The packaging industry is going through a sea of change. Plastics have dominated the industry for decades because of their low cost and versatile functionality, but mounting public pressure to make packaging more sustainable is driving a widespread transition to new materials. With increasing concerns about nonrenewable resources being depleted and non-biodegradable materials filling up landfills and littering oceans, consumer brands are seeking new opportunities to replace plastic packaging with paper.
Many brands have already made ambitious commitments to transition away from plastics in favor of fiber-based materials that contain recycled content and are recyclable, reusable or compostable. Paper is a relatively low-cost, readily available solution that can already meet this goal, which is why more brands are looking to paper as an attractive alternative to plastic. Paper has a high recycling rate, is biodegradable and is a renewable resource when harvested from sustainably managed forests. Although making the shift away from plastics may come with some technical challenges, the change represents a substantial opportunity for innovation and growth.