Watch me live at Paris Packaging Week 2026!

At Paris Packaging Week 2026, I will be moderating a panel discussion on the Circular Economy Stage titled “Dreams, Material Realities of Biomaterials vs. Traditional Plastics” (14:30–15:15), bringing together a cross-section of voices from materials innovation, packaging manufacturing, brand ESG leadership, and polymer science. The panel features Eva Lagarde, CEO and Founder of Re/sources; Helen Yang, CEO and Founder of Clement Packaging; Jamie Richards, Director of ESG at Bansk Beauty; Olivier Le Cour Grandmaison, Business Development Manager, Specialty Plastics at Eastman; and Philippe Michon, Co-Founder and Associate Director at Eranova Bioplastics. Together, we will examine the growing gap between sustainability narratives and material realities in packaging, with a focus on what is technically, economically, and systemically achievable today.
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The discussion will open by addressing the tension between storytelling and data, exploring how well-intentioned marketing narratives around “plastic-free” solutions can sometimes obscure scientific and industrial constraints. Panelists will share where misconceptions most often arise—particularly around performance, scalability, and environmental impact—and how the industry can align communication more closely with measurable outcomes and verified data. From there, the conversation will turn to the real potential of biobased and bio-feedstock materials, examining how close plant- and biomass-derived polymers are to true commercial scalability, and what technical, regulatory, and economic barriers must still be overcome before they can compete with established materials such as PET or PP in terms of cost, consistency, and supply reliability.

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A critical portion of the panel will focus on recycling infrastructure and regulatory alignment, particularly in the context of Europe’s evolving Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). As most existing recycling systems were designed for conventional plastics, panelists will discuss how—if at all—current collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructures can realistically adapt to new material streams without creating additional confusion or inefficiency. Closely tied to this is the issue of end-of-life communication: compostable, recyclable, and biodegradable claims are often used interchangeably, yet each implies a very different disposal pathway. The panel will explore how the industry can better define, standardize, and communicate end-of-life realities so that consumers, municipalities, and recyclers understand what actually happens once packaging leaves the shelf.

The conversation will also address the growing tension between brand responsibility and consumer expectation. While consumers increasingly demand “green” packaging, they also expect affordability, convenience, and aesthetic appeal. Panelists will discuss how brands can navigate this balance honestly—acknowledging technological and economic limits without undermining trust or credibility. Finally, looking toward 2030, the discussion will examine what a realistic future packaging landscape may look like, questioning whether the next five years will be defined by a single dominant solution or by the coexistence of advanced bioplastics, recycled petroleum-based plastics, and reuse and refill systems operating side by side.
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This session is designed to move beyond slogans and surface-level sustainability claims, offering a grounded, systems-level conversation about materials, infrastructure, regulation, and responsibility—at a moment when packaging innovation must reconcile ambition with reality.