Top 21 Sustainable Packaging Suppliers Revealed

Jul 27, 2023

Kate Bertrand Connolly, Rick Lingle | Aug 24, 2023

A comprehensive industry analysis from MarketsandMarkets, called the “Sustainable Packaging Companies Quadrant,” identifies 2023’s top 21 sustainable packaging companies worldwide.

The analysis provides a detailed evaluation of more than 80 market players, exploring technology advancements, product innovations, and emerging trends. Criteria for evaluating the companies’ product footprint included:

MarketsandMarkets estimates the value of the global sustainable packaging market to be $270.60 billion in 2023 and projects it will grow to $380.2 billion by 2028, for a CAGR of 7.04% during the forecast period.

The full list of leading sustainable packaging companies is shown below, in alphabetical order, with a packaging recap for each. The five that ranked highest on a combination of market presence and product footprint are: WestRock, Amcor, Smurfit Kappa, Crown Holdings, and Mondi.

Where appropriate, we’ve addedlinks to articles of specific sustainable examples from the company from sister brands PlasticsToday and Packaging Digest.

1. Amcor produces flexible and rigid plastic packaging, specialty cartons, and closures for companies in the food/beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home, and personal-care categories.

2. AptarGroup supplies plastic closures and pumps for consumer goods packaging in categories such as personal care, beauty, home care, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage.

3. Ardagh Group’s global operations include business segments for glass and metal packaging.

4. Ball Corp. supplies consumer goods companies in the beverage, food, and household products categories with aluminum packaging, including cans, bottles, and aerosol cans.

5. Constantia Flexibles supplies companies in the food, pet food, pharmaceutical, and beverage categories with flexible plastic packaging, aluminum lidding and packaging, paper-based packaging, and rigid plastic packaging.

6. The Cosmo Films business unit of Cosmo First supplies specialty films for flexible packaging, lamination, labeling, and industrial applications, with a specialization in biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films, cast polypropylene (CPP) films, and biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET) films.

7. Crown Holdings focuses on metal packaging, with specialties in food, beverage, and aerosol packaging.

8. DS Smith supplies fiber-based packaging worldwide and is a Strategic Partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

9. Huhtamaki Group manufactures consumer and specialty packaging, with emphasis on flexible plastic packaging, molded-fiber packaging, release films, paper cups, and compostable tableware and packaging.

10 Klöckner Pentaplast produces rigid plastic films for processes such as thermoforming and form-fill-seal, as well as flexible packaging films.

11. Mondi supplies paper-based packaging and flexible plastic packaging materials and supplies; the latter include bags and pouches, release liners, and functional films.

12. NatureWorks is a supplier of biopolymers (notably polylactic acid) and uses renewable feedstocks such as corn, cassava, sugar cane, and beets to manufacture its products.

13. Pactiv supplies foodservice customers, food processors, food packers, supermarkets, and restaurants with food packaging made from rigid plastic, expanded polystyrene, polyethylene-coated board, paper, molded fiber, and aluminum.

14. Plastipak Packaging produces rigid plastic containers and is a leading North American blow-molder; its Clean Tech affiliate company recycles more than 200 million pounds of plastic per year.

15. Sappi manufactures paper packaging, paperboard products, containerboard products, label papers, silicone base papers, and flexible coated and uncoated packaging papers.

16. Sealed Air supplies flexible plastic packaging, including Bubble Wrap, foam cushioning, shrink bags and films, overwrap, and form-fill-seal films, plus plastic bottles, plastic food trays, and vacuum skin packaging products.

17. Silgan White Cap produces metal, composite, and plastic vacuum closures for foods and beverages; Silgan Plastics manufactures PET containers; and Silgan Containers produces metal food packaging.

18. Smurfit Kappa is a leading producer of paper-based packaging — including corrugated, solid board, folding carton, and tube packaging — for ecommerce, retail, consumer, and industrial applications.

19. Stora Enso produces paper- and wood-fiber-based packaging, including wood foam for cushioning, set-up boxes, paperboard packaging materials, and corrugated packaging solutions.

20. Tetra Laval’s Tetra Pak business unit sells aseptic carton packaging and processing equipment; the cartons are primarily paperboard, with barrier layers of polyethylene and aluminum foil.

21. WestRock provides paper- and pulp-based packaging, including corrugated containers, folding cartons, containerboard, paperboard, pulp, and kraft paper, as well as equipment.

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