The PPWR Shift: Rethinking Packaging with Fiber—The Obvious Advantage & the Evolving Challenge

The packaging industry is once again at a regulatory crossroads with the rollout of the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) in early 2025. At the heart of these changes is a stronger push for recycling, material circularity, and waste reduction—forcing brands and packaging producers to rethink not just materials but the entire lifecycle of their packaging solutions.

Rather than viewing regulatory changes as a hurdle, we see them as an opportunity: an opportunity to eliminate compliance risks, future-proof packaging solutions, and help packaging producers and brands transition seamlessly into the next generation of sustainable packaging.

Consumers today have a stronger understanding of fiber-based packaging recycling compared to plastic, which significantly influences recycling rates and material recovery. A 2022 survey by Two Sides found that 55% of consumers believe paper-based packaging is the most environmentally friendly option, while only 7% consider plastic packaging sustainable.

Additionally, a study by the European Commission revealed that 81% of EU citizens find paper and cardboard easier to recycle than plastic, reinforcing the idea that fiber-based packaging is more intuitively associated with recyclability.

Unlike plastic, which requires complex sorting and specialized facilities—only 9% of plastic waste is ultimately recycled globally, according to the OECD—fiber-based packaging benefits from an established, high-efficiency recycling infrastructure. As stated by the European Paper Packaging Association, 82% of paper and board packaging in Europe is recycled, making consumers trust that when they dispose of fiber-based materials correctly, they are indeed recycled.

This strong consumer confidence not only supports higher collection rates but also makes fiber-based solutions an attractive choice for packaging producers and brands looking to align with public expectations and regulatory demands.

While many in the industry scramble to adapt, Yangi is already ahead, offering a turnkey solution that meets, and even exceeds, these evolving requirements. But compliance is just the beginning. The real question is: how do brands maintain the high functionality, aesthetics, and scalability they need while eliminating plastics and other restricted materials?

That’s where Yangi’s dry forming technology Cellera comes in.

The Obvious Yangi Advantage: Renewable & Recyclable Material (& Compostable)

Yangi’s fiber-based packaging is made from renewable materials, primarily derived from sustainably sourced wood fibers from responsible forestry. And, unlike plastic-based alternatives that contribute to the 400 million tons of plastic waste generated globally each year, Yangi’s material seamlessly integrates into existing recycling infrastructures worldwide, eliminating the need for specialized disposal methods.

According to CEPI, fiber-based packaging can be recycled up to seven times without significant degradation in quality, significantly reducing the demand for virgin materials, making it one of the most effective circular solutions. Yangi's products, recognized as 'Best in Class' by CEPI standards, are designed to be recycled in standard mills, ensuring seamless integration into existing recycling systems

While some fiber-based packaging solutions emphasize compostability, recycling remains the superior end-of-life option in terms of environmental impact, resource efficiency, and circularity the reasons as to why PPWR prioritizes recyclability over compostability.

The Evolving Challenge: Fiber-Based Packaging’s Post-Treatment

While some packaging producers are adjusting their base materials to fit the new requirements, they’re running into a critical bottleneck—post-treatment. The devil is in the details: plastic coatings, lamination, printing and labeling solutions that once made fiber-based packaging functional and visually appealing are now under scrutiny.

Chemical Barriers & Coatings

Barrier coatings are essential for food safety, moisture resistance, and extended shelf life. However, traditional plastic coatings—often made from polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP)—are now being phased out under stricter regulations.

Research shows that plastic-coated paperboard is significantly more challenging to recycle due to the difficulty of separating polymer layers, with some estimates indicating that up to 30% of fiber content is lost during repulping. (The Recycling Partnership & The American Forest & Paper Association). Emerging alternatives, such as water-based or bio-based coatings, are still being refined for mass adoption, leaving many producers in limbo.

Yangi’s barrier solution ensures product protection utilizing methods that maintain moisture and grease resistance while remaining fully recyclable. Yangi also participates extensively in many ongoing research and development projects with various partners in the packaging value chain to drive forward the development of bio-based barriers.

Lamination

Lamination presents another challenge. Many fiber-based packaging solutions still rely on multi-material laminates that include polyethylene or aluminum layers for durability and barrier properties. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, these laminates make up a significant portion of packaging waste that is difficult to recycle, contributing to the estimated 8 million tons of plastic leakage into oceans annually. Adhesives used in traditional lamination processes also introduce non-recyclable elements, further reducing the effectiveness of fiber recovery in the recycling process.

Yangi’s lamination-free approach removes the need for multi-layer plastic or aluminum films, simplifying recycling and reducing material complexity while maintaining packaging integrity. If lamination is a requirement to meet packaging functionality needs, Yangi collaborates with partners that offer solutions enabling the separation of laminates—making recyclability possible without compromising performance.

Printing & Labels

Even branding elements such as inks and labels must be reconsidered. Conventional solvent-based inks contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contribute to air pollution, while non-recyclable adhesives used in labels can contaminate fiber recovery streams. A study by CEPI suggests that ink and adhesive residues in recycled paper can decrease the strength of the fiber matrix, affecting its ability to be reused multiple times.

Yangi’s embossing and debossing features enable detailed branding directly on the packaging itself, eliminating the need for harmful inks or labels while maintaining a premium look and feel. This not only enhances recyclability but also reduces additional material inputs, aligning with the latest regulatory standards. However, if decorative elements are preferred, Yangi is continuously evaluating sustainable printing and labeling solutions that work best with our fiber-based packaging—ensuring compliance while developing our portfolio of high-quality branding opportunities.

The Future is Now—And It’s Scalable

Over the last decade, Yangi has invested extensively in R&D to solve these challenges for its customers, ensuring a seamless transition to dry formed fiber-based packaging—without the delays, added costs, or uncertainty that others face. While others struggle with material integrations and production adjustments, Yangi offers a fully industrialized, scalable solution—ready today.

The PPWR and SUPD regulations are just the beginning of a larger shift toward sustainability-driven legislation. The brands that act now won’t just comply; they’ll lead the industry forward.

Yangi isn’t just a packaging alternative—it’s a future-proof strategy, enabling packaging producers to stay ahead of regulations, scale efficiently, and deliver truly circular packaging without trade-offs.

The industry has a choice: react or lead. With Yangi, the path is clear.

Are you ready to make the transition? Let’s talk.

Want to conduct a small-scale production for market testing before committing to full-scale production? Even better!

Yangi small-scale production at our state-of-the-art facility in Varberg is available, providing a low-risk, high-impact solution for brands looking to test new markets, refine packaging designs, experiment with new materials and cutting-edge technology, and make data-driven decisions—before scaling up.