Materials we use

Vegware follows its own strict environmental criteria, namely that all products must be made exclusively from annually renewable or recycled materials, and must be compostable. 

Compostable = like biodegradable, but quick!
There's a big difference - know your terminology! 'Biodegradable' means that a material will break down naturally over time, which could be as long as hundreds of years. A wooden house is biodegradable but can stand for generations. 'Compostable' however means that a product will biodegrade quickly - quick enough to be included in industrial organics recycling process which usually takes 6-12 weeks. 

Vegware is the UK'S only completely compostable packaging firm. Our clients trust Vegware to supply the most sustainable packaging in the market, and then matchmake clients with local organics recycling services through the Vegware Composting Network to make sure that the benefits of the materials continue after use.

We use the following materials:

PLA     PLA is made from corn starch by Natureworks LLC, and is an ideal replacement for oil-based plastic in a multitude of applications. These include films, thermorformed products such as cups and deli pots, and also injection-moulded products. 

CPLA     A proprietary combination of PLA, chalk and other biodegradable additives. CPLA is suitable for high-heat applications such as making cutlery and hot cup lids, as it can take temperatures of up to 95°C without any deformation. PLA in its natural state is not suitable for high-heat applications, as it will deform with heat above 60°C.

Bagasse     Bagasse is the dry fibrous residue left once sugar cane fibre has been pressed for juice. It is ideal for producing tableware due to its inherent strength, and can be considered a tree-free paper. Being a waste material to start with means that this is a low impact option.

Recycled paper     All of our paper products, such as napkins and paper carrier bags, are manufactured in the UK out of 100 % recycled paper pulp.

Kraft board     We purchase kraft board with a high recycled content where possible. Our paper board products are all UK-made.

Natureflex     A compostable cellophane made from sustainably-sourced wood pulp by Innovia Films. Natureflex has a high oxygen barrier, making it ideal for a multitude of food packaging applications.