A Look Back at 2025: Reflections and Lessons Learned
Posted By on Dec 22nd 2025
A Look Back at 2025: Reflections and Lessons Learned
I end every year by reflecting on the past twelve months. I process failures, celebrate wins, work through challenges, and name the key lessons I want to apply going forward.
2025 was not an easy year.
It was demanding, humbling, and uncomfortable for our industry, for our customers, and for us internally.
As the year closes, it's clear 2025 was deeply formative. Before I dive into the specific lessons for 2026, let’s look closer at what shaped this year.
1. The industry was dealt yet another shock. This year, being an EcoAlly meant helping brands navigate the landscape and build business resilience.
Many of our brands entered 2025 believing—some deeply hoping—that they were finally past the volatility of the COVID years. Those years had stretched teams, budgets, and supply chains to their limits. And for a moment, it felt true.
The early months of the year carried a sense of steadiness. A return to smoother ground.
Then tariffs hit. Almost overnight, costs, supply chains, pricing strategies, and consumer sentiment were destabilized. Our conversations with brands shifted just as quickly.
Active discussions about increasing post-consumer waste content and investing in regenerative materials were, in some cases, replaced by much more immediate questions. How do we stay resilient? Where can we cut costs? How do we protect the business?
In that environment, supporting brands often meant helping them scale packaging costs down, even when that meant making hard, imperfect tradeoffs:
- Moving from paper back to plastic
- Reducing recycled content
- Prioritizing operational stability over the most circular inputs possible
These were not decisions anyone wanted to make. But they were the reality of the situation. And they were made thoughtfully.
Our brands did not abandon their values. They recalibrated. They looked for the most responsible decision possible within their new constraints. And because many of these relationships span years, we know what sits underneath those choices. Deep commitment, long-term intention, and a desire to push further when conditions allow.
We know that when business realities ease, and they will, these brands will not need to be convinced to do better. They will already be looking for the next opportunity to raise the bar again.
The lesson I’m taking into 2026: Don't abandon brands during hard times. Commitment and support through challenges drive progress and deeper brand relationships.
Sway Polybag. Source: Sway
2. Material innovation shaped much of this year’s work. While progress was real, it was also messy and often discouraging up close. However, stepping back reveals just how much can be accomplished in a single year.
We continued to advance material innovation this year. We had a few core priorities on this front, including:
- Bringing Sway seaweed-blend poly bags to our cutting-edge brands
- Launching recycled poly mailers made from poly bags
- Developing multi-layered pouches with the highest PCR possible
It was not smooth.
Bag-to-bag recycling demonstrated just how challenging true circularity can be. For several years, we have worked with brands to collect single-use poly bags from their retail storefronts. Our team sorts this material and partners with Eco-Cycle to recycle it. Historically, these bags are downcycled into composite lumber. Our goal has always been more ambitious. We aim to transform poly bags into flexible film packaging, thereby closing the loop.
Poly bags often come back with labels, zippers, inks, and various inconsistencies. We learned through multiple failed extrusions that these additives are particularly challenging for mechanical recycling. These extrusions were costly and frustrating, but they gave us the data and insight we needed to move forward.
In parallel, we deepened an inspiring partnership with Sway. Sway sees seaweed as a promising replacement for traditional LDPE film. It grows without land-use conversion risks, needs no freshwater, uses few chemicals, and can help restore coastal ecosystems and economies.
This year, we ran multiple conversions of Sway’s TPSea Flex™ film. Some were exceptionally successful. Others surfaced real challenges. Running novel bio-based materials on equipment built for LDPE and PP is complex. Different melting points, varying rigidity, and greater variability from run to run all pushed our systems in new directions.
What made the difference was partnership. The Sway team went deep with us after every conversion. We analyzed the results, iterated on the blends, and learned quickly. As we enter January, we are doing so with an upgraded film that is strong, highly functional, and ready for brands of all sizes to adopt.
At the same time, we made a clear commitment to improve sustainability. The question was simple but challenging: how can we optimize PCR content while still meeting brand expectations for aesthetics, barrier performance, and budget? Launching high-PCR pouches meant solving all these constraints at once.
