Upcoming Trade Shows New York City, USA for Packing & Packaging

New York City is one of the biggest and most influential innovation hubs for the American packing and packaging industry. The city is the home to some of the industry’s heaviest hitters, but it’s also where high-profile events like The Future of Packaging. Sponsored by the New York City Global Design Forum, London Design Festival, and SAP, the event aimed to push the boundaries of innovation and sustainability in packaging design. As plastic packaging still accounts for 47% of all plastic waste, industry leaders were challenged to rethink materials, design, and overall business strategies to reduce environmental impact. One of the standout speakers was Tanbark co-founder Melissa LaCasse, who delivered a much-needed message about the need for urgent action while also highlighting opportunities for change that goes beyond lip service. Speaking to a room filled with over 100 leaders from top brands such as Tiffany & Co., L’Oréal, Google, and Sonos, LaCasse introduced Type 3 Molded Fiber—a revolutionary packaging material made from sustainably sourced Maine trees, which solves the issues surrounding recycling. The material returns to nature without being chemically altered. LaCasse covered the biggest misconceptions surrounding sustainable packaging such as the myth that molded fiber is plain and unappealing. In reality, Type 3 Molded Fiber is highly customizable and allows for elegant textures, embossing, and colors that enhance branding. Until this moment, companies looking to adopt molded fiber solutions had to contend with large-scale production barriers. However, Tanbark’s compact machines enable smaller production runs at affordable prices, opening the door for more brands to experiment with sustainable packaging. LaCasse was quick to stress on the fact that significant financial resources, including government funding, are available to support businesses transitioning away from plastic packaging. Tanbark is actively helping companies navigate these funding opportunities.