French natural-polymer company Lactips and U.S. packaging developer SmartSolve have announced a global strategic partnership to accelerate the shift away from plastic packaging. Their collaboration, which began in 2024, moved PureNil 0 from development to commercial-scale production in less than two years. The 100% plastic-free, dispersible, printable and flexible packaging substrate is approved for direct food contact and disperses rapidly in water without leaving microplastic residues. Customers in beauty, personal care, food, and beverage use the material. The partnership will also cover future generations of bio-based, plastic-free packaging. SmartSolve CEO and cofounder Jonathan Jakubowski said the agreement turned an R&D collaboration into a long-term strategic partnership, while Lactips CEO Alexis von Tschammer said the exclusive agreement supports the company's international expansion and the wider adoption of natural zero-waste packaging solutions. Founded in 2014 from research led by Frédéric Prochazka, Lactips opened its first production unit in 2022 and now has 40 employees. SmartSolve, co-founded in 2016 by Al Caperna and Jonathan Jakubowski, develops certified bio-based, water-soluble packaging from its 55,000-square-foot headquarters in Bowling Green, Ohio.