“We need to reuse more and dispose less,” Gergely Zámbó, Respray

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

Gergely Zámbó - It started from frustration. My co-founder, Andor Réti, and I noticed that every spray deodorant we used ended up as waste. In Hungary, these cans still can’t be recycled properly, the leftover pressure inside makes the process problematic. When we realized that no global company had managed to refill spray products safely in stores, we decided to build the solution ourselves.

For me, packaging is where sustainability becomes tangible, it’s where innovation meets everyday consumer behavior. The mission to make the industry more sustainable is what inspired us to start Respray.

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

Gergely Zámbó - Convincing established players that a 20-year-old with a prototype could meaningfully change how packaging works. The packaging world moves cautiously — for good reasons like safety and regulation — but innovation often starts at the edges. Earning credibility required patience, data, and real results. Once retailers and brands saw that refills could actually work in stores, doors began to open, but it’s still a slow progress.

It takes time to reshape supply chains that have been in place for decades. The key is finding the right people. Some are excited, some are not.

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

Gergely Zámbó - Tout Many people believe recycling alone can solve our waste problem. Recycling is necessary, but it’s not enough. We need to reuse more and dispose less. A refillable system doesn’t just save materials, it changes the entire lifecycle logic of packaging. Once brands and consumers experience that shift, sustainability stops being a compromise.

There’s also a misconception, among the experts, that reuse cannot be integrated at scale. That’s wrong — customer behavior can create huge impact. With the right adjustments and stakeholder engagement, meaningful change is possible.

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?

Gergely Zámbó - I hope we leave behind a packaging industry that measures success not only in units sold but in resources saved. Where circular design and refill are not pilot projects, but the default. Sustainability shouldn’t be the exception, it should be the norm.

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

Gergely Zámbó - Dare to dream big. If we had known every challenge waiting for us, we might never have started in 2020. Our advantage was that we came from outside the industry, we didn’t know what was possible and what wasn’t. We just started, learned, and step by step overcame every obstacle.

Stay curious, stay humble, and keep learning by doing. The best lessons don’t come from boardrooms, they come from watching how things actually work. Innovation isn’t about ignoring the rules, it’s about understanding them well enough to rewrite them. That mindset is what drives real change in packaging, and it’s what keeps me inspired every day.

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

Gergely Zámbó - It’s a huge honor for me. My application was suggested by Leopold Werdich, one of the first people who saw the full potential of what we do — not just to promote Respray, but also to promote sustainable packaging.

When we started Respray as two students in Budapest, we had nothing but an idea and a lot of determination. Being recognized as part of this group shows that innovation can truly come from anywhere. For me, it’s also a chance to talk honestly about what it really takes to change an industry, the challenges we face, but also the incredible opportunities that come with ideas like refill. I hope to use this platform to inspire others to believe that sustainability can work at scale when you’re bold enough to try.

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

Gergely Zámbó - For me, it would be the Nivea blue tin: iconic, simple, timeless, and instantly recognizable. It shows that packaging doesn’t need to be complex to be powerful. But I believe the next “iconic” designs will be the ones you don’t throw away, packaging that stays with you, refill after refill.