FlexForward® 2025 in New Orleans
A look back at three unforgettable days for the flexible packaging community
The Flexible Packaging Association’s (FPA) 2025 FlexForward® Conference, held November 4–6 at the Loews New Orleans Hotel, brought together leaders from across the flexible packaging value chain to focus on what’s shaping the industry now—and what’s coming next.
Set against the backdrop of the Crescent City’s music, food, and architecture, the event blended profound insight with a sense of celebration that felt both uniquely New Orleans and distinctly FPA.
A Second Line Through the City
One of the conference’s most memorable moments came on Tuesday evening, when attendees gathered just outside the hotel and were surprised to be led in a second-line parade through the streets of New Orleans. Led by Abramson Sci Academy Marching Band, the group made its way toward the Sazerac House, turning the walk to the welcome reception into an experience all its own.
Inside, hors d’oeuvres, specialty cocktails, and easy conversation set the stage for the days ahead. The tone was clear: this wasn’t just another meeting on the calendar—it was a chance to reconnect, reflect, and move forward together.
Conversations That Mattered
Throughout the conference, much of the real power of FlexForward® showed up in the conversations:
- Morning conversations over breakfast where members compared notes on regulatory activity, market trends, and shared challenges
- Exchanges between presentations that helped attendees tie session content to their own day-to-day work
- Receptions on both evenings that encouraged easy conversation, new introductions, and renewed connections
Because the event is intentionally focused, it gave room for attendees from converters, brands, suppliers, and service providers to actually talk—and be heard. Those informal exchanges helped make complex topics feel more approachable and actionable.
Insight, Context, and a Clearer View of What’s Ahead
From the main stage, speakers offered a grounded view of where the industry stands and where it’s headed. The program addressed:
- Sustainability and circularity, including extended producer responsibility (EPR) and recovery pathways for flexible packaging
- Market outlooks for polyethylene, polypropylene, and global flexible packaging demand
- Digital printing trends, and how converters and brand owners are using new technology to speed time-to-market
- Policy and advocacy, with updates on state and federal activity that will shape the operating landscape
- Consumer behavior and recycling, including new research on what it will take to increase participation in flexible film recovery
Across these topics, a few themes surfaced again and again: the need for collaboration, the importance of data-driven decisions, and the opportunity for flexible packaging to lead in both performance and sustainability.
Leadership and Execution
Guiding it all was FPA’s leadership and staff team, including President & CEO Dan Felton and Vice President, Communications Dani Diehlmann.
Their work—along with the efforts of the board, sponsors, speakers, and member volunteers—helped ensure the conference ran smoothly while still feeling personal and approachable. Attendees experienced an event that was both strategic and welcoming, with sessions that looked frankly at today’s realities and conversations that considered what comes next.
A Commitment to Impact
Building on the themes of leadership and collaboration, the conference also introduced FPA’s new FlexImpact™ initiative—a program designed to bring member companies together around meaningful, community-focused action. The conversations throughout FlexForward® made clear that the future of flexible packaging isn’t only about innovation and policy; it’s equally about demonstrating shared responsibility and engaging visibly in the communities we serve.
This new effort reflects that spirit. And in the weeks ahead, we’ll feature additional coverage that explores the goals of FlexImpact™ and how members can get involved.
The Spirit of a Connected Industry
What stood out most in New Orleans wasn’t just the agenda or the setting—it was the sense of community.
FlexForward® 2025 brought together a wide cross-section of the industry: large and small companies, long-time members and new faces, technical experts, commercial leaders, and policy voices. That mix created a space where different perspectives could sit side-by-side, and where shared challenges could be met with shared solutions.
Continuing the Conversation
The ideas and relationships that took shape in New Orleans will continue to influence the flexible packaging industry in the months ahead.
You’ll see the impact of FlexForward® 2025 reflected in:
- Future issues of FlexPack VOICE®, where articles will explore many of the themes discussed in New Orleans
- Ongoing coverage on this microsite, highlighting stories, data, and perspectives informed by the conversations that began at the conference
In that way, FlexForward® 2025 is both a moment to look back on and a starting point for what comes next.
