On the sidelines of the ElitePlus conference in Mumbai, Gaurav Talwar, managing director of Brilliant Polymers, spoke with The Packman about the company’s strong commitment to sustainability, innovation, and international growth, while underlining the urgent challenges the packaging industry faces in moving towards a circular economy.

“For us, it’s all about the sustainability of the product that we are giving,” said Talwar. “In the olden days, it was all solvent-based lamination. It has heavily switched to solvent-free now, and we are trying to move the needle even more. Today, 72% of our sales come from solvent-free products. Our idea is, how do we make that number go even higher?”

According to Talwar, solvent-free lamination offers significant environmental benefits, delivering a 50–60% reduction in carbon impact compared to solvent-based systems. “There’s no solvent, no drying, no energy cost, and all those benefits. India has really accepted this technology in a very big way. Now it’s about moving to higher performance,” he explained, adding that the company has already introduced several new innovations in this area over the past two years.

Alongside product sustainability, Brilliant Polymers is also working on the environmental footprint of its manufacturing operations. “Two years ago, we started our journey towards sustainability at the plant. The first step was calculating greenhouse gas emissions across scope 1, 2, and 3, which has been audited twice. Now, we are working on a mitigation plan and expect to define a clear net-zero target soon,” Talwar said.

Expanding global footprint

With a focus on international business, Brilliant Polymers already exports to more than 25 countries, with exports accounting for about 30% of its turnover. Talwar believes India is now becoming an innovation hub for the packaging industry. “India is becoming an innovative ecosystem where innovations are going to be born in India and go to other parts of the world. All these new innovations that we have, we are going to be able to take to many other countries, increase our sales, and expand our business.”

Challenges in building circularity

When asked about the biggest challenge in advancing recyclability and circularity, Talwar pointed to a lack of infrastructure. “Today, collection and sorting are very big challenges in India. It has to be a joint responsibility of government, brand owners, and citizens. People talk about mono-materials, recyclable laminates, and compostable laminates. All of that is very good, but it is only possible when we collect it. Even a compostable laminate will not compost if it’s not put into the earth.”

Navigating global regulations

Given that over half of Brilliant’s adhesives go into food packaging, the company is closely aligned with international compliance standards. “We are always tracking global regulations. Food safety compliance comes from the adhesive composition and migration compliance, which means that nothing in the cured adhesive should migrate into the food. More than that, the driving concerns today are sustainability concerns worldwide, and that’s where we are focused,” Talwar emphasized.

Priorities for the future

Looking ahead, Brilliant Polymers’ top priority remains transitioning fully to solvent-free adhesives. “That’s the very first step because it enables current production to become sustainable. As India grows, before we build this India, we better make sure that we have the right technology so we can build the right way,” Talwar said.

He also pointed out that adhesives, which typically account for only 3–4% of a laminate, are often overstated in sustainability debates. “People like to talk about recyclable adhesives, but adhesives are a very small part of the laminate. The focus has to be more on collection, segregation, and recycling infrastructure.”

Role of consumers and brands

Talwar believes consumer awareness and brand commitments will play a critical role in shaping future demand. “People are happy to move to sustainable packaging provided that it gives them the same quality and that the cost remains in control. Already, we see people using bulk packs for liquid handwash and refill systems. Many such steps will keep happening, and consumer behavior will be a big driving force.”