As the cost of energy skyrockets and sustainability concerns stay strong, manufacturers need to conserve consumption without compromising on performance. Here’s how. COVID, triple pandemic, war, supply chain disruption, maybe a recession — all of...

Extended producer responsibility, track and trace, and deposit return schemes will all undoubtedly be key drivers of innovation throughout the next year and beyond. But what role could smart packaging play to facilitate these new...

A look at what’s likely ahead triggers that déjà vu feeling. But we still have to be prepared and, in many ways, we are not. It’s that time to think about what’s coming and why...

State policymakers will have a busy year in 2023 as they seek to regulate the packaging industry, with measures expected on extended producer responsibility (EPR), labeling requirements, and recycled-content mandates, says Dan Felton, executive director...

Two college undergraduates approach a display created by high school students who are competing in the PACK Challenge, an effort by organizers at PACK EXPO International to raise awareness about the packaging industry and appeal...

Food packaging science responded in 2022 as supply chains were strained and food and packaging costs increased. This resulted in a renewed emphasis on using packaging to protect and ensure the authenticity of food ingredients...

Known as “chemicals of concern,” PFAS were typically used as a grease barrier for paper and paperboard foodservice packaging. Take a look at the activity in reducing PFAS in food packaging over the last seven...

No longer a trend limited to the young, product sustainability continues to rise in importance across all demographics. Recent research from First Insight and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania shows all four...

A handful of events or trends I spotted in 2022 will significantly impact the trajectory of the sustainable packaging market in the future. As you might expect, some of these are inter-related. Also, some of...

Creating an exceptional experience for your customers extends beyond the purchasing process; it even goes into the packaging and delivery of your products arriving at their house. Although the sales conversion has already been made,...

For brands, understanding the immediate and future impact on consumers in this new landscape can feel like a re-learning. Interestingly, a white paper by trend forecasting experts WGSN, called Future Consumer 2024 has identified the...

The annual “State of the Flexible Packaging Industry Report,” recently released by the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), provides industry converters, suppliers, investors, and analysts with insight into the performance of the U.S. flexible packaging industry...

In the milestone years that roll around in intervals of five, we look back and look ahead. The flexible packaging industry has always been subject to the whims of market forces, but the groundswell of...

Every three years, Michigan-based packaging consultant PTIS, LLC sends detailed surveys to leaders throughout the packaging value chain to get their insights into the future. The survey isn’t a simple email blast to random con­tacts....

Sustainability has become a catch-all term, and it has created lots of confusion on the part of foodservice providers and consumers alike. To some, being sustainable translates to “going green,” which itself is a vague...

Several consumer goods companies – including high-profile Unilever and Procter & Gamble brands – have unveiled what they refer to as inclusive or accessible packaging designs in the last few years. These companies often assert...

Climate change. Circular economy. Carbon footprint. Packaging sustainability continues to evolve as we learn more about our environment and as consumer sentiment shifts. People-watcher and packaging design guru Tom Newmaster answers burning questions about these...

More than two years after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional methods of training workers, flexible packaging companies continue fine-tuning their approaches that rely on technology to limit face-to-face contact. The changes also account for the...

October is Manufacturing Month, with October 7 being National Manufacturing Day. This creates an opportunity for Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) members to highlight careers in the manufacturing industry, frame the issues and broadly educate policymakers...

The annual Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) Salary Survey is always a revealing benchmarking tool. But this year, the 2022 edition offers a particularly interesting snapshot of an industry and a workforce in flux. After...

Digital printing for packaging applications continues to advance, enhancing production flexibility and packaging design creativity for converters, as well as for brand owners that do their own on-demand printing and labeling. Recent market research shows...

As is the case with virtually every topic that relates to packaging today, sustainability was a major focus of this year’s E-Pack Europe conference, held June 14 and 15 in Amsterdam. In fact, sustainability was...

According to research by intelligence firm Markets & Markets, the global flexible plastic packaging category is projected to grow from $160.8 billion in 2020 to $200.5 billion by 2025. During the pandemic, several consumer trends...

As a veteran packaging journalist, it’s rare for me to be on the other side of the microphone — that is, answering questions instead of asking them. But at this spring’s IME West event —...

Consumer trends have shifted in the past few years, and many businesses are adapting their product packaging to meet these new priorities. Consumer trends are evolving compared to just a few years ago, and package...

Dawn Cappelli has seen just about everything when it comes to cybercrimes. She knows that smaller businesses along the manufac­turing supply chain make a grave mistake if they think they aren’t targets. “The first thing...

Flexible packaging companies may have been hoping this year would bring relief to a stubborn shortage of aluminum foil. However, relief does not appear likely anytime soon. Economic and political events are continuing to come...

After Paul Hartgen was charged with finding new products and services to assist members of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), he helped develop various initiatives that would increase member value and make NAM a...