Jack Eaton, Chief Commercial Officer at NIRI
The transition to a circular economy is creating new opportunities for packaging manufacturers, who are consistently investigating new materials in an evolving sustainability landscape. Nonwovens play a major role in the drive for improved recyclability, reduced waste and energy consumption. When investigating new materials and suppliers, these can impact your sustainability and efficiency strategies. Jack Eaton, Chief Commercial Officer at NIRI, explains how.
The PFAS problem – and a fresh approach to material design
New material innovation is largely led by regulation, such as the UK’s legally-binding 2050 Net Zero target and international regulations regarding PFAS. These ‘forever chemicals’ create toxic loops - when consumer goods are recycled PFAS embedded into products are carried into any new materials produced after recycling. For example, PFAS in food packaging will not be removed during repulping if the original packaging is placed in paper recycling bins, degrading secondary materials and complicating the composting process.
In looking to develop PFAS-free alternatives, nonwovens innovation - such as a switch from 2D to 3D thinking - can contribute to the end-of-life management that is a cornerstone of circularity. At NIRI, we are developing combinations of different layers and materials to create PFAS-free products. Here, strategic material selection, innovative construction, and surface functionalisation research underpins our exploration of the PFAS challenge through a shift in thinking rather than relying entirely on chemistry to replace PFAS.
The shift from petroleum-based materials
There is regulatory and consumer pressure to remove PFAS from future products, and there is equal pressure to reduce dependency on fossil-, petroleum-based inputs, leading to a greater focus on bio-based and biodegradable polymers.
At NIRI, we have been focusing on our polymerisation capabilities, including using renewable intermediates and fermentation-derived monomers. These bio-based nonwovens help tackle significant sustainability issues, such as resource depletion and plastic pollution – a major issue for circularity. Where recyclability and reusability are inherent in these materials, collaboration between nonwovens specialists and packaging manufacturers is key to achieving the most sustainable and innovative outcomes.
Resource efficiency – in partnership
We are all negotiating the energy transition – the shift towards electrification and reduced carbon footprint to become more sustainable. Advances in packaging materials need to balance innovation alongside sustainable manufacturing processes. And this should be a critical consideration when looking to nonwovens as a part of the solution to PFAS replacement and environmentally-friendly packaging solutions.
Utilising lightweight and mono-component materials reduces material consumption while maintaining or enhancing performance – cutting embodied energy upstream and lowering the operational energy associated with heavier, more complex nonwovens constructions. Lighter materials will often require less thermal and mechanical energy to process. Fewer material types equates to fewer process steps, fewer energy-intensive bonds, and fewer chemical inputs. And mono-component systems contribute to circularity by simplifying recycling processes and reducing additional energy costs during end-of-life handling.
Across the supply chain, strategic analysis of process capabilities and manufacturing workflows can pinpoint any bottlenecks or energy hotspots. Rethinking layout, process sequence, and resource scheduling can help reduce peak loads and energy spikes. Your materials developer and manufacturer should be focused on these aspects: conducting in-depth energy audits; utilising smart controls and sensors to optimise heating and cooling cycles in production, and using AI tools for data-driven manufacturing optimisation. Looking to a strategic partner for this support can create a relationship where cost-savings and long-term resilience converge for improved energy management and sustainability.
Energy strategies are increasingly scrutinised by stakeholders, whether customers, investors, or regulators. Scope 3 emissions – indirect emissions across the value chain, including raw materials, logistics, and end-of-life impacts - are notoriously hard to track and evidence and are now the defining challenge for many packaging manufacturers and clients. Material optimisation, lightweighting, and mono-component design can become powerful levers to reduce raw material intensity and upstream emissions.
Meeting the challenge of a circular economy
The transition to a circular economy is no longer simply a compliance exercise. It is an opportunity to redesign materials, improve manufacturing efficiency and build more resilient supply chains. By combining innovative nonwovens technologies with energy-conscious production and collaborative product development, packaging manufacturers can reduce environmental impact while strengthening long-term competitiveness. A joined-up approach from R&D and conceptualisation through to market-ready product requires collaboration – for the immediate PFAS challenge and for the journey to Net Zero.