🥡 Clean products in dirty packaging

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📦️ A conversation with a TRAILBLAZER in sustainable packaging innovation

You may have never thought much about “sustainable packaging solutions” — LOL, sounds super boring, right? — but it’s actually a really big deal for human health, and a topic that I am currently obsessed with.

Why?

Because our Earth is drowning in discarded single-use non-degradable packaging, and this endless petroleum-based trash has a real impact on human health through the way it disturbs global ecosystems, leaches into our environment, and leaches into the very products we are using. Packaging is one of the most pervasive—and least discussed—threats to planetary and human health. It makes up nearly a third of global municipal solid waste and is almost always designed for one-time use. Imagine if we continue on this path of billions of people producing 5+ pounds of this waste every day: do you think it’s going to look pretty? 🌍️ No.

Most of this packaging ends up in landfills, where it contributes to methane emissions, contaminates soil and water, and breaks down into microplastics and toxins that infiltrate our groundwater systems and planet… and our bodies and brains. Packaging reflects how we value materials, design for end-of-life, and balance convenience against consequence. And unless we redesign this system from the ground up, we may simply jeopardize the very ecosystems that sustain life, while continuing to load our bodies with microplastics in the process.

About a year ago, I noticed that the metallic, shiny packaging of one of my favorite treats - Alter Eco Organic Truffles - said that it was “home compostable.” I was shocked! How could it be? It didn’t look like something traditionally compostable; it looked like something that would end up in a landfill. But I tried it! I put 5 of the wrappers in my worm compost bin, and they disappeared in a few weeks! Intrigued, I went on a big Google-hunt to find out which company was making this innovative packaging, and it led me to a Japanese company - Futamura - and its subdivision: NatureFlex™. NatureFlex is a family of bio-based, compostable films used for flexible packaging made from non-GMO cellulose derived from wood pulp sourced from responsibly managed forests.

I was astonished to see that packaging options ranging from single-use stick-packs, to plastic-looking baggies, to coffee packaging, to “cellophane”-ish wrappers, to chips and snack bags, to containers that hold LIQUIDS could all be compostable in a home-composting system. Can you IMAGINE how much less trash you would produce if all the packaging you threw away could go straight into your compost heap, because it was essentially made of wood pulp? I would guess that for most of us, the majority of our trash bin contents is packaging. Mine certainly is, and it physically pains me every time I put something in our trash bin, knowing that I’m contributing to a more polluted world for future generations. (Especially after reading Zero Waste Home).

Inspired, I connected with the company to learn more about the sustainable packaging industry… how did it start? What is driving it? Is it really sustainable? What’s the catch? How does it impact environments? I had a million questions, and Futamura’s Commercial Vice President of the Americas, Dave Craggan, was kind enough to give me generous, transparent answers. This is one of my favorite newsletters to date, and will give you lots of fun talking points for your next dinner party… enjoy!

✍️ Read more:

• Newsletter #21: The surprising links between plastic and metabolism, and 11 ways to protect yourself 🌎

• Newsletter #48: 🐄 The quickest path to healthy humans: love the soil
  

♻️ Overview: What is going on with the sustainable packaging boom?

Casey Means: I’m seeing so much more compostable single-use packaging, especially this year, as alternatives to plastic. I see it in takeout containers, consumer packaged goods (CPG) packaging like Alter Eco, and even some Amazon packages and Amazon’s paper tape! So what’s driving growth of this industry? Is it consumer pressure, legislation and regulation, mission-driven founders, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals, or something else?

Dave Craggan: Going back to 2018, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation introduced the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, which challenged consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to reduce or eliminate problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging, and ensure that all plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025. That initiative was a major catalyst for brand accountability. Many companies made those commitments, but many have since postponed their 2025 targets due to economic uncertainty, limited consumer education, and packaging engineering challenges.

That said, today we’re seeing more brands framing sustainability goals as an ongoing journey rather than a hard deadline. Many private brands are emerging as leaders by adopting compostable packaging as a way to appeal to educated, eco-conscious consumers—especially as more legislation and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws are rolled out.

On the consumer side, home composting participation has doubled from 6% to 12% over the past four years, driven in part by the growing availability of home composting products, from countertop units to backyard bins.