On top of all this, 2025 was one of the hardest years to motivate brands to adopt new materials. Supply chain resilience, cost management, tariffs, and EPR reporting often took priority over innovation. This was understandable. But it meant that, even after technical wins in material innovation, fewer brands were ready to make the leap than usual.
And yet, despite all of that, we are ending 2025 with real momentum.
This year:
- We worked with over 15,000 pounds of TPSea™ resin and brought Sway polybags to dozens of brands.
- We took back, sorted, and recycled over 65,000 pounds of poly bag film.
- We produced more than 100,000 pouches made with industry-leading 77 percent PCR film.
Looking ahead, we are thrilled about what is to come in the very near future. A new line of Sway bags (stronger and more functional than ever!) launches early in the new year, with samples already available. Mailers made with recycled poly bags are coming soon. We expect dozens of brands to adopt this industry-leading PCR blend in the months ahead.
The lesson I’m taking into 2026: Roadblocks indicate we’re pursuing true innovation—otherwise, it would already be standard in the market. To achieve meaningful material change, focus on three essentials: persistence, partnership, and proof. Real progress creates momentum, accelerating further change.
3. Alongside technical innovation, significant organizational change marked the last twelve months. We managed and supported through tremendous change. Naming it became as important as managing it.
2025 brought constant change and disruption:
- We opened up 12,000 square feet of our warehouse and office space, which meant dealing with construction noise, dust, and daily disruptions.
- Teams evolved and restructured, responsibilities shifted, roles were redefined, and some roles saw new faces.
- Many team members welcomed new babies into their families, some got married, others managed moves, and some navigated difficult health situations. Personal life changes like these can range from joyful to anxiety-inducing, but all have an impact on our collective capacity and energy.
None of it was tidy. Much of it was exhausting.
What I recognized by the end was this: the change itself is one part of what wears people down. Another important part is naming it and allocating space to discuss it.
When we slowed down enough to acknowledge what was hard, what was temporary, where clarity was needed, and what was still uncertain to all of us, trust grew. Adaptability followed.
The lesson I’m taking into 2026: People can handle disruption temporarily. It’s not easy, but with space to discuss challenges, we achieve clarity and alignment. My key takeaway: disruptions require open dialogue to navigate and move forward together.
4. EPR and US packaging legislation became real for our brands, shifting our focus to compliance and data reporting. Looking ahead, we must ensure that regulations drive long-term, meaningful progress.
2025 marked a significant shift in how brands engaged with Extended Producer Responsibility and other U.S. packaging legislation, such as SB 343. For many, this was the first year where EPR moved from a future concern to a present operational reality.
Right now, the regulatory focus across the industry is not on innovation. It is compliance. Brands spent the year trying to understand what applied to them, in which states, and on what timelines. Teams worked to interpret evolving requirements, register with CAA (the Producer Responsibility Organization), and determine how to report accurately. Internally, this meant building new data systems, refining SKU-level information, aligning packaging specifications across teams, and budgeting for fees that were still difficult to predict.
In many cases, the time, attention, and budget required to get compliant pulled resources away from material innovation and packaging redesign. Conversations that might have otherwise focused on increasing recycled content or piloting new materials were often postponed in favor of building reporting infrastructure and managing near-term risks.
We believe this work matters. The data being gathered and the fees incurred will shape future decisions. Having better data on material types, weights, and formats, and paying dues based on this data, creates the chance for more informed choices. We see 2025 as a necessary foundation year.
Looking ahead, we hope that by the end of 2026, brands will make packaging decisions with better data, stronger internal systems, and a renewed ability to evaluate tradeoffs thoughtfully. However, we are cautious: the key takeaway is that if EPR is reduced to a box-checking exercise, it may reinforce legacy materials simply due to their familiarity or ease of reporting, which could undermine meaningful progress.
The real opportunity lies in using compliance as a tool for progress rather than a constraint on it.
The lesson I’m taking into 2026: Compliance should be a launchpad for better decisions. We must be intentional about ensuring it enables innovation instead of becoming a ceiling.
Ridwell Mail-In Kit. Source: EcoEnclose
5. By responding to our brands’ needs, services like kitting, managing take-backs, and coordinating Store & Ship programs became a core offering.
As brands faced tighter margins, more complex logistics, and increasing operational pressure, our support for kitting, managing product and packaging take-back programs, and storing and releasing inventory on demand became essential. What had once been a side offering became core.
