What I’m Hearing (and Feeling) From the Field

Source: Unsplash

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a hot topic in our industry right now. Brands are adjusting operations, investing in tracking systems, and trying to understand opaque regulations.

But the conversation is still rooted in checkboxes and compliance: What counts? Who’s a producer? What’s exempt? What’s the best method of estimation?

What’s missing is the bigger question: Will EPR actually lead to better design and more circular systems? Or will it inadvertently discourage innovation, especially when new materials don’t fit neatly into old frameworks?

These tensions were discussed at many of my sessions and roundtables, and we don’t know the answer just yet.

Takeaway: Engage with EPR not just as a mandate, but as a lever for innovation. Push policymakers and industry partners to ensure the system drives better design, not just better documentation.

Source: Living Ink

At EcoEnclose, our vision for circularity has always rested on two complementary pillars:

• Packaging made from packaging that becomes packaging again, and

• Regenerative base inputs—not extractive or synthetic.

We’ve invested deeply in both. We've worked to build a system where packaging waste feeds the next generation of packaging. We’ve championed innovation in regenerative, non-fossil inputs, such as algae inks, agricultural waste fibers, seaweed polybags, and more.

But we’ve never been blind to the contradictions in this vision. Much of what we recycle today—especially plastic—is made from synthetic, fossil-based inputs. So even when it’s reused repeatedly, we’re still perpetuating a material stream we know we need to evolve away from.

Conversations over the past few weeks brought this challenge to the forefront again:

• Should we continue building advanced recycling systems for fossil-derived plastics?

• Or pivot toward developing materials that don’t rely on fossil inputs at all?

• How much energy should we invest in technologies designed to repurpose synthetic materials, like making textiles from recycled plastic bottles, versus scaling new materials with truly regenerative origins?

These aren’t theoretical questions for us—they’re strategic tensions we live every day. The more I engage with others across the ecosystem, the more convinced I am that this isn’t a binary choice.

We have to improve today’s system. Plastics are still everywhere, and they need to be recovered and reused as efficiently and cleanly as possible. But we also have to move toward materials whose entire lifecycle—sourcing, use, recovery—can be regenerative by design.

Takeaway: Circularity isn’t just about closing the loop on today’s materials. It’s about building a new loop entirely. Let’s improve our system and lay the groundwork for one that doesn’t rely on fossil fuels.

Source: Marie Davison

One of the more frustrating patterns I observed across recent events is how quickly new innovations are destroyed. A company would present a breakthrough—say, a packaging material that replaces a harmful input with something 80% better—and someone in the audience would immediately zero in on the 20% that isn’t perfect.

A recycling innovation still uses a solvent that isn’t fully closed-loop? Dismissed. A biopolymer made with a truly regenerative feedstock, but is in packaging that still uses some fossil-fuel input? Written off. A regenerative fiber has slightly lower performance than the paper it is replacing? "Not ready yet."

Don’t get me wrong—scrutiny is essential to our work. We need rigorous evaluation in this space, where sustainability claims are everywhere. But I’ve come to believe there’s a line between healthy skepticism and chronic obstructionism. The latter often comes from people who care deeply but become blockers, not builders.

This mindset is especially harmful when applied to early-stage innovations that need support, iteration, and shared learning to improve. Instead of asking, “Is this perfect today?” we should be asking:

• Is this innovation directionally aligned with a regenerative future?

• Does it have the potential to displace a more harmful status quo meaningfully?

• Are there clear roadmaps to overcome its current shortcomings?

If the answer is yes, let’s rally behind it. Let’s help founders, scientists, and brands refine, test, pilot, and scale. Let’s treat imperfection not as a reason to walk away but as an invitation to collaborate.

At EcoEnclose, we’ve encountered this ourselves. No matter how carefully we vetted them, someone always pointed out a limitation. But if we only embraced the flawless, we’d never move forward.

Takeaway: Environmental perfectionism may feel righteous, but it can be regressive. Support progress. Champion the solutions that are moving in the right direction, even if they’re not there yet.

Source: Cody Perhamus

Some of the most powerful conversations I had were about how to scale innovation—one clear message: precompetitive collaboration works.

In sustainability, we all benefit when innovations are adopted quickly. That often means sharing resources, insights, and even IP across competitors. It’s not always easy, but it’s powerful.

Takeaway: Find your allies—even among competitors. We move faster when we move together.

Source: Marie Davison

This has been said for years, but it bears repeating: sustainable innovation takes time. Unfortunately, the capital landscape hasn’t caught up. If anything, it’s gotten more short-term oriented. That’s frustrating—and in many cases, disqualifying for promising, mission-driven ventures.

Takeaway: Commit to the long view if you’re investing in sustainability. This work is slow by design, and worth it.

Source: Cody Perhamus

These past few weeks reminded me that this work is messy, hopeful, exhausting, and energizing all at once. It demands that we innovate boldly, collaborate generously, and stay connected to the communities and values that guide us.

At EcoEnclose, we’re excited to keep convening through webinars, roundtables, dinners, and open houses. We’d love to see you at one of our upcoming events or hear what you’re learning in your corner of this movement.

Let’s keep building—together.

Saloni Doshi
CEO & Chief Sustainability Officer, EcoEnclose