Sustainability Reigns Supreme

For Ryan Bennett, product manager at Minneapolis-based Meyers, a PRINTING United Alliance member company, sustainability is something customers are looking for.

“It used to be, you stood out if you were a sustainability leader, but now it’s kind of the starting point,” Bennett says. “You have to start there and then innovate.”

A Need for Speed

Another trend shaping the packaging and label industry going into 2026 is the demand for shorter runs and quicker lead times. Bennett says more and more brands are adopting this mindset.

“Industry standard for the printing industry is usually three weeks from PO, and people are doing anything to push that just to get to market quicker,” he says. “There’s a ton of stuff that drives that.”

Managing the Supply Chain

The supply chain has made headlines this year, with tariffs being threatened, levied, and reduced seemingly at random throughout 2025. But supply chain has been top of mind for converters for longer.

Preparing for What’s to Come

Looking forward, the biggest concern on Bennett’s mind is labor.

“The one thing that we do see that is a challenge — not even next year, but going into the next decade — is the aging workforce,” he says. “The workforce for printing seems to be getting older and older.”

Packaging Outlook 2026: Trends Driving Tomorrow’s Growth