On October 1, 2026, the international online event Future of BioPackaging 2026 (FoB:Pack 2026) will bring together key stakeholders from across the sustainable packaging value chain. The event focuses on bio-based, recyclable, and circular packaging solutions and explores how sustainable packaging concepts can become both economically viable and market-ready.
This report assesses the role of bio-based feedstocks in plastic packaging under the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), with a focus on technological development and environmental performance. Although seventeen bio-based polymers are commercially available, they represent only ~1% of the global plastics market and account for just 4–5% of biogenic carbon in the EU chemical sector. Production capacity is concentrated in Asia (55%), followed by North America (17%) and the EU27+3 (14%).
The development of sustainable packaging materials from agro-industrial by-products supports the transition to a circular bio-economy and offers a viable alternative to petroleum-based plastics. Cocoa shells (CS), a by-product from the chocolate industry, are an abundant source of cellulose with limited industrial use. In this study, cellulose was extracted from CS and chemically converted into carboxymethyl cellulose (CS-CMC), which was then used to formulate bioplastic films plasticized with glycerol or sorbitol.
Xampla is a materials innovation company unlocking the power of plants to create natural materials to change the world. Their multi-patented platform technology is based on 15 years of research at the University of Cambridge. Xampla’s innovation powers a new age of materials to enhance performance, create new experience, and eliminate the world’s most polluting plastics.
Nature Organics is a family-owned Australian company creating sustainable products since 1981. The company offers a variety of eco-friendly brands, including Earth Choice, Undo This Mess, My Soda, OC Naturals, and Natural State, all of which emphasize sustainability. Natures Organics uses recycled plastics and sustainably sourced ingredients, and it is committed to transitioning to 100% biodegradable plastics that can fully degrade into compost.
Thaely is a footwear company that makes vegan and recycled shoes to address plastic waste, promote ethical practices, and support marginalized communities. The company’s sneakers are made with 100% recycled fabric and laces, recycled rubber shoes, vegan glue, and vegan detergents. Thaely sneakers are produced using innovative recycling technology to turn plastic waste into fashionable footwear. Plastic bags are sourced from Triotap Technologies, a proprietary platform developed by Thaely to transform waste plastic into ThaelyTex using simple heating.
Notpla’s regenerative packaging, made from seaweed and plants, offers a unique, scalable solution to replace single-use plastics without releasing harmful chemicals. The Notpla’s packaging can be disposed of in three ways: 100% recyclable, home-compostable, or industrially compostable. Notpla’s packaging technology is manufactured with components from seaweed and plants, creating biodegradable materials that mimic certain properties of plastic but then break down naturally.