💡 According to SustainablePackaging.Org, “extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach that assigns producers responsibility for the end-of-life of products. This can include both financial responsibility and operational responsibility, though the amount and type may differ. Producers are required to provide funding and/or services that assist in managing covered products after the use phase.”

Casey: Other than NatureFlex, who are the major players in the compostable/sustainable packaging world right now?

Dave Craggan: Paper is a popular material since it’s often recyclable or compostable, depending on how it’s engineered. But it lacks the barrier properties needed for things like aroma, moisture, and oil resistance. That’s why you’ll often see paper laminated with biomaterials like NatureFlex to improve performance.

Other well-established compostable materials include:

• PLA (Polylactic Acid): Derived from cornstarch or sugarcane.
  

• PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates): Produced by microorganisms that ferment sugars.

These materials also have limitations—they can be brittle (not flexible enough), translucent, or lack strong barrier properties. The beauty of the flexible compostable packaging industry is that we frequently collaborate across materials—laminating cellulose-based films with PLA, PHA, and paper—to meet performance needs.

Casey: Which areas of the sustainable packaging industry are growing fastest—food service, grocery, CPG?

Dave Craggan: Food packaging is the fastest-growing segment—especially confectionery, produce, coffee, tea, and baked goods. That said, there’s also significant opportunity in e-commerce and fashion, considering the number of single-use mailers and garment bags in circulation.

Casey: How has this space evolved over the past decade or so? When did it really start?

Dave Craggan: NatureFlex is nearing its 25th anniversary. But the real momentum started in the past five years. That’s when plastic reduction laws—especially in the European Union—started gaining traction, and when public concern around single-use plastics and microplastics began making headlines.

What’s most exciting for us is that over the past five years, we’ve worked closely with our converting partners to develop a range of compostable packaging structures that rival the performance of traditional petroleum-based materials. Not long ago, using biomaterials to package liquids was considered the “holy grail.” Today, multiple partners have cracked the code and are successfully using compostable biomaterials in commercial liquid packaging applications.

🌎️ Real-World impact: is it time to celebrate?

Casey: I know that NatureFlex products are home compostable and industrially compostable. Can you explain what the difference is between “home compostable” and “commercially compostable” materials?

Dave Craggan: Home composting typically happens in open-air bins or piles, where temperature, moisture, and microbial activity vary—so breakdown time can vary, too. Commercial composting, by contrast, takes place in engineered environments where those conditions are tightly controlled. That allows materials to break down within the timeframe required by certifying bodies—usually 1 to 3 months.

Casey: A lot of the single-use compostable packaging I’m seeing says “commercially compostable only,” which I’ve tried in my own compost bin and it doesn’t seem to break down. If a city doesn’t have a municipal composting program, how do people actually compost these?

Dave Craggan: Great questions. This is a big challenge. EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) legislation is helping—essentially placing a tax on producers that funds infrastructure to process compostable materials. In the meantime, some options include local composting drop-off sites, grocery store collection points, and even mail-in programs, which are becoming more popular.

Casey: How common are commercial composting facilities in places like the U.S., EU, or Japan?

Dave Craggan: It varies. The U.S. has nearly 5,000 compost facilities—but only about 10% accept compostable packaging due to contamination from traditional plastics. The EU is much farther ahead, with strong policy and organic waste collection programs that include compostable packaging. In Japan, incineration is widely used for energy, but rural areas with agriculture are more likely to compost.

Casey: What happens to compostable packaging that ends up in landfills—which seems to be most of it right now? Do we know how much of NatureFlex packaging is actually being composted by consumers?

Dave Craggan: We currently don’t have data on how many NatureFlex films are composted by consumers. That said, if they end up in a landfill, they’re like paper: in the absence of light, moisture, and oxygen, they may remain intact for years. But the good news is that, being made from wood pulp, NatureFlex will eventually break down into organic material with no ecotoxicity.

💡 Read more about “End of Life” for NatureFlex products here.

🧑‍🏫 Certification & regulatory oversight

Casey: What standards or certifications matter most for proving compostability?

Dave Craggan: NatureFlex is certified under:

• EN 13432: European standard for compostability and biodegradability.
  

• ASTM D6400 / ASTM D6868: U.S. standards developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials.

