Packaging industry expert, former Chief Sustainability Officer at Kenvue, and adjunct professor with more than 35 years of executive leadership experience across sustainability, brand strategy, and corporate affairs, tells Beauty Packaging what factors are advancing the movement.

Jamie Matusow: What trends are you seeing with Sustainable Packaging that’s made in North America (NA)?

Pamela Gill-Alabaster: It appears there is increasing interest in mono-material formats (PP, PET, HDPE), higher PCR inclusion rates, and refillable systems that can be locally tooled and assembled. A major driver is the expansion of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws across U.S. states and Canada. Brands are prioritizing packaging that is recyclable in practice and at scale, compatible with domestic waste recovery infrastructure, and positioned to meet recycled content mandates and fee modulation under EPR frameworks. 

JM: Are you seeing growing requests for NA-produced Sustainable Packaging?

PG-A: Yes. As EPR expands and reporting obligations grow, brands are seeking greater transparency and accountability across the packaging value chain, from resin sourcing through recovery. NA production can provide enhanced traceability of PCR content and clearer chain-of-custody documentation, especially within established certification systems (e.g., ISCC+, SCS, UL), with proximity allowing for closer supplier engagement and more efficient audit processes.

JM: How has a curve toward Made in NA Packaging affected the supply chain?

PG-A: To the extent brands are prioritizing NA production, it can permit closer coordination between resin suppliers, converters, and brands—particularly around PCR sourcing, documentation, and compliance alignment. Some suppliers are expanding domestic recycling partnerships to strengthen feedstock access. More broadly, regional production is increasingly viewed as part of risk management and regulatory readiness strategies.

JM: What types of sustainable packaging are cosmetic brands most requesting—that can be produced in NA?

PG-A: High-PCR PET and HDPE bottles, mono-material closures and pumps designed for recyclability, refill cartridges, aluminum packaging, paper-based secondary formats, and molded fiber alternatives. There is also interest in drop-in bio-based resins such as bio-PET and bio-PE, which are chemically identical to their conventional counterparts and compatible with existing recycling systems. Increasingly, packaging is being optimized for EPR fee modulation through lightweighting, higher recycled content, and alignment with U.S. curbside infrastructure.

JM: Do you think Made in NA packaging will continue to grow?

PG-A: Yes. As EPR expands and corporate sustainability commitments become more measurable and financially material, regional production will remain strategically important. 

About the Author

Pamela Gill-Alabaster is a Chief Sustainability, Marketing, and Communications Officer, board member, and adjunct professor with more than 35 years of executive leadership experience across sustainability, brand strategy, and corporate affairs. Most recently, she served as Chief Sustainability Officer at Kenvue, where she launched the company’s ESG strategy, the Healthy Lives Mission, and led enterprise-wide roadmaps spanning climate action, nature, and circularity across iconic brands including Aveeno, Neutrogena, and Listerine. Her career reflects a consistent ability to integrate sustainability into corporate strategy while building brands, protecting reputation, and creating long-term business and societal value.

Before Kenvue, she was SVP and Global Head of Sustainability and Social Impact at Mattel, and held senior leadership positions at Centric Brands, Revlon, The Estée Lauder Companies, and L’Oréal USA, where she spent 21 years building corporate affairs and sustainability capabilities and growing flagship brands including Lancôme and L’Oréal Paris. She is currently an adjunct professor in Columbia University’s Sustainability Management (SUMA) program, where she teaches a graduate-level course on ESG corporate strategy.

She has been recognized by Forbes, TriplePundit, and Women in Sustainability Leadership for her contributions to sustainability leadership. Pam holds an MS in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, an MBA in Marketing from NYU Stern, and a BA in Journalism from Pepperdine University.

Photo: Shutterstock/ Oksana Mizina