What are your products made from?

Polylactic Acid (PLA)

PLA, otherwise known as “Corn Plastic”, is the material we use to make many of our products. This includes cold cups and lids, various food containers, cutlery, hot cups, soup cups, and straws. The basic idea is that any starch can be converted into a polymer with similar molecular traits to those derived from petrochemicals. That polymer can then be formed into pellets and made into a wide array of plastic products. The products look and feel just like traditional plastics but, because they are made from organic matter, have a heat tolerance of 105 - 165 degrees (F). (Check for specific heat tolerance on each product.) Right now our supplier, NatureWorks LLC, uses field corn as the feedstock because it is the most readily available domestic resource.

Bagasse (Sugarcane)

For our plates, bowls, and food containers designed for hot foods, we use a material called bagasse, more commonly known as sugarcane. In warm climates around the world sugarcane is grown for its cane juice. Commonly, once the juice is extracted, the stalk is either incinerated or discarded. That stalk now represents a “reclaimed resource”, as we are able to break it down into a pulp that can be used to make products that would otherwise be made from tree fiber.

Plant Starch

Plant Starch is the material we use to make our high heat tolerance cutlery. This material is made from a variety of plant starches including corn, potatoes, and other vegetables. It has a heat tolerance of 220 degrees, which makes it optimal for hot foods.

Is PLA made from GMO free or organic corn?

Unfortunately, PLA is not produced from GMO-free corn. NatureWorks LLC, the manufacturer of the PLA resin is continuing to explore the possibility of making PLA from GMO-free corn. The resin PLA does not contain any GMO. All genetically modified organisms are eliminated during the production process of the PLA resin.

Where are your products produced?

Our goal is to provide customers with the highest quality eco-friendly foodservice disposables available in the market today. Presently, we meet this goal by utilizing the best biopolymer technology from around the world.  Our items are produced across the globe, but predominantly in Asian countries like China, Taiwan, and South Korea.  It is our goal to bring the best quality environmental products to the market at the most competitive price possible. We believe that the best way to make true environmental change is to produce products that are cost competitive, have superior quality, and are widely available.

Why do you call your products compostable and not just biodegradable?

The term “biodegradable” lacks the legitimacy of certification. In essence, everything

biodegrades when given enough time. In contrast, compostability has set definitions and certain qualifications that must be attained to be deemed “compostable.” ASTM D6400, ASTM D6868, and Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) provide reliable third party certifications. The general standards to achieve compostability validations are: 1) 90% or greater degradation must occur within 45-120 days, and 2) no toxic residue remains in the final compost.

If these products end up in a landfill, is there any benefit?

Yes. We like to talk about two sets of benefits when talking about our products . The obvious benefit to most is what we call “Back End Benefits”, and that deals with end of life (composting). In communities where commercial composting operations exist, our products are compostable and will return to their natural state in 90 – 120 days. What is less obvious is that there is another set of benefits that we call “Front End Benefits”, and these benefits are applicable regardless of whether or not your community has access to commercial composting facilities. First, our products are made from plants, which means they are produced from a resource that is renewable. Precisely because our products are made from plants, they take less energy to produce and are responsible for less CO2 in the atmosphere. This means that, even if you do not have access to commercial composting, you are still making a difference by choosing our products.