By Erin Judge, contributing writer, PostPress

As sustainability becomes a growing priority for consumers, the print and packaging industries are facing mounting scrutiny. A recent study featured in The Wall Street Journal, conducted by consulting firm Aura, found that 37% of consumers in the US and Canada have opted not to purchase products due to unsustainable packaging, and 80% believe that brands and retailers are using too much packaging. The increasing demand for environmentally conscious solutions is making waves across the entire supply chain – raising critical questions about responsibility, collaboration and clarity. Who bears the burden of making packaging recyclable? How can converters and brands align their efforts to meet sustainability targets? What role do material and design decisions play, and what part should consumers have in this equation? PostPress spoke with industry experts to explore these questions and shed light on the evolving landscape of sustainable packaging.

Mounting Sustainability Expectations

“Brands continue to hold steady to sustainability goals throughout their supply chains,” noted Jules VanSant, executive director for Two Sides North America, a nonprofit dedicated to debunking environmental myths about print and paper. “They want options and transparency – from substrates to sourcing to manufacturing practices and recycling – so they can confidently share that with their stakeholders publicly.”

Brands’ growing commitments to sustainability are being driven directly by consumer expectations. According to Two Sides’ biennial Trend Tracker consumer research study, 41% of respondents said they would be willing to spend more on a product if it were packaged using sustainable materials. Even more telling, one in three respondents said they would avoid purchasing from retailers that aren’t actively working to reduce single-use, non-recyclable packaging. These findings underscore brands’ growing demand for environmental accountability.

But in today’s world, simply labeling a package as “recyclable” isn’t enough. “Marketing and design professionals are looking for more than just a yes or no to the question, ‘Can it be recycled?’” explained Seth Levenstein, global sustainability and business development manager for ITW ShineMark. “They want to know that it is collectable, sortable and has an end market.”

He also noted that recent environmental legislative rollbacks at the national level have not slowed sustainability efforts amongst packaging designs. Seven states have recently enacted Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation, which places the onus of managing a product’s end-of-life, including recycling and disposal, on the brand, rather than local governments or consumers. An additional 12 states have introduced similar bills. With larger consumer packaged goods companies designing for national and often international distribution, they are required to incorporate wider sustainability standards into their designs.

Manufacturing Shifts

In response to rising sustainability demands, packaging designs increasingly are moving away from composite materials and laminated boards. Instead, the industry is shifting toward paper-based substrates that support recyclability and simpler material recovery. The 2025 Trend Tracker reports that two-thirds of consumers consider paper and cardboard to be their top choice for packaging as an increasing number of retailers move away from plastic. Public awareness also is growing around the limitations of plastic recycling – brands labeling a package as “recyclable” doesn’t guarantee it will be recycled. In fact, Greenpeace estimates that only 5-6% of plastic packaging is recycled, and that percentage has been declining since 2018.

Still, Dr. Nikola M. Juhasz, the global technical director for sustainability at Sun Chemical, cites that significant innovations are happening in inks, coatings and adhesives to improve the recyclability of packaging and labels – including plastic-based materials. Washable and de-inkable inks – designed for various press technologies, including solvent, water-based and energy-curable systems – are being developed for both plastic and fiber-based materials. Additionally, compost-compliant inks, coatings and adhesives are gaining traction for use with paper and plastic, supporting broader composting infrastructure. Meanwhile, advanced barrier coatings and adhesives are replacing traditional plastic barrier films, enabling monomaterial packaging that is more compatible with plastic recycling streams.

New barrier coatings also are replacing polyethylene (PE) extrusion in products like paper cups, which enhance repulpability and reduce plastic use. “These innovations are helping brands meet sustainability goals without compromising performance,” stated Dr. Juhasz.

Overcoming Challenges and Barriers

Despite ongoing innovations, significant barriers to full recyclability persist – from material compatibility issues to widespread consumer confusion and misinformation. “Even if the base packaging is recyclable,” said Dr. Juhasz, “when labels are applied to packaging, it can create problems in the recycling stream.” For example, foil labels – often made from aluminum or metallized films laminated to plastic or paper – generally are incompatible with plastic recycling and can contaminate the melt during reprocessing. Additionally, certain label inks, coatings and adhesives, if not designed with recycling in mind, may leave residues or disrupt recycling operations, which further complicate the process.

Consumer confusion around recyclability standards also creates challenges – particularly when it comes to knowing whether labels, including shrink sleeves, should be removed before recycling and how to do so properly. This lack of clarity is made worse by inconsistent guidelines across brands and varying regional requirements – making it difficult for consumers to confidently recycle packaging the right way.

Adding to the complexity are widespread misconceptions about the environmental impact of print and packaging, especially paper and paperboard options. Misleading claims driven by “greenwashing” often overshadow the actual sustainability advantages of these materials. “Over the years, a lot of misinformation was spread by companies trying to push their technology by bashing competitive technologies,” said Levenstein. “This false information not only confuses consumers but also hinders informed decision-making throughout the supply chain.”

