Materials Scientist & Packaging Engineer

Kai Lindqvist

Gothenburg, Sweden

Materials scientist. Former packaging R&D. Assesses whether bio-materials do what the marketing claims.

About

Kai Lindqvist is a materials scientist who spent six years in packaging R&D before going independent. He specialises in lifecycle assessment of bio-based materials -- the unglamorous work of measuring whether a packaging material actually does what the marketing says it does. He has assessed sugarcane bagasse, wheat straw fibre, mycelium, PLA, and conventional plastics across their full lifecycles. He writes about what works, what doesn't, and why the answer is always more complicated than the press release.

Credentials

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Background in polymer chemistry and bio-based materials
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6 years in R&D at a Swedish packaging company
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Independent lifecycle assessment consultant
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Works remotely with Southeast Asian manufacturers

Areas of Expertise

Primary

Polymer chemistryBio-based materials (bagasse, straw, mycelium, PLA, bamboo)Lifecycle assessment methodologyPackaging engineeringDecomposition science

Secondary

Circular economy systemsEU PPWR complianceCompostability certification standardsIndustrial vs home compostingPackaging manufacturing processes

Writes for

Packaging

Material deep-dives, comparison guides, and technical explainers on bio-based packaging.

Articles by Kai Lindqvist

Sustainable Packaging

What Happens to Biodegradable Packaging in Landfill? The Evidence

12 min read

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