If you’re in the packaging or CPG space in 2025, you’ve been on a rollercoaster ride in recent years. There’s no doubt the industry is at a turning point: from sweeping EPR regulations and shifting consumer values to the global demand for more circular, regenerative solutions, sustainable packaging central to brand identity, environmental strategy, and future market access.
While uncertainty can be scary, meeting the moment can help position your brand for the future. At SmartSolve, we call this the Great Packaging Reset. It’s an opportunity for packaging and brand leaders to act, rather than simply comply. In this blog, we’ll explore what’s driving the reset, brands that are leading the way, and the tools your team can use to prepare for tomorrow’s packaging landscape.
The Packaging Reset Is Here. But Why Now?
While packaging-related legislation may have started in Europe, sustainability regulations are no longer limited to those geographic borders. With the U.S. now embracing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws across states like Oregon, Colorado, and California, brands are facing growing obligations to reduce waste, improve recyclability, and report material usage.
In parallel, consumer behavior is shifting. A 2025 McKinsey study found that 54% of US consumers say they’re willing to pay more for sustainable packaging. In another study, 47% of consumers have consciously chosen products specifically for their sustainable packaging.
The bottom line: Packaging teams can no longer afford to treat sustainability as a nice-to-have. Regulatory, commercial, and reputational pressures are converging, and businesses must rethink packaging with long-term viability in mind.
Packaging No Longer Has to Be Waste…
Packaging has long been viewed through a linear lens: design, produce, discard. In fact, studies estimate a staggering 40% of the planet’s plastic waste is from packaging. But with recycling systems under pressure and landfill limits approaching, that mindset no longer holds. Packaging should be designed with end-of-life in mind.
Brands that embrace circular thinking are gaining an edge. By investing in materials that contribute to reuse, biodegradation, or safe dispersion, companies are reducing environmental harm while building resilience into their product ecosystems.
…And Sustainable Packaging Doesn’t Mean Sacrificing Quality
Gone are the days when sustainable packaging meant compromising durability or function. Advances in material science mean brands can choose options that check every box: performance, safety, regulatory compliance, and sustainability.
SmartSolve’s bio-based, water-soluble packaging is one such solution. Designed to dissolve safely in water systems while protecting products during use, it helps brands achieve functionality. Flushable, functional and circular – an ideal combination for brands with big sustainability goals.
3 Key Trends Shaping the New Era of Packaging
States Are Applying the Pressure With EPR Regulations
Laws in California (SB 54), Oregon, Colorado, and others are reshaping the U.S. packaging landscape. These laws assign responsibility for post-consumer packaging waste to producers and require packaging to be either recyclable, compostable, or reusable within the next decade.
To stay ahead of evolving EPR regulations, brands must invest in materials that align with those end-of-life pathways or face fees, market restrictions, and reputational risk.
The Rise of Zero-Waste Packaging: Brands Taking a Stance
Consumer demand for truly sustainable materials is accelerating, and brands across industries are stepping up with bold, zero-waste solutions. In personal care, noodees is leading the way with dissolvable sachets for hand wash and face-wash powder, eliminating traditional plastic packets altogether. In the cleaning category, PVA Hygiene has embraced water-soluble technology to deliver a full suite of professional-grade products, from multi-purpose surface cleaners and foaming hand wash to heavy-duty floor degreasers. And in feminine care, Fluus is reshaping the category with the world’s first fully flushable period pad, microplastic-free and 15% more absorbent than the market leader. Together, these innovators show how zero-waste packaging is becoming a powerful driver of product design and brand differentiation.
Consumer Trust (And Demand) Around Sustainability in Packaging
According to a 2022 report, 86% of younger consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging. But “greenwashing” won’t work – consumers are savvy, and can tell the difference between exaggerated claims of sustainability and true, honest efforts to be more eco-friendly. Transparency, clarity, and credibility matter. Brands using dissolvable, paper-based, or clearly recyclable materials are better positioned to gain loyalty.
Sustainable Packaging Alternatives Leading the Reset
For packaging professionals just starting on their sustainability journey, it can feel overwhelming at first. But evaluating realistic options to test a few SKUs using a plastic-free packaging alternative can make a big impact on future sustainability goals.
Here are a few sustainable packaging materials to consider:
- Water-dispersible paper – Best for dissolvable sachets, pouches, and labels (used by brands like Noodees and Daye)
- Seaweed films – Best for biodegradable wraps
- Mono-material PE – Best for recycling-compatible flexibles
- Glassine – Best for cosmetics, soaps, and dry goods
- Mushroom-based packaging – Best for protective inserts
- Recycled aluminum – Best for premium, refillable containers
- Post-consumer recycled (PCR) paperboard – Best for outer packaging with a circular story
Questions to Ask When Resetting Your Packaging Plan
Just like any complex business goal, starting with small, achievable steps can create momentum. Begin by clarifying your long-term vision. For example, do you want to reduce plastic use by 50%? Make your entire portfolio EPR-compliant? Or switch a key product line to compostable materials? Use these probing questions to help break that vision down into phased goals you can act on today.
Here are a few questions to help guide your reset:
- Does your current packaging portfolio align with upcoming EPR regulations?
- What happens to your materials after customer use?
- Are you using mono-materials or options that cleanly separate during recycling?
- Can your team pilot solutions that reduce weight, waste, and water use?
- Are you building packaging that earns consumer trust?
- Does your current packaging portfolio align with upcoming EPR regulations?
- What happens to your materials after customer use?
- Are you using mono-materials or options that cleanly separate during recycling?
- Can your team pilot solutions that reduce weight, waste, and water use?
- Are you building packaging that earns consumer trust?
SmartSolve: Your Sustainable Packaging Partner
At SmartSolve, we believe that the materials of the future are regenerative, safe, and seamlessly recyclable. Our mission is to make packaging no longer trash, and we know it’s achievable. Our water-soluble and paper-based solutions help brands meet EPR packaging goals while creating delightful, innovative, and trust-building customer experiences.
The packaging reset is here. If it feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. We’re here to guide you no matter your needs, concerns or applications. Our portfolio of water-dispersible materials supports circular strategies without compromising packaging integrity, and our team works with brands across food, beauty, cleaning, and health sectors to rethink what packaging can do.
Curious to learn how we can help? Contact us today.