These are the gold standards for measuring compostability in both home and industrial settings.

Casey: What do people tend to misunderstand about compostable or sustainable packaging?

Dave Craggan: Even though global reports show that around 50% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable options, fewer than half actively seek out brands that use them. Younger demographics show more interest, but overall, there’s still a major gap in education around sustainable packaging:

1. Packaging is often an afterthought. Most consumers don’t think about what happens to packaging after use. We’re easily persuaded by sustainability messaging like “made with 100% recyclable content” without knowing if the claims are credible or verifiable.

2. Certifications can be confusing. Many packages carry legitimate certification logos—such as recycling chasing arrows with a number code, TUV (home compostable), DIN CERTCO (home and industrial compostable), or BPI (industrial compostable)—but most people don’t know what these mean.

3. There’s no clear guidance on disposal. Even when packaging is certified, consumers are rarely given clear instructions on how to dispose of it properly. This often results in compostable or recyclable packaging ending up in the trash.

🌱 Sourcing & sustainability

Casey: NatureFlex is made from wood pulp, correct? How does that compare to bioplastics or recycled plastic?

Dave Craggan: It’s become common in the industry to refer to alternatives to petroleum-based packaging as “bioplastics”—but honestly, that term makes me cringe 🤦‍♂️ . Ideally, NatureFlex films would carry a “Plant-Based” logo, but unfortunately, those certifications don’t currently apply to flexible packaging. The term “bioplastics” adds unnecessary confusion for people outside the industry who are already trying to navigate a complex landscape of sustainability claims.

By definition, plastics are made from petroleum. Materials like cellulose, PLA (polylactic acid), and PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) are made from renewable resources and should be categorized as such. For example, NatureFlex is made from high-purity wood pulp sourced from certified, sustainably managed forests. PLA and PHA are derived from cornstarch and sugarcane—making all three materials inherently renewable.

Personally, I prefer to focus on promoting the sustainability characteristics of biomaterials rather than getting caught in the debate around plastic. That said, it’s important to acknowledge some hard truths:

• Recycle rates are declining.

• We are using plastic faster than we can recycle it.

• Recycling infrastructure is not growing at the rate of plastic output.

• Brands often want virgin plastic because of limitations in where recycled plastics can be used.

• Laminated plastics (multiple layers) usually aren’t recyclable at all.

💡 Note from Casey: I’m curious to dig more into PLA and PHA, as they come from cornstarch and sugarcane, which can be grown very unsustainably, i.e., huge amounts of pesticides, monoculture, etc. Columbia University has an interesting article called “The Truth About Bioplastics” which dives into some of the downsides of PLA and PHA, and dives into exciting innovations happening in packaging including mycelium-based packaging (mushrooms!), PHA made from food and garden waste and inedible parts of plants, algae-based packaging, and more. Their conclusion is that “right now, it’s hard to claim that bioplastics are more environmentally friendly than traditional plastics when all aspects of their life cycle are considered: land use, pesticides and herbicides, energy consumption, water use, greenhouse gas and methane emissions, biodegradability, recyclability, and more.”

Casey: It seems that the forests that NatureFlex harvests wood pulp from are certified sustainable? What does that actually mean in terms of forest management?

Dave Craggan: Our certifying bodies ensuring the wood pulp used in NatureFlex comes from sustainably managed, traceable forests. Both certifications uphold similar core principles, including biodiversity conservation, protection of vital ecosystems, prohibition of forest conversions, respect for human and indigenous rights, fair labor practices, and climate-positive forestry operations.

🤝 Performance, price & partnerships

Casey: How does NatureFlex perform compared to petroleum-based films?

Dave Craggan: We’ve come a long way. Today, our films can replace most petroleum-based applications. The two biggest issues we hear from brands are:

• Price: NatureFlex is sometimes 2–3x more expensive due to the cost of wood pulp and high-performance engineering. I like to think of an investment in NatureFlex as an investment in the environment and our future and it’s hard to put a price on that.

• Machinery: Many converters are set up to handle petroleum-based films, so there is an adjustment period to get used to running cellulose based films. We offer technical support to help customers adapt their machines.

Casey: Who’s using NatureFlex right now?