Examples of programs we have the privilege of supporting include: kitting and fulfillment of Ridwell’s take-back program, managing Crocs’ product take-back program, and operating Cotopaxi’s Store & Ship program, where we store inventory and release it on demand to support their retail network.
These programs became valuable assets due to our team members. Our Account Executives and Account Managers listened closely to what customers actually needed and designed solutions to address their challenges and reduce complexity. Our fulfillment team executed with care and consistency, even during peak periods. Our Order Assurance team developed the critical processes and backend systems.
We solved real problems, strengthened relationships, and helped our brands make meaningful progress toward circularity.
The lesson I’m taking into 2026: Listen closely to your customers. Respond to what they actually need. That is where new opportunities to diversify and strengthen your business emerge.
6. We saw amazing progress this year when existing rock star team members grew into new roles and responsibilities.
One of the most energizing aspects of this year was the significant growth that occurred within our team. People stepped into new responsibilities, took on leadership, and made lateral moves that better aligned with their strengths.
When you work closely with people over time, you come to understand how they think, how they perform under pressure, what motivates them, and where their true potential lies.
Watching teammates you care about build new skills, take on bigger challenges, and grow their impact is one of the most rewarding parts of building a company. There is something deeply satisfying about seeing people you know well step into broader responsibility with confidence, clarity, and pride.
The lesson I’m taking into 2026: There is enormous strength and untapped potential within existing teams. Putting the right people in the right seats, and giving your rockstars room to grow is one of the most powerful ways to build a resilient organization.
7. We are all still figuring out AI: is it hype, hope, catastrophe, or something in the middle - another tool to deploy with discernment.
It is challenging to look back on 2025 without AI being a significant part of the conversation.
AI dominated headlines, boardrooms, and economic forecasts, and was widely cited as a major driver of GDP growth, for better or worse. At the same time, it sparks real anxiety. Concerns about massive energy consumption, resource intensity, workforce disruption, and deep societal impact are valid (and kept me up at night more than once this year).
As a business owner, there is another layer of tension. The fear is that if you do not get ahead of AI, you will be left behind. That if you do not move fast enough, automate aggressively enough, or adopt enough tools, you risk falling out of relevance.
We experimented with AI in practical ways this year, ranging from customer service conversations to operational automation. In places where AI improved research, preparation, and internal inquiry, it added real value. In places where it flattened human conversation, lost nuance, or conflicted with how we want to present ourselves to customers, we pulled back.
What became clear is that AI is powerful, but still limited. It does not replace human conversation, judgment, collaboration, leadership, or accountability. It certainly does not eliminate the need for packaging and making thoughtful packaging decisions; instead, it actually increases the urgency of making packaging more circular and sustainable.
So where does that leave me?
As a global citizen, this year also solidified my belief that leaders cannot treat AI as a neutral force. Boundaries and guardrails, along with extensive investments in renewable energy, are essential, and we have a collective responsibility to demand them if we care about the world we are building.
As a business leader, I toggle between cautious hope and intense skepticism. Treating AI as either salvation or catastrophe misses the point. It is a powerful tool, and its impact depends entirely on how thoughtfully it is used and constrained.
The lesson I’m taking into 2026: AI can make us faster and better informed, but it should not replace judgment, connection, values, or leadership. Our responsibility is to use it deliberately, set boundaries where it falls short, and push for an energy future that can support it.
8. Ten years in, and still learning how to build something together: constant communication, empathy and kindness, and continuous recalibration.
This year marked ten years of building EcoEnclose with Kyle.
When we took over the business in 2015, we were equal parts idealistic and unprepared. We had a strong point of view on sustainability and strategy. We had a second child on the way. We had almost no experience in packaging or working together as business partners.
What followed was not a straight line.
Over the last decade, we learned how to have hard conversations on Monday morning and still show up as parents that night. We learned how to disagree productively, how to reset when work bled too far into our personal lives, and how to build systems that protected both the business and our relationships. Weekly reset meetings were not a nice-to-have; they were a must-have. They were survival tools.
Yes, the company grew. From fewer than five employees to more than sixty. From a three-thousand-square-foot warehouse to a forty-two-thousand-square-foot facility. From a handful of customers to tens of thousands of brands. From an idea to a business that has grown more than thirtyfold and now partners with some of the most innovative material technologies in the world. But the real work was internal.
