Reinforced polymeric composites with natural fibers have garnered significant interest in recent years due to the need for biomass utilization and the requirements of various industries, such as automotive and construction. Among these natural fibers, Agave lechuguilla fiber, commonly known as ixtle (FIx) or Tampico fiber, exhibits important characteristics such as length, high strength, and durability. However, there is limited literature on its conditioning, functionalization, and utilization as a reinforcing material in polymeric composites (CP). This study presents the optimization of the alkali-silane treatment of FIx, identifying the most suitable reaction conditions to enhance their thermal stability, tensile strength, and silane coupling agent (ACSi) grafting on the fiber surface. The chemical treatment with ACSi proved highly effective, resulting in a significant grafting content, which was confirmed through FTIR and SEM–EDS analyses. The high level of functionalization did not compromise the mechanical performance of the fibers, suggesting that functionalized FIx holds great potential as a reinforcing material in CP. These findings open new paths for the sustainable use of Agave lechuguilla fibers, contributing to the development of environmentally friendly and high-performance polymeric composites in various industrial applications.

The circular economy and sustainable development are crucial in addressing environmental pollution from solid waste, especially plastics. Plastic waste has sparked significant social concerns, driving a redesign of products in the flexible packaging industry. This study focuses on redesigning flexible plastic packaging to improve recyclability and accelerate degradability while maintaining essential mechanical and barrier properties for food applications. The goal is to create sustainable packaging that reduces material usage, ensures recyclability, and promotes faster degradation at the product's end of life. The study compared the redesigned packaging's mechanical, physical, and barrier properties with existing products. Results showed that switching from a trilaminate to a bilaminate structure, as in laminated coils and Doypack packaging, reduced material thickness without compromising performance. Oxygen permeability was maintained at 35.38 cc/m²·day, and moisture permeability at 0.56 mg/m²·day for laminated coils. These changes reduced raw material consumption by 26.48% for laminated coils and 12.68% for Doypack packaging. Additionally, a degradable solution combining cellulose paper with a high-barrier polymer reduces plastic adhesives and solvents by 50%, reducing water usage. This research provides a practical approach to more sustainable flexible packaging in the food industry, achieving material reductions without sacrificing performance. The findings can be directly applied to promote sustainable packaging solutions within circular economy initiatives.

The increase in environmental impacts associated with non-recyclable flexible plastic packaging underscores the need for sustainable alternatives. This work presents a new paper-based laminate containing cellulose, ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH), and an anaerobic degradation additive (ECO-ONE^®) to replace existing trilaminate plastics for dry food applications. The hybrid package maintains consistent mechanical performance compared to conventional structures while improving barrier properties: oxygen transmission rate decreased from 35.38 ± 2.1 to 0.56 ± 0.05 cm³/m²/day (0% RH), and water vapor transmission rate decreased from 4.85 to 1.22 g/m²/day. The hybrid structure uses 37% less virgin resin and reduces adhesive/solvent use by 50%. Life cycle assessment indicates a 47% reduction in environmental impact. Approximately 85–90% of waste avoidance is attributable to reduced virgin plastic and adhesive use, with 10–15% attributable to end-of-life treatment. This study presents a practical transitional alternative for dry food packaging applying circular economy principles.