By Maria Costanza Candi
The PPWR, national regulations, and public opinion are driving the packaging market towards the pursuit of sustainable solutions and materials that balance environmental needs with fundamental functions, from product protection to communication with end users, technical information, and preserving product properties. Alongside packaging designs aimed at reducing weight and material use to lower the carbon footprint, there is a growing focus on innovative materials that combine sustainability with functionality. From Roman amphorae - the first reusable packaging in history - to nanomaterials, from plastics to paper solutions with advanced barrier properties, and even smart packaging, the market offers numerous innovations designed to address the climate challenge. Sustainability is a central theme at IPACK-IMA, where some of the most forward-thinking companies gather to showcase their solutions and engage with partners and competitors.
Consumers Increasingly Focused on Sustainability
“Sustainability in packaging is a delicate balance,” begins Massimiliano Ambrosetti, Head of Sales at IPACK-IMA. “It involves reconciling the need for product protection and preservation with the climate crisis and public pressure. According to Nomisma’s consumer packaging observatory, Italian consumers are highly attentive to sustainability, with over 62% indicating it as a priority in their purchasing decisions. Packaging plays a critical role for 45% of these consumers, with 43% seeking recyclability, 35% preferring compostability or biodegradability, and 29% prioritising plastic-free options. These figures demonstrate that the packaging supply chain faces a significant challenge, spurred by consumer demand. This, in turn, compels major brands from sectors represented at the fair - from food to cosmetics, pharmaceuticals to beverages - to adopt increasingly environmentally conscious packaging solutions.”
New Materials: Sustainable, Recyclable, and Smart
“This is why IPACK-IMA hosts leading companies in the field, which have been working on these issues for years. These efforts impact both material producers, who must innovate continuously, and machinery manufacturers, whose technological developments are influenced by the innovative materials used in packaging,” Ambrosetti continues.
“The topic is so pivotal that the fair has introduced a dedicated track called IPACK-Mat, designed to highlight companies actively developing sustainable materials. At IPACK-IMA, visitors will find cutting-edge solutions that maximise the properties of materials engineered to ensure food safety, stabilise pharmaceutical molecules, and support secure transport and preservation, reducing the risk of food waste - the most unsustainable outcome due to its ethical implications.”
From Raw Material to Shelf: Labels and Consumer Information
The fair showcases a wide range of materials and packaging solutions, all prominently featured at IPACK-IMA by international market leaders.
“Looking at plastics, for example, the industry is developing thinner, lighter materials that are biodegradable, recycled, and recyclable, or derived from agricultural production aimed at biomaterials,” Ambrosetti explains. “In the case of paper, research is focused on overcoming challenges related to its hydrophilic nature by enhancing barrier properties. Recent advancements include coatings - mineral-based or polymer dispersion - that ensure barrier properties and are part of the broader category of paper-based composite packaging. These are considered viable alternatives to plastics in certain applications.
Central to the scene are nanomaterials, emerging as game-changers in packaging for their unique properties and functionalities enabled by molecular manipulation. These offer greater sustainability, improved barrier and antimicrobial properties, and compatibility with smart solutions. Nanomaterials also play a key role in innovative labelling applications, represented extensively at the fair. Companies in the labelling sector will showcase cutting-edge solutions that are smart, biodegradable, recyclable, and sustainable, essential for ensuring product safety through traceability.
With labels and integration of IoT or RFID solutions, packaging can communicate a product’s storage conditions, extend shelf life, share its attributes, and monitor distribution channels and supply chains, mitigating the risk of counterfeiting. They can also provide instructions for proper disposal, aligning with the recycling stream, the best way to make packaging not only sustainable but also renewable.”
The topic of innovative materials for packaging will be explored at IPACK-IMA, scheduled to take place at Fiera Milano Rho from 27 to 30 May 2025.
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