Having a circular packaging policy is crucial with the rise of extended producer responsibility laws. So far, seven U.S. states (and nine Canadian provinces) have adopted EPR laws for packaging, with several more launching needs assessments and other preliminary measures. These laws require producers to register with the designated producer responsibility organization, report packaging data and pay fees based on the amount and type of packaging materials they introduce into the market. TABLE 6: Roughly what percentage of the products you sold in 2024 were marketed as sustainable? Percentage % Suppliers $100M+ 37% Suppliers $25M-$100M 13% Suppliers $10M-$25M 30% Suppliers $3M-$10M 43% Suppliers Under $3M 55% Rubin says it’s encouraging to see the growing demand for products made from recycled materials reflected in the data. “Blue Generation is actively leaning into this category,” he adds. “In 2026, we’ll be launching a line of high-quality, price-competitive, recycled polos designed to meet both end-user expectations and distributor margin needs. At Blue Generation, we see this as a clear growth area: Our product roadmap has been shifting toward more eco-conscious options, and we’re committed to ensuring those options don’t require customers to compromise on style, quality or price.” What stood out most to LaMantia was only 35% of suppliers reporting formal carbon reduction plans. “At Gordon Sinclair, we’re always striving to do the right thing when it comes to lowering our greenhouse gas emissions, but it can admittedly be overwhelming at times,” LaMantia says. “Each potential business partner often asks for a slightly different variation of a plan, and while we want to satisfy and align with everyone, the lack of standardization can make the process complex. To help us navigate this, we’ve been working with Aclymate to actively manage our carbon footprint since late 2023, which has brought structure and transparency to our efforts. We remain committed to advancing our progress, and I expect this area will mature quickly across the industry as more companies take similar steps.” TABLE 7: Does your company have a carbon reduction plan that includes energy reduction, renewable energy efforts or contributes to renewable energy streams through your utility provider or RECS? Yes Baseline year assessment in progress No Other Suppliers $100M+ 83% 0% 8% 8% Suppliers $25M-$100M 43% 13% 37% 7% Suppliers $10M-$25M 30% 10% 45% 15% Suppliers $3M-$10M 5% 10% 71% 14% Suppliers Under $3M 25% 13% 63% 0% 34 • OCTOBER 2025 • PPAI Must Read | The State Of Responsibility 2025
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