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Bangkok – 25 February 2026: Marking the first-ever collaboration of three industry leaders, Taokaenoi Food & Marketing Public Company Limited, or TKN, a manufacturer of seaweed snacks distributed domestically and internationally, SCG Chemicals, or SCGC, a leading integrated polymer and solutions provider for sustainability, and Dow Thailand Group, or Dow, a global leader in materials science, have jointly announced the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to revolutionize the snack industry through the “Food-Grade Circular Packaging by Advanced Recycling Technology” project. This initiative aims to sustainably address plastic waste challenges under the concept of closed-loop recycling. This collaboration entails utilizing multi-layer packaging waste from the production processes of Taokaenoi, which was previously difficult to recycle. This waste will be processed using the advanced recycling technology of SCGC and converted back into circular feedstock. Following this, Dow will utilize the feedstock to produce new, clean, and food-grade plastic resins. These resins will then be safely used to manufacture food packaging for the Taokaenoi brand once again. It is anticipated that the packaging will be ready for commercial distribution by the end of 2026. Ms. Orrapat Peeradechapan, Chief Executive Officer of Taokaenoi Food & Marketing Public Company Limited, said, “Taokaenoi is committed to creating happiness for consumers through high-quality snacks, alongside prioritizing ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles by emphasizing sustainable economic, social, and environmental development. This collaboration represents a significant milestone that transforms the ‘challenge’ of hard-to-recycle packaging into an ‘opportunity’ to establish a practical circular economy. It is not merely about waste disposal, but rather about creating new value from used plastic. We do not only deliver great-tasting products, but we also aim to deliver a better world to consumers through eco-friendly packaging innovations that are clean, safe, and tangibly reduce environmental impacts. This will drive our business to grow alongside genuine sustainability.” Dr. Suracha Udomsak, Chief Operations and Innovation Officer of SCGC, said, “This collaboration reflects the capability of SCGC in utilizing advanced recycling technology to manage plastic packaging composed of multiple materials, which is difficult to recycle, and converting it back into circular feedstock. This feedstock can be used to produce new plastic resins (Certified Circular Polyolefin Resin), which possess properties and quality entirely equivalent to standard virgin plastic resins in all respects and are safe for direct food contact. As a result, the materials can be reused to manufacture food packaging for Taokaenoi. In addition, our process has achieved the globally recognized sustainability certification, ISCC PLUS (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification), throughout the entire supply chain, making SCGC the first company in ASEAN to achieve such certification. This partnership is considered a crucial step in driving SCGC’s goal of reintegrating used plastic into the circular economy system at a volume of 500,000 tons per year by 2030, through collaborations with business partners across the entire value chain.” Meanwhile, Mr. Vichan Tangkengsirisin, President of Dow Thailand, added, “As a materials science leader, Dow is proud to support this collaboration in Thailand by applying our technology to produce circular plastic resins from used flexible packaging feedstock with performance equivalent to fossil-based plastics. Dow Thailand Group’s polyethylene facility in Rayong is ISCC PLUS certified for its capability of converting advanced recycled feedstock into high quality, food grade circular resins. This initiative represents an important step toward closing the plastics loop in Thailand and advancing Dow’s sustainability ambition to transform the waste through collaboration with customers and value chain partners.” This collaboration serves as a model for the comprehensive management of used multi-layer plastic packaging. It reduces the accumulation of plastic waste in the country and decreases the consumption of new resources. This aligns with the sustainability goals of Taokaenoi, SCGC, and Dow, reinforcing the role of the business sector in tangibly driving the circular economy to build a sustainable future together.

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Esko Packaging Trend Study - Sustainability regulations, evolving demands and new tech amongst key industry concerns for year ahead

20 Jan 2026 – Sustainability, Smart Packaging and the Digital Product Passport and the fast-growing use of Agentic AI across the industry are just some of the significant packaging trends identified by Esko in its latest annual Packaging Trends study.

The global developer of integrated solutions for the print, packaging, and label industries has examined the expected packaging trends, challenges, and opportunities that will shape the industry in the coming year in the new report, which will also provide a platform for the latest ‘Packaging Trends Talk’ early in the new year.

“The pace of change we are experiencing today is unlike anything before,” said Jan De Roeck, Esko Marketing Director. “The invention and adoption of technologies such as artificial intelligence, coupled with tightening sustainability regulations and new forms of digital packaging intelligence, are reshaping our sector in fundamental ways.

As has become our own tradition for this time of year, our Packaging Trends report explores key issues and combines market analysis, expert insight, and the Esko perspective on what these trends mean in practice – for brands, converters, and the people who work with packaging every day.

Jan De Roeck, Marketing Director at Esko

“Sustainability will continue to remain one of the strongest drivers of change in our industry,” he said. “The role of smart packaging in 2026 and well into the future will enable product passports, providing traceability and consumer engagement opportunities. And then there is perhaps the most hyped of all the trends – Artificial Intelligence. While it will take time before companies fully understand where AI delivers value and where it does not, its potential is undeniable,” he said.

“With Packaging Trends 2026, our goal is not simply to forecast what’s coming, but to help converters, tradeshops and their brand customers prepare, adapt, and thrive in the changing landscape,” added Jan. “Ultimately, whether we are talking about sustainability, smart packaging, or AI, the principle of competitiveness in packaging remains constant. It’s all about creating value for your customer. If new substrates, new technologies, or new processes help you get to market faster while delivering that value, then those are worthwhile uses of our time.”

Available to download for free, the new Esko Packaging Trends 2026 eBook brings together insights from industry experts and technology leaders to explore these trends in depth.

Our hope is that these perspectives will not only inform strategies but also inspire others to embrace the challenges our industry faces.

Jan De Roeck, Marketing Director at Esko

From examining Self-Optimizing Packaging Workflows and Smart Packaging through to the emergence and importance of End-to-End Sustainability Intelligence, the Esko Packaging Trends eBook takes a detailed look as practical solutions that assist brands and suppliers as they adapt to changing market conditions, trends and challenges.

The 2026 Packaging Trends eBook is available NOW – download your FREE copy here.