Could compostable packaging solve plastic waste issues? Find out how it’s made and how it could benefit your brand.
Compostable packaging is one of the most game-changing innovations in the past few years. It’s made from natural materials and is functional, eco-friendly and arguably the future of food and drinks packaging.
In a recent survey, 83% of consumers want to remove plastic packaging for food items and replace it with compostable packaging alternatives. To support a circular economy, compostable and biodegradable needs to be rolled out at scale. Your takeaways are the perfect place to start.
What Is Compostable Packaging Made Of?
Compostable packaging is crafted from natural biodegradable materials such as bagasse, an organic waste product from harvesting sugarcane. It can be made into takeaway packaging suitable for hot and cold food, like our bagasse containers or clamshell containers and tableware.
It’s also been developed into bioplastic, a plant-based plastic packaging alternative that shares many of the same characteristics as its not-so-eco-friendly counterparts. You can use this material for things like clear cups for smoothies, fruit juices, alcoholic beverages and much more. Bioplastic is commercially compostable since it is composed of PLA (polylactic acid), produced from renewable sources.
Each type of compostable packaging is lightweight and durable, making it ideal for transporting takeaway food without spills, leaks or anything else that might affect your customers’ takeaway experience. But is it better than plastic?
Is Compostable Packaging Better Than Plastic?
Compared to plastic packaging, compostable packaging has a lot more to offer. Plastic packaging takes a massive toll on the environment, clogging landfills and polluting oceans. Very little plastic is recycled, and the main culprits for plastic packaging waste are takeaway packaging items. If that wasn’t bad enough, it’s been proven that plastic containers are hazardous to health, especially when used to package hot food products. Harmful chemicals can get into your takeaway food items, posing a severe health risk to your customers.
By comparison, compostable packaging is much less harmful to create, use and dispose of since only natural materials are used. It’s made from materials that decompose quickly under the right conditions to support the composting process, which can be facilitated at home or in industrial composting units.
This means that, at the end of its lifecycle, compostable packaging returns to the earth as non-toxic elements, unlike plastics that leak toxins back into the environment, even when they’ve ceased to be useful. So how is it different from recyclable packaging?
Should You Use Recyclable or Compostable Packaging?
Recyclable and compostable packaging have similar qualities and characteristics. Both are durable and typically made from renewable sources. The main difference between them is that recyclable packaging needs to be recycled to extend its lifespan. Recycling requires energy and additional processing, whereas compostable packaging can be thrown away in general waste without significantly impacting on the environment.
Compostable materials have found popularity among supermarkets, too, indicating a move towards a compostable future. Many popular shops offer compostable shopping bags as an alternative to plastic bags, which have been a scourge on the environment for decades.
The Benefits of Switching to Compostable Packaging
Interested in improving your takeaway offerings with eco-friendly packaging alternatives? Here are some of the key benefits of switching to compostable packaging:
1. Reduces Your Environmental Impact
Slash your carbon footprint by investing in high-quality, planet-positive packaging that doesn’t come with an environmental cost. You’ll massively reduce your brand’s environmental impact by opting for responsibly sourced, sustainable packaging products suitable for an array of food and drinks items.
2. Enhances Your Brand’s Image
Plastic packaging has reigned supreme for several years due to low-cost manufacturing, but consumers want a greener future. As plastic packaging continues to fall out of favour, switching to compostable packaging proves to consumers that your brand is cognisant of their desires for responsibility and sustainability.
3. Improves the Takeaway Experience
There’s nothing worse than being served a takeaway in low-quality packaging. Our compostable packaging is crafted using natural materials that are functional, effective, and enhance your customers’ experience with your brand. All of our products are guaranteed to keep your food and drinks items fresh and delicious while avoiding mishaps like leaks and spills.
4. Makes Takeaways More Convenient
Convenience is a huge factor in the success of your food and beverage business. If your customers can’t locate a recycling point after they’ve indulged themselves in a takeaway or after a quick coffee, they’ll probably feel guilty about buying from you again. Make their day by giving them a guilt-free experience that allows them to carry on with their day, knowing that their actions aren’t affecting the environment.
5. Secures Your Brand’s Future
As further legislation comes into force, it’ll soon be the case that all businesses must switch to some form of eco-friendly packaging. Your brand could be at the forefront of these changes, establishing effective, sustainably packaging practices ahead of the rush towards green packaging solutions. If you need any advice about our products, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team, who are more than happy to help.
Should You Switch to Compostable Packaging?
When such effective alternatives are widely available, it’s hard to make a case for other less environmentally friendly packaging forms. Our compostable products can help you establish your eco-conscious brand and win repeat business from a growing market of eco-conscious customers. So what are you waiting for?
Check out our online shop, where you’ll find a range of high-quality, responsibly sourced compostable packaging items. Want to find the perfect packaging products for your food and beverages? Get in touch with us today.
