How can sustainable packaging be developed in a way that is also functional, economically viable and compliant with regulations? In this interview, Swantje Eissing, Packaging Business Unit Manager at Fraunhofer IVV, discusses current requirements from industry and retail, technical hurdles related to mono-materials, barriers and recyclates, and why strong networks between research and business are crucial for the packaging of the future.
What is your focus at Fraunhofer IVV, and what does your role in the packaging field specifically involve?
I am responsible for the strategic management of the packaging business unit at Fraunhofer IVV. My focus is on acquiring research and development projects, both in close cooperation with companies and במסגרת publicly funded research initiatives. A key objective of my work is to address our customers’ challenges, namely the knowledge and technology gaps that industry cannot easily close on its own: translating the latest scientific findings quickly into marketable, sustainable packaging solutions and thereby creating direct added value for our partners. At the heart of this work is the development of tailor-made packaging concepts aligned with product requirements, sustainability goals and customer strategies.
Another important aspect is the acquisition and support of our industry partners. I bring in new customers, deepen existing partnerships, especially with key players in the sector, and identify challenges, gaps and trends that we can translate into new fields of development and business models. One focus here is on sustainable materials such as bio-based and fibre-based solutions, innovative barrier coatings and mono-materials.
Which questions are you currently encountering most frequently from industry and retail? What kinds of solutions are companies looking for?
The topic of sustainable packaging solutions is currently at the very top of the agenda. Packaging must meet the strict requirements of the circular economy without compromising product protection. Very often, the issue is switching to recyclable mono-materials with sufficient barrier performance or using bio-based and fibre-based alternatives such as paper-based solutions with innovative coatings. The integration of recyclate content in food-related applications is also becoming increasingly important. Companies are looking for tailor-made concepts that comply with the PPWR, reduce material usage and fit into existing filling lines, including comprehensive tests relating to barrier performance, mechanical properties and food compliance.
A typical request, for example, concerns improving barrier properties in sustainable packaging materials. Here, we combine material development, digital simulation tools and pilot trials along the entire value chain.
What are currently the biggest technical hurdles in developing sustainable packaging?
From my perspective, the balancing act between sustainability, functionality and economic viability is clearly the number one challenge. For us, this means:
Barrier: Mono-materials and paper-based alternatives often offer insufficient barrier properties against oxygen, moisture or fats, which can lead to quality losses. Solutions such as innovative organic or inorganic coatings, for example nanocellulose, are being researched, but they also need to be scalable and cost-efficient.
Sealability: Recyclable mono-PE or paper structures often lack heat resistance and stability during the packaging process, resulting in unreliable sealing behaviour. New high-performance PE grades and optimised machine concepts are needed to adapt the processing window.
Recyclability & migration: Multi-layer composites are difficult to recycle; recyclates often contain impurities (NIAS) that can cause migration and violate EU standards. Solutions such as solvent-based cleaning processes can achieve purity levels of up to 99.8%, but they require functional barriers for reuse in food packaging.
Shelf life: Weak barriers in sustainable materials shorten shelf life; shelf-life models help with optimisation, but they require extensive data on transport and storage.
Costs: Higher production costs for recyclates, special barriers or machine adaptations (Capex) make scaling difficult; supply bottlenecks in sustainable materials also push up prices. Economic feasibility studies show potential if cleaning processes are efficient.
We overcome these hurdles through holistic approaches: material development, simulation, testing and pilot trials, for example in projects such as CIRCULAR FoodPack.
What excites you most about packaging research and your work?
Working at the interface between science and the market is something very special. It is highly rewarding when innovative research results become tangible solutions for real-world challenges faced by companies. What particularly motivates me is combining seemingly unsolvable questions with the expertise of our specialists. Every success, whether it is a new barrier coating or a circular concept, shows that this is where sustainable packaging for the future is taking shape.
Networking is especially close to my heart. As scientific coordinator of the IVLV Packaging Working Group (Industrieverband Lebensmitteltechnologie und Verpackung e. V.), I promote professional exchange between research and industry and contribute new impulses for joint development activities. In addition, I organise the so-called “Packaging Future Days”, an annual conference. It focuses on current trends, innovations and perspectives for the sector, with topics such as the implementation of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, paper-based innovations and digital tools. These formats provide an ideal platform for exchanging ideas between science and business, initiating new partnerships and jointly shaping the packaging of the future. The next Packaging Future Days will take place on April 21 and 22, 2026.
Thank you very much for the interview, Ms Eissing.
Author: Alexander Stark, Editor, FACHPACK360°
