“A circular future is practical,” Helen Yang, Clement Packaging

What inspired you to pursue a career In the packaging industry?

Helen Yang - I started my career as a cosmetic chemist, developing ’clean’ and sustainable formulas for beauty and personal care brands. However, I constantly faced a contradiction: no matter how sustainable the product inside was, we were packaging them in landfill-bound plastic. I was viscerally contributing to the plastic pollution problem with every product I launched.

I realized that focusing only on formulation wasn’t enough; quality products must include safe and sustainable packaging. As a chemist, when I couldn’t find a plant-based, toxin-free packaging material that was also shelf-stable and durable—I decided to invent my own and support the industry that I love.

What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a young leader in the packaging industry?

Helen Yang - Our biggest challenge was finding the balance between durability and compostability in a packaging material. Compostable alternatives for single-use plastics already exist, and those only need to weather a short period of time. In contrast, consumer goods with a multi-year shelf life need to survive varying temperatures and humidity, repeated opening and closing, and often even travel.

We spent 6 years formulating our material to be durable, lightweight, and compatible with complex liquid formulas without needing a plastic liner. As a young leader, it’s great to be bringing a fresh perspective and invention to the table.

If you could change one misconception about packaging, what would it be?

Helen Yang - Sustainability should entail not only reduction of carbon emissions, but also human safety and health. Often when we talk about sustainability in packaging, we focus on the lifecycle analysis: what raw materials are used? What is the footprint of shipping this packaging? How is this packaging disposed of at end of life? Of course this is all necessary and a packaging material is inherently not sustainable if it harms our planet, but it must come in tandem with safety and toxicology. It’s just as important to ask what additives are used in a packaging material, and whether it begets harmful microplastics. For example, a material that is renewably sourced but coated in PFAS may be a carbon win but is not sustainable for consumer goods in the long run.

This year marks 25 years of Paris Packaging Week. What legacy do you hope this new generation of Future Leaders will leave behind for the next 25 years?

Helen Yang - This class of Future Leaders has an exciting mix of backgrounds from academia to industry, which I believe is crucial in leaving behind a legacy of action. We are excited to bring new technology from the R&D lab into the market, and the Future Leaders are embracing a new palette of materials and technologies to move beyond unrenewable fossil fuels.

I’m excited for our generation to leave behind a legacy of true circularity by creating packaging which is sustainably sourced and responsibly disposed of.

What advice would you give to young professionals who are just starting their careers in packaging?

Helen Yang - My advice is to build deep technical expertise and get good at something, then be flexible with where your career takes you. When I started my first job out of college, I received advice to plan out my entire 30-year career. Not only was it impossible for me to know how the industry would change at the time, but also I never would’ve ended up in packaging if I had stayed strictly in my corporate product development job.

Instead, focus on building a strong technical foundation. For me, that was chemistry, materials science, and a deep understanding of the consumer goods industry. Building deep expertise will allow you to identify problems through your career and, more importantly, invent credible solutions in whichever area you choose.

What does it mean to you to be selected as a Future Leaders?

Helen Yang - Being selected as a Future Leader is an incredible honor, and to me, it signifies that the packaging industry is genuinely ready for change and sustainable innovation. As a founder, it’s a validation of the tireless work my team and I have poured into the mission of removing landfill-bound plastic pollution from the packaging industry.

The Future Leaders program also provides a platform to amplify our message: that a microplastic-free, circular future is not only possible but practical. It’s not a far-fetched dream and we are excited to collaborate with you all to accelerate the adoption of materials that are safe for both people and the planet.

Whether you’re on the consumer brand side, a designer, an engineer, or just a user of consumer goods we are excited to meet you through this program and chat about circular packaging.

Can you share an example of a packaging design, innovation, or brand you consider truly iconic — and why?

Helen Yang - Laser etching is a truly iconic technology that often doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Unlike the myriad more colorful or glittery decoration methods we see in the packaging space, laser etching or laser marking has been around for decades silently enabling direct decoration without the need for any inks, solvents, or VOCs. We don’t see it as often in the consumer packaging space whereas it’s a reliable and high-definition marking technology that epitomizes sustainability.