Vegware uses a variety of renewable plant-based materials in our product range. In its finished form, Vegware packaging is designed for industrial composting.
Have questions? Check out our materials FAQ
Paper & card
Sustainably sourced paper and cardboard, using recycled content where we can. Uses include Vegware hot cups, soup containers, paper straws, Bon Appetit bowls, and various takeaway containers.
Polylactic Acid (PLA)
Compostable bioplastic derived from plant sugars. Glucose is extracted from milled corn. It is then fermented to produce lactic acid, which is processed into a polymer and made into pellets. PLA is used in our clear products like cold cups and deli containers, and to line our board-based products. CPLA is crystallised PLA, used when more heat resistance is needed, like with our lids and cutlery.
Moulded Fibre
Made from a by-product of the sugarcane industry.
Moulded fibre is a stylish alternative to polystyrene suitable for hot and cold food. Made from reclaimed sugarcane, our moulded fibre uses the dry fibrous residue left once sugarcane has been pressed for juice. A high-heat, high-pressure process is applied to press and shape the fibres. Used to make our takeaway boxes, plates and bowls.
Palm leaf
Made from naturally fallen Areca palm leaves in Southern India. Tableware suitable for hot and cold food. Fallen leaves are gathered and cleansed with high pressure water jets. Once dried, they are shaped under heated moulds. There are no coatings, additives or chemicals, just the natural leaf. Used to make our Palm leaf tableware, including plates, platters and bowls.
Inks
We use vegetable and water-based inks that have a great print finish.
Our in-house designers can create custom print for a wide range of our products.
NatureFlex
A clear film made from wood pulp. The wood is sourced from sustainably managed forestry. Cellulose fibres in wood pulp goes through a casting process and regenerates into a certified industrial and home compostable film called NatureFlex. Used for our clear bags and some of our products’ clear windows, it is greaseproof and suitable for hot and cold food.
BioPBS
Compostable bioplastic derived from natural materials.
BioPBS can be made from sugarcane, cassava and corn. It is used to line
Vegware’s paper hot cup lids.
Mater-Bi
Certification
Vegware holds the deepest set of compostability certification in the sector. Our full product range can be commercially composted with food waste where accepted. Independent bodies have certified our products can break down in under 12 weeks in industrial composting facilities. The most widely used compostability standards are the European EN13432 and the American ASTM D6400. They are largely equivalent, and include the following elements:
- Biodegradation – materials turn to soil through microbial action at the same rate as cellulose (paper)
- Disintegration – the materials fall into small pieces
- Eco-toxicity – seeds can germinate in the resulting compost – i.e. it is useful for plant growth
- Heavy metals – the compost is safe to go onto land
