Eco-Materials, Circularity and EPR: Navigating the Sustainability Shift in Packaging & Print
Packaging and print firms face growing pressure to improve sustainability. Governments are rolling out new regulations, consumers demand eco-friendly products, and many companies are pursuing ambitious green goals. To stay competitive and compliant, businesses must switch to sustainable materials, embrace circular economy practices, meet extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements, and slash waste. This push affects everyone – from CEOs and COOs setting strategy to equipment buyers and press operators managing daily production.
Regulatory Drivers: From Voluntary to Mandatory
In the past, sustainability efforts were often voluntary, but now laws are making them compulsory. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations are spreading, shifting the cost of packaging waste onto producers. As of 2025, multiple U.S. states have passed packaging EPR laws – for example, California’s mandate to cut single-use plastic packaging by 25% by 2032 and ensure all packaging is recyclable or compostable. The European Union’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation likewise requires all packaging to be recyclable by 2030 and caps empty space in packages at 40%, forcing leaner designs. As one industry report put it, “the days of voluntary sustainable packaging initiatives are numbered” with EPR in effect. Companies that fail to adapt risk fines, higher costs, or losing access to markets.
Shifting to Eco-Materials and Circular Design
Market expectations are driving a shift toward eco-materials and circular design. Nearly all major consumer brands have pledged to make packaging more sustainable – and 80% of the top 25 companies aim to have all packaging recyclable by 2030. This puts pressure on packaging suppliers and printers to deliver green solutions. Packaging is being redesigned for recyclability: single-material formats (for example, all-paper or all-PE packages) are replacing multi-layer designs that are hard to recycle. Innovative bio-based and compostable materials made from plant fibers, agricultural waste, or mycelium-based foams are emerging to reduce reliance on virgin plastic. Print operations are also adopting safer, water-based inks and coatings that won’t contaminate recycling streams. Design teams now plan for end-of-life upfront – testing whether a new package or printed product can be collected and reprocessed in existing recycling systems. EPR programs reinforce this by offering lower fees for packaging that is lightweight, recyclable, or contains recycled content, directly rewarding better design.
Operational Changes to Reduce Waste
Sustainability isn’t just about materials – it also means cutting waste in production. One major initiative is “right-sizing” packaging. Instead of shipping products in half-empty boxes, companies use machinery that creates packaging tailored to each product’s dimensions. This minimizes void space and saves material, while also reducing shipping bulk and costs. In printing, firms are moving to digital and on-demand production to avoid over-runs. By printing only what’s needed for packaging or marketing materials, they prevent piles of unused inventory from ending up as waste.
Another important change is better tracking of material use and waste. EPR reporting requirements have spurred investment in data systems to measure how much paper, plastic, and ink a plant consumes and discards. By analyzing this data, companies can spot inefficiencies (like excessive trim scrap) and fix them. Employees on the shop floor are part of the solution too. From reusing off-cuts to recycling leftover materials, a culture of waste reduction is taking hold. These efforts not only ensure compliance and lower disposal bills, but also streamline operations.
A Strategic Imperative for Leadership
For industry leaders, the sustainability push is now a strategic imperative. Compliance is just the baseline – forward-looking CEOs and COOs see a chance to innovate and lead. In an industry where EPR sets minimum standards, companies that go further can stand out. Proactive investment in greener materials and clean technologies can win over eco-conscious clients and future-proof the company for tighter rules ahead. EPR reporting requirements are already forcing packaging designers, engineers, and finance teams to collaborate, breaking down silos.
Equipment buyers now evaluate machinery with sustainability in mind alongside performance and cost. Choosing equipment that minimizes waste or handles recycled substrates gives both environmental and economic advantages. Ultimately, making sustainability central to strategy drives innovation, efficiency, and customer trust. Companies that embed eco-materials, circular processes, and waste reduction into their operations today will be poised to thrive as the packaging and print industry becomes more sustainable.
Sources:
Group O – 2026 Tertiary Packaging Trends: Where Sustainability Meets Efficiency groupo.com
Packsize – EPR Laws are Here: Why Right-Sized Packaging is Key to Sustainable Compliance packsize.com
Packaging Dive – Voluntary packaging sustainability goals transform in the face of EPR packagingdive.com
Flint Group – Navigating Paper & Board’s Changing Regulations (2025) flintgrp.com
INX International – Supporting a Circular Economy with Safe, Sustainable Inks and Coatings inxinternational.com
Circular Action Alliance – First EPR Program for Packaging and Paper in Oregon circularactionalliance.org