The new volume updates and expands the analysis published in 2023, examining 140 case studies across Europe and a time horizon between 2020 and 2024.

In this new volume, we aimed to offer a comprehensive analysis of the main directions of innovation, in light of regulatory and market developments. Four main drivers of innovation have been identified:

1. Towards a single-material approach, through the reduction of non-cellulosic components and the simplification of structures, to improve the recyclability and homogeneity of paper mill waste.

2. Alternative fibers, derived from agro-industrial by-products or unconventional sources (bagasse, hemp, algae), used both as structural fibers and as functional and aesthetic fillers.

3. Goodbye to petrochemicals, linked to the development of biobased coatings, mineral or obtained from biomass, up to the development and use of functionalized cellulose.

4. Machinability and production processes, including new fiber forming technologies, alternative closure systems, and solutions that allow the adaptation of existing plants.