We learned that leadership is not about certainty. It is about balancing truth and grace when there are no perfect answers.
We learned how to zoom out and hold a long-term vision, then zoom all the way back in to execute in the weeds. We learned to listen deeply to brands, rather than assuming we knew what they needed. And we learned, sometimes clumsily, how to keep family front and center while running a growing company.
People sometimes ask if, after ten years, I feel tired, burned out, or bored. Some days, yes. But most days, the work feels more alive than ever. The problems are more complex. The team is stronger. The opportunity for real impact feels clearer. With policy beginning to catch up, brands more engaged, and innovation accelerating, it feels like we are finally entering the chapter we were building toward all along.
The lesson I’m taking into 2026: Enduring partnerships - whether in business or life - are built through honest communication, shared values, and a willingness to keep choosing growth over comfort.
9. Parenting and coaching revealed - and helped me course correct - gaps in my professional leadership.
This year, two unexpected teachers shaped how I think about leadership: coaching my daughter’s flag football team and owling with my son.
Coaching taught me how young people thrive when they are celebrated and know we believe in them. Kids do not need a louder voice or someone barking orders at them. They need clarity about what matters, a sense of safety to try, and consistent recognition that effort counts. The fastest way to build confidence was not to correct everything. It was to pick one thing to focus on, name it clearly, and celebrate progress when it showed up. You could literally watch a kid transform once they felt seen for what they were doing right.
Owling (and my son’s approach to birding in general) taught me something different. It taught me patience. When you are looking for an owl, you cannot force it. You slow down. You listen. You learn the difference between noise and signal. You notice patterns, movement, and small cues you would miss if you were rushing. And when the moment comes, it is quiet. It does not announce itself. But it is unforgettable precisely because you had the patience to be ready for it.
Together, these experiences changed how I think about managing adults.
Sometimes leadership looks like coaching. You set direction, simplify the goal, encourage repetition, and build confidence through small wins. You make expectations explicit and provide feedback in a way that builds capability rather than anxiety.
Sometimes leadership needs the patience of birding. You hold steady, observe, and listen for what is truly happening beneath the surface. You do not jump in too early. You do not mistake activity for progress. You notice the subtle shifts, the early signals of burnout or misalignment, and the quiet strengths that are easy to overlook.
The lesson I’m taking into 2026: Great leadership is a balance of coaching and stillness. Set clear direction, reinforce progress, and listen deeply enough to catch what others miss. People do their best work when they feel believed in and genuinely seen.
10. For type A (“D” in the DiSC profile) people of which I am surrounded by many, recognizing when to move fast and when to slow down is a critical skill.
This year sharpened my understanding of speed. Often, momentum is driven by genuine need. A customer is waiting. A team member needs clarity. A problem surfaces and demands an answer. We aim to bring something to market quickly, respond decisively, and keep things moving forward.
And sometimes, speed is exactly what the moment requires. Delivering for customers, responding in real-time, and learning by doing are essential components of building a resilient business. There are situations where the only way forward is to act, see what breaks, and adapt.
But this year also made it clear that not every situation benefits from urgency.
There were moments when stepping back, slowing down, and working through the details more deliberately would have saved time, frustration, and rework in the long run. Taking a beat to align, pressure-test assumptions, and involve the right people earlier often led to better outcomes and stronger execution.
What I learned is that leadership is not about choosing speed or caution; it's about striking a balance between the two. It is about developing the judgment to know which moment calls for which response. Some problems cannot be solved until they are in motion. Others are best addressed before the first step is taken.
That discernment took practice this year. And it is something I plan to keep refining.
The lesson I’m taking into 2026: Progress depends on knowing when to move quickly and when to slow down enough to get it right.
Looking Ahead
2025 was hard. It was also clarifying.
We enter 2026 with stronger partnerships, deeper knowledge, and renewed conviction. The work ahead is complex, imperfect, and deeply satisfying.
Thank you for being part of it.
- Saloni Doshi, CEO & Chief Sustainability Officer
About EcoEnclose
EcoEnclose helps forward-thinking brands deliver on their sustainability goals with innovative, research-driven packaging solutions designed for circularity.