According to VanSant, “Education and transparency are key to ensuring consumers understand the truth.” Her organization, which consists of more than 600 global members from across the graphic communications and paper-based packaging value chain, is dedicated to eliminating misleading, unsubstantiated environmental claims about print, paper and paper-based packaging. The group’s efforts already have led to more than 200 major North American companies removing inaccurate anti-paper messaging from their communications.

She added, “As misconceptions arise, Two Sides aims to be a strong partner by providing the tools and data that matter. Transparency is key. Collectively as an industry, the more the Two Sides North America paper facts addressing sustainability are used, the better all will fare in today’s world.”

Levenstein also is helping challenge long-standing fallacies about the print industry through his collaboration with the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA). Together, they’ve released studies examining how hot foil stamping and cold transfer foils perform in recycling and sorting systems – addressing the inaccurate belief that metallic embellishments make packaging non-recyclable. A recent project with FSEA and Georgia Tech’s Renewable Bioproducts Institute demonstrated that paper and board with metallic transfer foils effectively can be repulped.

The research tested a single-sided, coated 12 pt. cardstock with metallic foil coverage ranging from 50% to 100% (well above typical usage levels). Results showed the material successfully could be repulped, yielding 75% fiber recovery with minimal waste. The aluminum in the foil broke down into fine particles and was effectively removed during screening, reducing the aluminum content from 1.06 g/kg in the original paper to just 0.11 g/kg in the recovered fibers. The study concluded that metallic transfer foil does not prevent repulpability and can be processed in standard recycling systems. To download the full study, visit
www.fsea.com.

“There is enough documented, reliable data available to correct misconceptions,” said Levenstein. “The key now is making sure that information makes it to the correct people (decision makers and designers). That requires presentations at technical conferences, articles in technical magazines, press releases and companies addressing these facts directly with customers.”

A recent project with FSEA and Georgia Tech’s Renewable Bioproducts Institute demonstrated that paper and board with metallic transfer foils effectively can be repulped.

At the packaging level, innovations like digital watermarks, QR codes or AI-readable tags can make recycling smarter and more efficient. “These tools shift the burden from consumers to smart infrastructure, enabling precision recycling and better data collection for EPR compliance,” reported Dr. Juhasz. QR codes printed on packaging can link consumers directly to dynamic recycling instructions that are tailored to local infrastructure. Additionally, digital watermarks and AI-readable tags invisibly encode data into packaging to enable high-speed optical sorters to identify material type, usage and recyclability.

Collaboration to Meet Sustainability Goals

“Collaboration across the value chain is critical to achieving sustainable packaging and labeling solutions,” advised Dr. Juhasz, “not only between converters and their brand owner customers, but also with raw material suppliers and the downstream waste management community.”

She cited numerous efforts being made across the industry, including joint testing of new ink and label systems between the North American Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the European RecyClass. Both organizations are dedicated to promoting plastic recyclability and advancing the circular economy for plastics in their respective regions. Other initiatives include “design-for-recyclability” workshops and cross-industry meetings that bring together raw material suppliers, brands, converters and recyclers. These collaborations help create shared sustainability roadmaps, aligning product development with EPR policies and broader corporate environmental goals.

Label materials and design play a crucial role in achieving true sustainability throughout the packaging lifecycle and serve as a central point for cross-industry collaboration. For designers and brands, it’s essential to choose label materials that align with recycling systems – such as avoiding aluminum foil or direct metallized labels on recyclable containers and using compatible substrates (e.g., PET labels on PET bottles) to ensure recyclability, even if labels are not removed.

Materials manufacturers are driving innovation with developments such as washable inks, coatings and adhesives, along with primer-free systems designed to reduce color and chemical residues in recycled materials. To further support recyclability claims, manufacturers can pursue approval from organizations like APR or RecyClass, which test and validate label systems for compatibility with established recycling processes.

VanSant affirmed, “As consumers continue to demand products that are less impactful to the environment, ongoing efforts across manufacturing and R&D are focused on developing more sustainable materials that require less energy and are easier to recycle and reuse. The industry has done a stellar job evolving local recycling programs with the support of the suppliers and governmental organizations.”

Impact of Sustainability on Print and Packaging Today and Into the Future

It is clear that sustainability will remain a driving force in shaping the future of the print and packaging industries. With the first EPR laws now taking effect in several US states, brands operating within those markets undoubtedly will feel the impact. While the path forward may seem costly and complex, VanSant believes that “Sharing a strong sustainability story across the supply chain and brand experience will not only ease a buyer’s journey but potentially drive demand for more product into the future.”

Still, the path to a fully circular, brand-to-consumer recyclability stream remains difficult. As Dr. Juhasz advised, “A major increase in recycling only will happen if recycling becomes profitable.” Levenstein added, “Sustainability must balance with cost, functionality and shelf appeal – because a product that doesn’t sell won’t need packaging at all.”

The industry is at a turning point, driven by tightening regulations and rising consumer expectations. Building a truly sustainable future will demand coordinated collaboration, continuous innovation and full transparency throughout the entire print and packaging supply chain.