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Circular Economy in Consumer Goods: How Closed Material Loops Can Be Achieved
28.07.2026
Consumer goods pose particular challenges for the Circular Economy. Diverse materials, demanding product requirements and short life cycles make closed material loops difficult. At the same time, new approaches integrate circularity into product development and enable high-quality recyclates to be reused.
traimakivan / envato
More Sustainable Plastic Applications: Polycarbonate Recycling, Material Reduction and Bio-Based Plastics
16.07.2026
The demand for more sustainable plastic applications is growing. Three current developments demonstrate how polycarbonate recycling, material conservation, and bio-based plastics contribute to greater resource efficiency and a functioning circular economy.
PPWR: How the AI-Based Compliance Compass Can Help
29.06.2026
Many packaging manufacturers are facing the challenge of providing the required evidence to meet their documentation obligations. In Part 2 of our series, we take a closer look at the AI-based PPWR Compliance Compass and how it can support manufacturers.
traimakivan / envato
Circular Economy in the Automotive Industry: How Material Selection, Vehicle Design and Recycling Work Together
17.06.2026
The new EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation is increasing pressure on the automotive industry to keep plastics and other materials in the loop for longer. At the same time, composite materials, long product life cycles and strict quality requirements make implementation challenging. Three examples show the role that material selection, vehicle design and recycling can play.
PPWR Compliance: A Challenge for Packaging Manufacturers – How Can AI Help?
11.06.2026
The new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is putting packaging data centre stage. For many companies, the challenge ahead will be less about developing packaging than about providing the required information in a verifiable way. A look at real-world practice shows why data management is becoming a compliance task – and how AI can help.
Circular Economy in Packaging: How Circulary is the Industry Today – and What Are the Biggest Obstacles?
20.05.2026
Whether the circular economy works in practice is particularly evident in the case of packaging. High material flows and short usage phases make it clear where circular systems work – and where they fail due to systemic barriers. With the PPWR, which comes into force in August 2026, the pressure on manufacturers is on: recyclability and the use of recycled materials are becoming mandatory.
Recyclable Packaging: From Tray-to-Tray Recycling to Fibre-Based Composite Solutions and Label Adhesives
04.05.2026
The demands on sustainable packaging are increasing – both in terms of regulation and technology. Three current developments demonstrate how companies are driving the circular economy forward: optimised sorting processes for PET trays, new fibre-based packaging solutions incorporating recycled plastic, and recycling-compatible adhesives for PET bottles.
Toys Reimagined: How Kidults as a New Target Group and Sustainable Plastics Are Changing the Market
25.02.2026
The global toy market is undergoing change. While classic children's products continue to be in demand, new target groups such as kidults – adults who use toys as lifestyle, design or relaxation products – are becoming more prominent. This is changing not only marketing and design, but also requirements for material selection, safety and production.
Towards new Packaging Solutions: Protective Material made from starch as a Sustainable Alternative
12.11.2025
Whether electronics, ceramics, or glass—sensitive products need reliable protection during shipping. This can be achieved with traditional materials such as bubble wrap or PE foam. But are they sustainable for the future? With RENATURE® Wrap, Storopack has developed an environmentally friendly, home-compostable alternative made from plant starch.
From Bioplastics to Reusable Packaging: What K 2025 has to offer the Packaging Industry
30.09.2025
Whether for food, cosmetics, or medical products, plastic packaging is indispensable in numerous industries. In the first part of our series, we highlighted why plastics play a central role in modern packaging solutions.
Plastics in the Packaging Industry: More than just a protective cover
06.08.2025
Did you know that the average smartphone contains around twenty grams of plastic? Plastics are not only found in the housings, but also in tiny components such as insulators on circuit boards or flexible connecting elements. They make modern devices lighter, safer, and more powerful and are therefore a key driver of innovation in electronics.
FAQ: International Strategies for a Circular Economy
17.04.2025
How are countries around the globe advancing the circular economy in the plastics and rubber industry? Our FAQ addresses the most important questions.
Packaging law and Recyclability
15.01.2025
Recyclability as the key to the circular economy: A reform of Section 21 of the German Packaging Act could ensure that ecological packaging is consistently preferred. Financial incentives and objective criteria play a key role in changing the market in the long term.
Tyre Recycling: Keeping Valuable Raw Materials in the Loop
04.09.2024
Around 13.5 million tonnes of waste tyres are generated worldwide every year. This number is steadily increasing with the growing production and use of vehicles. While a significant portion of these tyres is already recycled or reused, there are also challenges such as current regulations. Nevertheless, tyre recycling remains an essential component of a circular economy.
Recycling solutions for a sustainable future
10.07.2024
WILDPLASTIC® has set itself the goal of ridding the world of “wild” plastic waste and offering innovative recycling solutions. The Germany-based company differentiates its products through the unique use of plastic that is recovered from the environment to be recycled and reused as granulate.
Plastic Toys: Versatile, Robust, Sustainable
15.05.2024
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important – even in the playroom. From classic toys such as Playmobil and Lego to innovative projects that focus on recycling and the Circular Economy, there is a wide range of applications and initiatives that take into account both the needs of young users and the requirements for environmental compatibility.
Closed-Loop Factory: from waste acceptance to product manufacture
18.04.2024
Recycling begins even before disposal. The entire life cycle of a product should be considered as early as the development stage. The start-up HolyPoly supports brand manufacturers throughout the entire recycling process. Their mission: to make plastics recycling a matter of course. To meet the growing demands, they recently opened the Closed-Loop Factory.
Circular Economy in the canteen: Start-up develops reusable containers for the catering industry
15.11.2023
We all know the image: urban rubbish bins overflowing with disposable packaging. The Corona pandemic has made this problem more visible. The start-up MealGood has made it its mission to counter the throwaway mentality by developing bio-based reusable containers for the catering industry.
BASF celebrates 25th birthday of ecoflex®, the world's first PBAT biopolymer
13.11.2023
BASF SE celebrates the 25th anniversary of ecoflex®, the world's first PBAT biopolymer. Innovative biopolymers based on ecoflex® have been helping to solve numerous challenges in the plastics market since it came on the market. ecoflex® has also created new recycling opportunities for plastics and enables organic recycling.
From the children's room to a Circular Economy: Sustainable materials for the toys of the future
18.10.2023
Children can best bring their fantasy world to life with toy figures. Although the miniatures have already been passed down from generation to generation, Schleich is now saying "There's more!" and opting for a green transformation. A key challenge: to balance durability and environmental friendliness without compromising on quality.
BASF publishes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study on polyamides from chemically recycled or renewable raw materials in mozzarella packaging
10.10.2023
BASF has published a life cycle assessment study on the environmental impact of mozzarella packaging that examines different sustainable raw materials for food-grade plastics. Flexible multilayer packaging with recycled or renewable raw materials has a significantly lower environmental impact compared to packaging made from fossil raw materials.
Yogurt cup becomes yogurt cup: Design for Recycling as the key to a Circular Economy
06.09.2023
The need to recycle plastic packaging is at the heart of current environmental efforts. This is not just about recycling, but about a genuine circular economy. Monomaterial packaging and smart design decisions play a crucial role here. Greiner Packaging demonstrates how this can look in practice.Sustainability
Sustainability is the focus both in the plastics industry and at K in Düsseldorf. We highlight important topics for you such as circular economy, recycling and climate protection.