Industry Leadership at a Crossroads: Reflections from the AWAVirtual™ Insights Forum 2026
By Dale Coates
TLMI CEO & President
At the 2026 AWAVirtual™ Insights Forum, I had the opportunity to join fellow industry leaders in a discussion about the future of labeling and packaging, an industry experiencing profound regulatory, technological, and cultural transformation. As CEO & President of TLMI, I was honored to share perspectives on where change is happening fastest and how associations like ours can help guide the industry toward a more sustainable, innovative, and resilient future.
A Convergence of Forces Reshaping the Industry
From my vantage point, the most consequential shift occurring in the labeling and packaging ecosystem today is the accelerating demand for design for recyclability, driven largely by tightening regulations and increasingly sustainability minded consumers. In the United States, the emergence of state level Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs is ushering in new accountability across the value chain. These changes are reshaping how companies think about everything from material selection to long-term capital investment.
Culturally, younger generations now expect sustainability to be embedded in every decision, from product development to packaging disposal. What once felt optional has become an operating requirement.
Infrastructure: The Unmoved Bottleneck
When asked what entrenched practice I would redesign to advance circularity, the answer was difficult only because the issue has remained unchanged for decades: the U.S. recycling system. In many regions, recycling is poorly understood, inconvenient, inconsistent, and in some cases nonexistent. Even where systems do exist, they are not designed to handle the diversity of packaging materials in the market today.
Circularity at scale will remain out of reach until packaging is designed with its next life in mind, and until our infrastructure can support that journey. Regulation may be the only mechanism strong enough to push toward the uniformity and capability required.
Collaboration as the Engine for Progress
Despite infrastructure challenges, encouraging progress is happening throughout the supply chain. TLMI member converters are collaborating closely with material suppliers to develop packaging that meets performance expectations while becoming increasingly recyclable or reusable. Innovation is active and accelerating, though the amount of packaging yet to be reimagined remains significant.
Associations play a unique and essential role here. TLMI convenes printers, suppliers, sustainability leaders, and experts through our committees, working groups, and educational programs. With guidance from our in-house expert Rosalyn Bandy, we help create alignment, foster open dialogue, and amplify a unified voice that is stronger than what any single company could project on its own.
Where Innovation Is Taking Hold and Where It’s Held Back
Across the industry, we’re seeing innovation in waste reduction, process efficiency, and recycling friendly materials. TLMI’s Liner Recycling Initiative (LRI), developed with Resource Recycling Systems, is a prime example: by connecting generators of liner with mills, haulers, and recyclers, we help valuable material find its way into second life markets rather than landfills.
Yet innovation remains constrained by economics, specifically, the cost of redesigned materials and the uncertain value of recycled outputs. Market forces still determine whether waste becomes opportunity.
Navigating an Era of Regulatory Uncertainty
In the U.S., regulatory unpredictability is defining boardroom conversations. Between shifting tariffs, evolving EPR laws, and changing federal state dynamics, companies are finding it increasingly difficult to plan long term. Sustainability initiatives are sometimes deprioritized as businesses navigate immediate economic pressures.
However, regulatory risk is prompting a renewed interest in simpler, more standardized packaging constructions that minimize future exposure. Printers and suppliers are working together to adapt, and TLMI supports them by providing regulatory education, reporting guidance, and connection to organizations like the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP).
Closing the Gap Between Policy and Practicality
One of the biggest challenges ahead lies in bridging the divide between regulatory ambition and operational feasibility. Associations have a responsibility to ensure implementation remains realistic without sacrificing sustainability outcomes. Our role includes offering clear insights, hosting expert led webinars, developing practical guides, and communicating industry data to policymakers to help inform balanced decision making.
Regulation as a Catalyst for Smarter Design
Importantly, regulation isn’t only creating complexity. It is also driving innovation. New materials, enhanced digital traceability, and design for recycling breakthroughs are emerging every month. Some TLMI members are already differentiating themselves as sustainability leaders by offering cutting edge packaging and label constructions designed for improved collection, sorting, and recycling.
A Vision for the Next Decade
Looking ahead, true success would mean regulation, innovation, and sustainability no longer feel like competing forces. Instead, they would reinforce one another, enabling smarter design, more efficient operations, and circular systems that scale.
For TLMI, our mission remains clear: empowering our members through education, collaboration, and advocacy. And as global regulations continue to diverge, associations worldwide must work together to help the industry design a unified, global specification.
The opportunity ahead is immense. With shared commitment and aligned leadership, the next decade can become the most transformative, and most sustainable chapter our industry has ever seen.
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