Rain-ready packaging is gaining momentum, says Sahil Sheth

With over 40 years of experience, Kris Flexipacks, a flexible packaging major, is spread across nine cities in the company. Its product portfolio consists of labels; shrink sleeves, roll-fed, heat transfer and stretch sleeve labels; flexible packaging; laminated films and pouches, lid laminates; multi-layer and barrier films; and general flexibles. The company has a full in-house technology stack with strategic investments in the printing set-up.

Kris Flexipacks leverages data analytics tools to continuously learn, adapt, and implement improvements with efficient solutions. The company prints on LLDPE, PET, PP, BOPP, CPP, and polyester. When asked which of these was the toughest to work with, Sheth finds it like “asking a parent to pick a favourite child.” He says, “In reality, we have been working with these materials long enough that none are difficult to produce or handle. The key lies in having the right equipment paired with a team that understands material science. EPR guidelines do not have any material impact on the products Kris produces.”

Sheth points out that mono materials and multilayer laminates have coexisted long before sustainability became a focal point in packaging discussions. “Multilayer laminates are typically chosen for products with stringent shelf-life requirements, measured in terms of WVTR and OTR. When these values demand high barrier performance, laminates remain the preferred solution,” he explains.

Sheth says that for products with lower WVTR and OTR needs, mono-layer materials are usually sufficient. “In recent years, investments in R&D have led to the emergence of mono materials with enhanced barrier properties, achieving notable success,” he adds. Looking ahead, he believes mono materials are poised to become a viable option for the majority of product categories, with only a few highly sensitive products still requiring multilayer laminates.

Automation in quality control facilities

Over the past five years, Kris has been working towards automating quality control. Sheth says, it serves as a powerful tool to assist teams in distinguishing between good and defective products. He mentions, “While a fully human-free quality control system offers the advantage of eliminating human error, it can be a double-edged sword; without human oversight, it may introduce larger quality issues downstream in the supply chain.”

Automation delivers significant benefits: It reduces defect rates, improves throughput, controls waste, and shortens the human learning curve required for quality control, according to Sheth.

Rain-ready and monsoon-friendly packaging

“The concept of “rain-ready” or monsoon-friendly packaging is gaining traction in India, especially for FMCG brands navigating the challenges of heavy rainfall,” shares Sheth. According to him, switching from corrugated boxes to high-barrier, multi-layer laminated 3D pouches carries a cost premium, typically around 15–40% depending on specifications and volumes. However, he says, this investment often pays off through reduced product damage, enhanced shelf appeal, and stronger brand differentiation.

On one hand, consumers and B2B buyers respond positively when the value is clear: Fresh and protected products build trust, while retailers benefit from fewer returns and better transit resilience. Then, Sheth says, “For D2C and B2B brands, packaging innovation should go beyond functionality, leveraging design, resealable features, and tactile finishes can make products stand out in crowded marketplaces.”

Sustainability: Alternatives and scalability

Scalability is posed as a challenge when it comes to sustainability and sustainable materials. It takes time for such transformation. Sheth believes that the flexible packaging industry has honed efficient and cost-effective methods to move products from processing units to consumers’ hands, a legacy built over decades that cannot be transformed overnight.

How to balance the cost pressures of sustainable packaging so that brands and suppliers are not disproportionately burdened? Sheth responds, “By principle, we do not use sustainability as a lever to disproportionately enhance profits. Instead, we view our sustainability initiatives as a responsibility toward future generations, an obligation that must always be pursued with integrity and genuine intent.”

When asked about paper-based alternatives, Sheth believes, pure paper, by itself, is poor at acting as a moisture barrier - nearly all “paper-based” packaging you encounter in the market today is coated with a thin polymer layer on the inside. He says, “In reality, a fully recyclable polymer material often outperforms these paper-polymer hybrids in terms of both usability and environmental impact.”

On the other hand, he says that there is progress in the field of advanced coating materials that could enhance the performance of paper packaging. “While still in its infancy, early results are promising and suggest that truly sustainable, high-performance paper-based packaging may be on the horizon,” Sheth adds.

Kris Flexipacks is exploring next-generation fibre-based or paper-film hybrid materials that could eventually replace conventional plastics or laminates, and identifying potential applications. However, Sheth says, at present, there is no global alternative that can fully replace laminates. He shares, “When such a transition becomes feasible, you can be confident that Kris will be at the forefront, offering these innovative solutions to our clients.”

When it comes to sustainability, one of the key focuses of Kris Flexipacks is lightweighting. Sheth claims, “Our R&D efforts are primarily focused on developing next-generation materials and innovative surface finishes tailored for end-use applications.”

When asked about the recent GST 2.0 structure to ease the packaging compliance burden, Sheth says, “We believe the GST 2.0 framework is a net positive for the country, particularly for the packaging industry. While there haven’t been significant changes in the tax brackets we operate within, the real benefit lies with our customers, who will experience a reduction in their overall tax burden.”

This, he believes, in turn, is expected to boost consumption, as consumers enjoy lower expenses on everyday essentials, leaving more disposable income for discretionary spending. “The ripple effect of this increased consumption will likely drive higher demand for packaging solutions, further accelerating the growth trajectory of our industry,” Sheth adds.