Dave Craggan: Everyone from small startups to large global brands. A few fun examples:

• A famous rock band used NatureFlex for their coffee packaging.

• A mom-and-pop startup used it in the company they started in their own home until they sold to a large CPG.

We have several major brands currently testing our films, with announcements expected in Q2 2025.

Casey: How are you marketing NatureFlex to brands?

Dave Craggan: In the past, we relied on our converters to spread the word. But now we have a full-time marketing lead working with a fantastic third-party firm.

🛣️ Challenges & the road ahead

Casey: What are the biggest barriers to adoption?

Dave Craggan: Cost, infrastructure, and consumer confusion. EPR will help fund the infrastructure, but it takes time. And until we make disposal intuitive, even well-meaning consumers will make mistakes.

We need to make disposing of packaging a no-brainer—consumers shouldn’t have to spend time and energy figuring out what a package is made of or how to dispose of it. Even when we attend sustainability events, the attendees mix the disposal bins between plastics, organic waste, and landfill! If our industry “experts” can’t get it right, how can we expect the average consumer to get it right? 

While some state bills are beginning to address packaging concerns and propose labeling schemes as identifiers, we have yet to see a standardized product labeling system approved for commercial use.

Casey: Are there regions or sectors where you’re seeing a tipping point?

Dave Craggan: The EU is far ahead, however it’s encouraging to see we have areas within the Americas where sustainability in packaging law and bills are being put in place to address the issue of single use plastics. This includes Canada, California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Maine, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Mexico, Brazil and Chile.

Casey: What’s needed to truly scale this movement?

Dave Craggan: Federal-level policy. A national framework could offer funding, grants, tax incentives, and consistency across states. Right now it’s patchwork—and that slows everything down.

📢 A challenge from Dr. Casey to brands

If you’re a health brand that’s still using plastic flexible packaging for your products, it’s time to consider changing. Petroleum-based packaging is one of the least recyclable materials in circulation. Especially if you are making a health product, it’s so incredibly important to think about the FULL impact of the product on health… including the packaging.

For years brands have benefitted from inexpensive single-use packaging at the cost of the environment, and this is now negatively affecting human health and biodiversity.

With packaging materials now capable of meeting performance demands—from shelf stability to liquid barriers—there’s really no reason to not consider an alternative. The infrastructure is growing, the technology is here, and consumers are paying attention. “But the margins are already so tight!” I get it! Innovate. Form alliances. Get involved in policy that incentivizes sustainability.

Though understandably not all product applications will be an ideal fit for packaging made with a biomaterial, I would encourage all brand owners to start having the conversation and do some research to find out what options are available to start working towards a more sustainable future.

🛍️ A little offer to make it real: If you are part of a brand that has shifted to meaningfully sustainable or compostable packaging and has a highly sustainable product, reply to this email and I will assess and consider featuring you in my newsletter (which goes out to 200,000+ people).

And, if you are reading this and have more information on sustainable packaging or feedback on what I shared in this newsletter, write to me — I am on a learning journey, like you!

With good energy 💓

Dr. Casey

Newsletter Sponsor: LivOn Labs and Pique!

About Futamura and NatureFlex™:

Futamura established in Japan in 1947 is the global leader of sustainable cellulose films for the packaging market, including the renowned NatureFlex™ certified compostable films and Cellophane™ brands. Futamura’s renewable and compostable packaging films provide high quality specialty products that enhance the lives of the people who use them. Our commitment to R&D and customer service has led to sustainable partnerships ranging from niche specialty producers through to the world’s largest brand owners.

NatureFlex™ by Futamura is a family of bio-based flexible packaging films that offer an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics.  It is certified compostable, made from GMO-free renewable resources, and provides the high oxygen, oil, and moisture barriers needed for many food products.  Typical structures include pouches, bags, flow-wrap, twist wrap, sachets, paper laminates, and box overwrap. 

About interviewee, Dave Craggan:

Dave is the Commercial Vice President of the Americas at Futamura, overseeing sales, marketing, and commercial operations across North, Central, and South America. With over 15 years of leadership experience in the flexible packaging industry, he brings deep expertise in both global consumer brands and sustainable packaging innovation. He specializes in bio-based and compostable flexible packaging, with a strong focus on aligning sustainability goals with market demands and regulatory developments.

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