Sustainable packaging patents: who is filing, what they claim, and where the field is still open
Filing momentum is real but recent. growth ran +40% from 2021 to 2024 (5 to 7 filings), with 2023 the peak year so far at 28 records — 2025 and later are still filling in as publications lag filing. Filings moved from zero in 2017 to a peak of 28 in 2023, with 2021-to-2024 growth of +40% (5 to 7 records). 2024 is the last year that can be read as complete; 2025 and 2026 are still filling in under the roughly 18-month publication lag.
- 1PROCTER & GAMBLE CO18
- 2KIUD TECHNOLOGIES OÜ11
- 3UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICAN INC7
- 4KIMBERLY CLARK WORLDWIDE INC5
- 5TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LTD5
See the full sustainable packaging patent landscape analysis in Eureka
- The complete ranking, not just the top five
- Every IPC branch with its share of the corpus
- The most-cited records, and where claim space is still thin
Common questions about the sustainable packaging patent landscape
Who are the leading patent filers in sustainable packaging?
One assignee leads the ranked field with 18 records, well ahead of the rest of the 20 ranked companies, where fifth place holds only 5 filings and tenth place is down to a single record. This is a leader-plus-long-tail structure rather than a broadly contested field, so most named companies in the ranking have filed only once or twice. Recent-year momentum data shows even the leader's filing pace has slowed year-on-year, which is worth watching before assuming the lead will keep growing at the same rate.
Is sustainable packaging patent filing activity growing?
Yes, filings grew 40% from 2021 to 2024, rising from 5 to 7 records in that span, with 2023 marking the highest single year so far at 28 records. Filings in 2025 and 2026 appear lower only because publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, so those years are still filling in rather than showing a genuine decline. Anyone tracking this space should treat 2024 as the most recent complete year for trend comparisons.
What technology areas dominate sustainable packaging patents?
B65D, covering containers and packaging generally, appears in 47.3% of the 55 records in scope, making it the single largest class. A47K sanitary and bathroom equipment (30.9%) and D21H pulp and paper compositions (29.1%) follow closely, showing meaningful overlap between packaging design and hygiene-product material science. Because records can carry multiple IPC classes, these percentages sum to more than 100% and describe overlapping claim areas rather than a strict breakdown.
Disclaimer. This analysis is based on Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent records and is provided for general information and reference only. Patent data carries inherent limitations — recent filings are under-counted because of publication lag, counts may be on a record or family basis, classification and applicant-name data may contain errors or duplicates, and the underlying search query defines the scope shown — so the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing here is an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Verify independently and review with qualified patent and legal professionals before acting on it.
Method: Filing trend and technology composition. Derived from a Patsnap search on Sustainable Packaging Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish. Every share divides by all records in scope. Data: Patsnap Eureka. See the full landscape report.