At GCPRS 2026 in New Delhi, Ester Industries showcased a sustainability-led portfolio that reflects the company’s growing focus on polyester recycling, circular packaging solutions and advanced material innovation. Rather than highlighting individual products, the company used the platform to demonstrate how investments in recycling capacity, patented technologies and future-ready infrastructure are helping brand owners transition towards a circular economy.

Speaking to The Packman, Vaibhav Jha, CEO of Ester Industries, said sustainability is no longer simply an environmental responsibility but a strategic business direction for the company. “Our tagline is Innovating Sustainable Solutions, and that’s exactly what we are working towards,” Vaibhav said. “We are betting big on sustainability as the way forward – not only for the planet but also for businesses.”

A key highlight at the exhibition was Ester’s operational recycled PET (rPET) capacity of around 30,000 tonnes per annum, which is already supplying recycled polyester materials to help brands meet their sustainability commitments. According to Vaibhav, the company’s strength lies not only in its production capacity but also in the quality of its recycled polymers.

“The specialty of our recycled polymers is the cleanliness of the recycled granules,” he said. “As far as we know, they are among the cleanest available in India. This gives brands greater confidence to use recycled content in larger volumes while comfortably meeting their sustainability targets.”

The company is extending this capability across its film portfolio. All the polyester films showcased at GPCRS can be manufactured using recycled content, while Ester is among the few manufacturers globally capable of producing films with 100% recycled content. In addition to films, the company is also manufacturing several recycled polyester-based polymers, expanding the use of recycled feedstock across multiple applications.

Among the most significant innovations on display was Ester’s patented mono-material PET laminate solution. Flexible packaging often combines multiple materials that are difficult to recycle after use. Vaibhav believes the company’s new solution addresses this long-standing challenge.

“So far, no one has been able to establish mono-material polyester films in the way we have,” he said. “Our patented ultra high heat seal solution enables brands to have laminate structures made entirely from polyester, and these can also be produced using 100% recycled content.”

He explained that this innovation allows packaging to remain within a single material family, significantly improving its recyclability while maintaining functional performance. Complementing this technology is Ester’s planned investment in Elite Ester Loop Infinite Technologies, a project involving more than INR 1,000 crore. The facility is designed primarily for textile-to-textile recycling but will also support bottle-to-bottle and laminate-to-laminate recycling, strengthening polyester circularity across multiple sectors.

Explaining the concept, he said, “We will use recycled polyester to manufacture ultra-high heat seal laminate structures. After consumer use, these laminates can be collected and recycled through our elite technology back into polyester, which can again be used to manufacture the same laminate. For the first time, we will be able to demonstrate true circularity for polyester laminates.”

One of the recurring concerns surrounding recycled plastics is their suitability for food-contact applications. Responding to this, he emphasized that Ester follows stringent traceability and quality control procedures throughout its recycling operations. “We carry out complete traceability of incoming raw materials,” he said. “The feedstock is thoroughly cleaned and checked to ensure it is free from contamination that could affect food-contact applications.”

He added that the company’s recycling lines are specifically certified for food-grade recycled PET production. “Our extrusion systems are certified for producing food-grade rPET, and the material that comes out is fully compliant with international food safety standards,” he said. “We also have EFSA-approved extrusion systems, which comply with FDA requirements and are certified by FSSAI. These certifications provide our customers with an additional level of confidence that our recycled materials meet stringent food-contact standards.”

Looking at the broader market, Vaibhav sees tremendous growth potential for the recycling industry. According to him, demand is being driven not only by increasingly stringent regulations but also by changing consumer preferences. “The opportunity is immense,” he said. “There is a strong regulatory push towards sustainability, but equally important is the consumer pull.”

He believes the responsibility now lies with companies to develop innovative products that satisfy both regulatory requirements and consumer expectations. However, he acknowledged that cost remains one of the biggest challenges facing sustainable materials today. Since the recycling industry is still evolving, technologies are relatively new and supply chains are yet to achieve full efficiency.

“Sustainability solutions are currently more expensive than virgin materials,” he said. “Customers naturally expect sustainable alternatives to be available at the same price as conventional materials, and I am confident that this will happen as the industry matures. But at this stage, sustainability does come at a cost.”

According to him, this additional cost must currently be shared across the value chain until larger production volumes and more mature supply chains help bring prices down. “There will be margin pressure across different stakeholders and perhaps a slight increase in cost for the end consumer,” he said. “But this is a necessary phase in building a robust and scalable recycling ecosystem. With investments spanning recycling infrastructure, advanced polyester technologies and circular packaging solutions, Ester Industries is positioning itself at the forefront of India’s evolving recycling landscape.”