A Fully Virtual Event To Discuss Material Innovations, Technologies & Circular Economy Solutions To Create A World FREE From Waste Plastic

Plastic Free World Conference 2019 was a very good forum to meet, discuss and network with brands from different product categories, with a variety of industries, universities and NGOs. This is a valuable forum regarding ‘plastic free’ products. As a global wood-based cellulose fiber producer, Lenzing is excited to join the conference next year.

The Plastic Free World Conference 2019 was, for us, a great show to take part in. Attendees were varied, which kept debates challenging and open, with anti-plastic speakers from one end of the spectrum through to plastic manufacturers looking for environmental solutions to their recycling and production models. The presentations were excellent and well curated, and it wasn’t focused on outand- out trade – people weren’t there to sell, they were there to find and create answers to questions around plastic pollution. Aside from attendees, the show itself was superbly run – the information in advance was great, the venue worked well, and the food excellent. As a company we felt looked-after and valued – the team went above and beyond to help us.

Exhibiting at the Plastic Free World Conference enabled us to meet large organizations not only from the UK but on a global perspective, to uncover potential opportunities. It also enabled us to have conversations with like-minded suppliers and manufacturers to develop our network in the plastic-free arena!

Plastic Free World Conference 2019 was a pleasant surprise. The organization was impeccable and the set-up quite clever. The companies attending had the common goal of offering sustainable solutions to reduce plastic waste and that’s the perfect environment for us to present our initiatives in renewable plastics and circular economy.

We were proud and pleased to be there at the Plastic Free World Conference. There was an extraordinary level of speakers taking part, everybody was so engaged, showcasing some excellent materials and pioneering ideas that we can all learn from. The world is going to have a very different future if we all embrace these technologies. At A Plastic Planet, we were very proud to have been associated with this event.

Plastic Free World 2019 was an excellent platform to showcase our state-of-the-art solutions and innovations
and a great opportunity to make business contacts focusing on sustainable solutions. We met all the potential buyers, converters, raw materials suppliers at a single platform where they had access to new products and technologies. The exhibition and conference allows live demonstration, product launches, touch and feel of the product and networking opportunities to potential further foster sales.

I have been to many different conferences and I have to say that this was one of the most productive I’ve ever had.
I got the sense that the group assembled were there to learn, were entrepreneurial and were ready to have constructive conversations. I was also encouraged to see a good mix from parties within the value chain. This final point is very important.

Considering it had to be virtual, I thought the conference was great. The setup was easy to navigate and I could watch the material in my own time. While not all of the content was relevant to me, it was nice to hear from others who were facing similar issues and struggles. The highlights for me were the panel discussion on changes to biopolymer replacements, which is relevant to my work and we are undergoing similar issues that were shared in this, and the presentation about biodegradable polymers for a plastics-free world. I thought this was a great scientific presentation.

When we consider the restrictions that we are living with today, Plastic Free World provided a very interactive alternative experience. My take away is that there is a diverse community of global organizations focused on the bio-economy and reduction of plastic either through recycling or reduction. There were several presentations that I enjoyed but a few I found very insightful such as biobased versus compostable, financing innovative plastic recycling and bioplastics plants: bankability considerations and bio-based feed-stocks to achieve new properties with polyurethane materials to name but a few. These presentations covered topics of particular interest to our business development and strategy.

Plastic Free World was very insightful. There were lots of great talks and conversations. One of the best conferences attended this year. Although the virtual format might not be ideal, it allowed me to watch many more talks and connect with lots of interesting companies and people in an efficient manner compared to the traditional format. Thank you so much for putting it together in spite of all the challenges. Looking forward to PFW 2021!

My impression of Plastic Free World Virtual Summit was very positive as I think this event had big echo at market and political level. The participation was very informative. There is a whole dynamic set in place that has the objective to replace non-recyclable plastics, and make sure that priority is given to circular economy models. There is still a lot of work to be done, but events like yours give the possibility to exchange best practice in one shot. The event was very well organised. Bravo!

Plastic Free World Virtual Summit was well prepared, technically very well organized, straight forward set up and web design easy to understand and it was well worth attending. For anyone involved in a sustainability discussion, plastic is the number one topic to focus and to improve for the better. I specifically liked and found useful the presentations by Henkel, Stora Enso, Amcor and the legislation explanatory ones like the Basel Convention Amendment.

The virtual format allowed me to take notes in a more efficient way than I can when I attend events in-person. As a B2B company active in the food sector, the focus on the food industry and beverages, and the focus on the packaging, was interesting. The conference enabled me to have a look at the most advanced players and solutions in the packaging industry for food: I now know whom to contact, and how to challenge my actual suppliers.

My overall impression of the conference was very good. There was a great diversity of speakers and all were very knowledgeable. I was able to pick the feeling of the market and also some of the new ideas. From the event I have managed to find potentially new suppliers and also where weas a company need to move to comply with latest legislation. I think the conference went well and particularly liked the idea that by it being virtual we could hear from both speakers in Europe and also in North America so thing I may have not been able to do had they been physical events.

In these days of continual Zoom conferencing there has a been a growth in low-grade information as everyone (and their dog) can broadcast it. What Plastic Free World Virtual Summit offered was quality information. I write for the trade press, but also sit on things like WRAP. The paper by Sophie Mather was top-draw information; I did not listen to everything but picked the papers I wanted. The ease of access to the presentations was a strong point. Waste (which is seen as the biggest problem of plastic) is more about behavior change by the consumers than having lower impact garments (I work around textiles).

It worked very well, the structure and interfaces worked flawlessly. I was able to get a better feel for where the industry is moving, as well some specific technology opportunities, that I will now follow up on. I work for a branded goods company, where the role of plastic and our approach to dealing with negatives form a major element of my role. The ability to go back to recordings and access the slides afterwards was a bonus. I missed the ability to explore the exhibitors’ stand and the loss of networking opportunities that only come with a ‘face to face’ session but still, I really liked the structure and set up.

Nilorn is a branding company – we design and manufacture branding solutions for our clients which are mainly from the textile/fashion industry. It was fantastic event stuffed with great content. I got a lot of deeper insights about plastic related to fashion and packaging – and its alternatives. With all the different presentations and panels looking at this from different perspectives, I have now a wider picture which I will share in my company. What was my key takeaways? The complexity of packaging – the hype of compostable/biodegradable packaging. Where does it make sense and where not? Circularity in fashion – barriers and what brands can do today. I most liked the panels – very inspiring to listen to experts from different industries.

The Plastic Free World Virtual Summit was well organized and included many top brands, manufacturers, industry stakeholders, and sustainability partners. There was good representation of the supply chain, key individuals, and sustainable topics. I made some good connections through the virtual breakout and then LinkedIn. Paper-based options can be a plastic alternative for sustainable paper and packaging solutions. Our interest in this conference provided valuable industry insight by brands and experts in this space.