Why PACKAGING MATTERS (Now More Than Ever)

During a picture-perfect few days in Burlington, Vermont, this September, we were honored to help lead the PACKAGING MATTERS track at See Change Sessions. This annual event is designed not as a typical conference, but as a dynamic hub of impact where we gathered as a small track cohort to explore the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and operational reality in the world of packaging. 

Across the broader See Change gathering, our track convened with participants in tracks with topics as diverse as Whole Health, Earth Observation Data, Extended Producer Responsibility, and Entrepreneurial Communities guided by facilitators and topic experts. 

Within this open, collaborative environment, the topics tackled in the PACKAGING MATTERS track allowed us to get practical. Among the participants gathered, we had packaging professionals, brand leaders, material innovators, policy architects, and investors - the people who can remove roadblocks and accelerate change in real operations. Too often, conversations about sustainable packaging stay abstract or aspirational. Packaging Matters set a different tone: this was about bridging the gap between pilot projects and full-scale transition. 

Compostables Under Pressure

We kicked off Day 1 with a session titled “Compostables Under Pressure,” led by Caroline DeLoach (Atlantic Packaging) and John Hite (The Recycling Partnership). The idea here was to confront the reality of fragmented infrastructure, inconsistent standards across states, and regulatory complexity (especially under evolving EPR laws) make adoption hard. A highlight was breaking into small groups to workshop how brands can align ambitious aspirations with what infrastructure actually supports.

Harmonization Is a Systemic Lever

Silos and conflicting standards are among the greatest drag forces on scaling better packaging. A session moderated by Kyle Pischel(Atlantic Packaging) and Lisa VanBladeren (YETI) drilled into how retailer sustainability goals often collide with logistics, operations, and cost. We explored failed or stalled projects and where we might gain better alignment. The idea of a working group to carry this forward was floated and embraced.

Reuse: From Ideals to Systems

One of the trickier pivots is moving reuse from niche, proof-of-concept ideas toward a dependable system. Moderated by Cory Connors ♻️📦 (Atlantic Packaging) and featuring Chantal Emmanuel (LimeLoop) and Camille Corr Chism CPPL, Fellow (Indigo Packaging and Consulting, LLC), the session spotlighted reuse in e-commerce and public venues (like stadium cups). We tackled infrastructure - including reverse logistics and tracking tech - ROI modeling, and behavioral design. RFID, Bluetooth, and other tracking tools emerged as key enablers for loss prevention. 

Tech, Data & Automation in the Mix

We invited tech leaders and emerging innovators into a session on “Technology and Packaging" moderated by Matt Saunders (New Earth Ventures, An Atlantic Packaging Company). From Specright’s specification platform, presented by Matthew W., helping brands stay EPR-compliant, to molecular waste analysis, a nascent frontier from Google X presented by Rey Banatao, and right-sizing automation from both Ranpak with Bryan Boatner and Paccurate with James Malley, this session was a peek at what the packaging stack of the future might look like.

Brand, Values & Storytelling as Strategy

On Day 2, we shifted into how packaging communicates identity. Moderated by Saloni Doshi (EcoEnclose) with Jennifer Patrick (Patagonia) and Julia Marsh (Sway), this session explored small but meaningful choices, including the shift to plastic-free attachments and QR code-enabled tags, and how packaging becomes part of a brand’s narrative. Patagonia, Sway, and EcoEnclose brought case studies - and invited challenges from brands in the audience - showing how values and utility can coexist.

First Look: From Innovation to Market

We launched First Look with Kyle Pischel(Atlantic Packaging), where 6–8 alternative-material startups presented real products alongside brands using them. Innovations included fiber-based blister packs (Paperform), bio-composite cable ties (FibreStrap), seaweed-based packaging (Sway Seaweed Packaging), compostable foams (Cruz Foam), fiber-based beverage carriers (Fishbone Sustainable Carriers), and more. The value was seeing not just promise, but performance in real-world settings.  

Investment & Incentives in Next-Gen Materials

A session led by Kan Kalshikar (Nomura) explored how foundations, VCs, and corporate ventures can catalyze innovation in materials, coatings, and circular systems. We wrestled with tension: returns must be meaningful, but scaling must also be responsible.  This session featured Manuel Brunner (Minderoo Foundation), Matt Saunders (New Earth Ventures), Bridget Croke (Closed Loop Partners), and Abhijit Ganguly (Teknor Apex).

Shifting from Poly to Purpose with Vela Bags in Garment Packaging

One especially compelling conversation was around how brands are transitioning from conventional plastic garment bags to Vela, a curbside-recyclable, FSC-certified paper alternative from Seaman Paper. This session featured Mitch Rovito (Burton Snowboards) and Cal Kennedy (Seaman Paper), moderated by Jason Jackson (Atlantic Packaging), and shared lessons, trade-offs, and bold messaging strategies, including the feat of replacing 225 million plastic bags in one year.  

EPR & the Policy Horizon

We closed with a joint lab - “Closing the Loop: EPR for Packaging in the U.S.” - bringing together packaging and EPR stakeholders. The discussion centered on the patchwork nature of state-level policies versus national coherence, operational implications for all players, and data infrastructure challenges.  This joint convergence of policy and practitioner was exactly the kind of alignment the track seeks to catalyze.

What Surprised Us (and What We Learned)

• People are more hungry for collaboration than competition. In many group breakout sessions, the energy shifted from “pitching” to “co-creating.” Real barriers surfaced quickly, and seeing peers navigate them together was powerful.

• Small design shifts matter. Sometimes the most leverage comes from seemingly incremental changes (e.g. rethinking attachments, aligning specifications, simplifying materials).

• Tech is not optional. Tools for data, traceability, and automation are already essential infrastructure for scaling sustainable packaging—especially under EPR constraints.

• The “valley of scaling” is real. Many materials and pilots are promising, but support systems like infrastructure, logistics, and capital, are what separate hype from impact.

• Policy and supply chain can’t be divorced. You can’t out-design policy risk, and you can’t design packaging in a vacuum. Aligning across those domains is vital.

What's Next?

For the industry at large, PACKAGING MATTERS showed that the next frontier is not ideas, it’s integration. How do we bring together materials, standards, tech, policy, and brand narrative into coherent systems that scale? That’s the work we signed up for. And that's the challenging work we have ahead of us. And we can do it together with all the dedicated, passionate people who are also working toward this future.

#WeDoThisTogether

⸻

Looking for more? Stay connected with us below!

Learn more about See Change Sessions

Read more of our Field Notes Blog on our website.

Subscribe to our Monthly Email Newsletter

Follow us on Instagram

Sign up for our LinkedIn newsletter