Packaging Strategy Lab founder: AI drives sustainable design and recycling infrastructure advancements

As regulations like the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) evolve and circular design becomes the norm, AI gives designers the agility to test more variables, validate assumptions, and iterate processes faster, according to Felix Gass, founder and director of the Packaging Strategy Lab.

Based in Cologne, Germany, the Packaging Strategy Lab is a packaging strategy bureau that supports companies with transitioning to sustainable designs and materials.

Packaging Insights sits down with Gass to discuss how companies need to go beyond material swaps and why supply chain collaboration is crucial to make informed packaging decisions.

“The PPWR introduces accountability through the Recycling Performance Grade and Recycled at Scale Score — standardized metrics for assessing real-world recyclability and circular viability. These measures will shape compliance and market access across the EU by 2030 and 2035.”

“Meeting consumer expectations and sustainability goals requires more than swapping materials. It demands a strategic rethink of the entire packaging format, and sometimes the product proposition itself, from delivery to user experience,” Gass says.

“By feeding AI systems with regulatory requirements, material specs, performance data, and consumer insights, we generate concepts tailored to specific goals, whether it is reducing weight, improving recyclability, or enhancing shelf presence.”

Dual mandate

To stay on track with compliance requirements, Gass recommends that brands conduct comprehensive audits of their packaging materials, formats, and recyclability across markets. From there, customers can gradually shift toward mono-materials, increase PCR content, and enhance compatibility with existing recycling systems.

Structural innovation can extend a package’s lifecycle and unlock new opportunities.“Packaging decisions can no longer occur in isolation, and success depends on collaboration across the supply chain, which means bringing together material developers, converters, recyclers, and design teams to create packaging that aligns with current and future recovery systems.”

“Brands that invest in this capability now — through cross-functional alignment and forward-thinking design — will lead in compliance, innovation, operational efficiency, and circular market leadership,” says Gass.

Packaging needs to satisfy a dual mandate: deliver on environmental goals and meet consumer expectations, according to Gass. He says that the main challenge now is “balancing functionality with environmental performance.”

“Consumers still expect packaging to be durable, convenient, and visually appealing, traits often achieved with multi-layer materials or complex laminates. These, however, are usually non-recyclable. More sustainable options like monomaterials or fiber-based materials can compromise performance, protection, or shelf life.”

“Achieving the right balance requires smart engineering and focused design. Inconsistent recycling infrastructure adds another layer of complexity.”

Improving through design

Gass points out that packaging designed for recyclability in one market may not be processable in another due to local limitations in sorting, collection, or recycling capacity. Meanwhile, consumer behavior can also play a critical role.

“Many sustainable formats rely on users to separate components, rinse containers, or follow disposal instructions. Without clear, intuitive design, even well-engineered solutions can end up in landfill,” he explains.

“In our work, we have found that success rarely comes from one-to-one material replacement. It often begins with reassessing the entire system.”

Fiberization leads circularity shift

Gass has identified fiberization as a part of the shift toward circular solutions and regulatory pressure that is pushing industries to reduce their plastic dependency.

“It [fiber] is a strong fit for converters and brands seeking scalable plastic alternatives with a real momentum in emerging materials: ultra-thin, high-performance paper, and cellulose-based structures that offer plastic-like functionality with circular advantages. The industry is investing heavily in these next-generation substrates,” he elaborates.

“E-commerce is moving quickly, replacing plastic with fiber alternatives for shipping bags, inserts, and boxes, along with sectors that require fewer barrier properties, typically a challenge for paper-based packaging.”The CU-Box is a durable, hygienic container designed for pre-packed foods.

“More solutions are emerging for the F&B and personal care industries. However, they still lag due to performance challenges, especially around moisture resistance, barrier properties, and shelf life. Rapid progress in coatings and fiber technologies is beginning to narrow that gap.”

However, Gass says that fiberization alone will not solve every challenge. True innovation requires reimagining how packaging functions within the user experience and the broader product system, he explains.

“The opportunity lies in treating materials as a system — leveraging fiber where it works while developing new solutions for higher-performance needs. Success depends on combining smart design with advanced materials to create packaging that meets both environmental and functional demands.”

Packaging Strategy Lab is using AI-powered generative design tools to expand creative possibilities.

“By setting parameters around sustainability, performance, and brand goals, we uncover novel design paths that meet both production and supply chain demands. AI is transforming how we model lifecycle impacts. Simulation tools allow us to assess environmental footprint, from sourcing to end-of-life, to complement our design work.” 

Structural innovation benefits

Packaging should be treated as a strategic asset that supports life cycle extension, circularity, and user convenience, according to Gass.

“For instance, a recent project was our collaboration with CU-Mehrweg. Together, we developed the CU-Box, a durable, hygienic container for pre-packed foods. From the start, we engineered it for repeated use, industrial washability, and seamless integration into Germany’s DRS.” 

“Consumers pay a small deposit at checkout and return the container like they would a beverage bottle. This model puts structural packaging at the core of behavioral change and infrastructure readiness. With pilots underway alongside major retailers and brands, we are seeing real potential for scalable, system-ready reuse in mainstream retail.”

OnePack is an origami-inspired design tackling material reduction and e-commerce efficiency.Gass emphasized that structural innovation is about redefining function. He notes that structural innovation can improve the product experience, reinforce brand values, and drive environmental, operational, and commercial impact.

“Another example is OnePack — an origami-inspired design tackling material reduction and e-commerce efficiency. Originally developed to replace standard shoe boxes, it is easily adaptable to other formats.

OnePack helps products ship in their initial product packaging and eliminates the need for additional shipping boxes in the e-commerce process, reducing material use by over 40% while maintaining protection and improving the unboxing experience,” he says.