaging Disappear

As innovators such as Notpla and B’ZEOS continue to prove, the potential uses for seaweed — including as plastic alternatives that are truly compostable and biodegradable — are endless. Read More...

Global Fashion Houses, NGOs Call on Industry to Commit to Deforestation-Free Leather

The Deforestation-Free Call to Action for Leather calls on brands and retailers to ensure sourcing of bovine leather from deforestation-free supply chains by 2030 or earlier. Read More...

These Fermented Oils Could Be a Game-Changer for Human, Planetary Health

Along with being sub-optimal for human health, many conventional cooking oils contribute to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and soil and water pollution. Fermented oils could save both the environment and our diets. Read More...

Closed-Loop, Reusable Distribution System Saves Spirits Producers Costs, Emissions, Materials

EcoSPIRITS’ EcoTOTE system replaces traditional, 1.75-liter liquor bottles with reusable glass containers that reduce emissions by 60-90% while maintaining product quality. Read More...

Next-Generation Beauty: How Nature-Inspired Biotech Is Evolving Ethical Skincare

Modern Meadow’s Bio-Coll@gen offers a solution to a long-standing cosmetic and skincare challenge: finding a safe, sustainable and scalable replacement for animal-derived collagen. Read More...

Cornell Researchers Upcycling Polyester Textile Waste into Functional Coatings

A new method chemically breaks down old fabric and reuses polyester compounds to create fire-resistant, anti-bacterial or wrinkle-free coatings that can then be applied to new clothes and fabrics. Read More...

Champagne Telmont Raises a Glass to World’s Lightest Champagne Bottle

The bottle, 35 grams lighter than the commercial standard, could represent a significant decrease in the carbon footprint of Champagne bottling. Read More...

One Company May Just Solve Some of Our Most Material Issues

Bio-design tech company Modern Meadow develops circular and regenerative approaches to creating a wide range of versatile materials, with no loss of performance or quality, that can be quickly scaled and brought to market. Read More...

How eCommerce Retailers Can Satisfy Today’s Sustainability-Demanding Shoppers

Gen Z shoppers are more informed about what sustainability should look like in practice — but whether they know it or not, their shopping habits don’t always reflect that. Either way, retailers are striving to keep up sustainably. Read More...

Apparel Giants Bringing Future-Friendly Fabrics to the Mainstream

The apparel industry is awash in launches of circular, plant-based and carbon-sequestering fabrics set to help future-proof fashion. Read More...

PFAS-Removal Solutions for Consumer Products Show Promise But Remain Costly

In light of new EPA guidance and increased consumer awareness, remediation strategies for the so-called ‘forever chemicals’ are coming under increased scrutiny. Read More...

As Forests React to Climate Change, Can Genetically Modified Trees Stand in the Gap?

In the lab, Living Carbon’s GM poplars accumulated biomass up to 53% faster, trapping as much as 27% more carbon than non-engineered poplars. But skeptics aren’t convinced they’re seeing the forest for the trees. Read More...

Trending: Retailers Embrace Reuse, Credits in Ongoing Fight Against Plastic Waste

rePurpose Global helps Thrive Market achieve plastic neutrality for its own-brand products, while The Body Shop expands its refillable offerings in the US. Read More...

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December 11-12, 2024
SB Member Network: Shifting Customer Behavior and Demand December Member Meeting
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March 18-19, 2025
SB'25 Tokyo Marunouchi
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