The Paris Packaging Week event has kicked off at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Over 13,000 visitors are expected at this year’s event, all eager to explore the future of packaging.
Key speakers included the MD for Southern Europe at Breitling, Edouard d’Arbaumont, as well as Mathieu Lehanneur, who designed the Paris 2024 Olympic torch and 2024’s Designer of the Year.
Visitors can also view the Pentawards Gallery, which will feature over 100 of the most outstanding global packaging designs, and highlights award-winning packaging from last year’s prestigious Pentawards competition.
The event will also introduce an innovation space, Discovery Zone, which will feature start-ups pushing the boundaries of design and technology – with solutions focused on sustainability, reuse, smart packaging, and more.
Companies showcasing in this innovation space include:
- KIUD, unveiling reusable packaging made from recycled textiles.
- AlterEco Disposable, highlighting sustainable fibre-moulding applications.
- Woamy Biofoam, presenting cellulose-based biofoam solutions for premium unboxing experiences.
- Releaf Paper, transforming fallen leaves into recyclable paper for packaging.
- Ary, showcasing video-enabled physical cards for personalised packaging experiences.
- Forewood, developing 100% plant-based caps and closures for the cosmetics industry.
- (RE)SET, demonstrating refill and reuse systems that support a circular economy.
Head of marketing at (RE)SET, Victor Duprez, said the space: “allows us to explore innovations collectively, even as competitors. It focuses on what could become the key tool for economic and environmental transition. It was therefore an obvious choice for us to be part of this space at the Paris Packaging Week.”
Packaging trends for 2025
In the lead up to the event, Paris Packaging Week also launched an official packaging trend report based on contributors from thought leaders at global businesses like Rémy Cointreau, Yves Rocher, Waitrose, and Kingfisher.
The panel aimed to identify emerging themes and highlight the trends they believe will shape the packaging industry in the coming year.
Based on this, the key topics and trends explored in the report included:
- AI in packaging: How artificial intelligence is transforming the way packaging is conceptualised and produced.
- Unweighting: The push for ultra-light, resource-efficient packaging that reduces environmental impact without compromising quality.
- Monomaterials: Innovations in single-material packaging for improved recyclability and a circular economy.
- Packaging as an Experiential Object: The rise of packaging that tells a story, engages consumers’ senses, and elevates the unboxing experience.
Associate director of packaging development at Kao, Sebastian Kraus, explained his motivation for participating in the report.
“I wanted to highlight the real challenges and needs the packaging industry is currently facing. The changes required to meet evolving responsibilities and stricter sustainability criteria are not easy to implement, but they are necessary,” he said.
Kraus continued: “It’s crucial to recognise that new packaging requirements must be considered from the very start of the design process. Everyone in the project team needs to be ready to adapt and compromise to create truly sustainable packaging solutions”
