WOOD & BIRCHWOOD

For our wooden disposables we use wood that comes from birch or pine trees. No coatings or additives are applied so the wood is 100% natural. We make sure that the wood comes from a sustainable resource and that why we buy 100% FSC®-certified wooden disposables. FSC®-certified wood comes from sustainably managed forests which respect the flora and fauna of the forest, and the people living and working there. For every tree that is cut down, a new tree is planted so that there is constant cycle of new trees that can be used. This material is fully compostable and are a perfect alternative for regular plastic disposable plastic.

CORN

A lot of our products are made from a bioplastic named PLA. We use PLA to have them produced into cups, salad boxes and coating for our coffee cups. PLA is made from the starches and sugars of corn and is completely biobased. The corn is milled and then the sugars are fermented into lactic acid. This lactic acid is then polymerised to create Poly Lactic Acid; PLA. The PLA pellets are then sent to factories all over the world to be turned into i.e. sustainable disposables. PLA products are known for their rigidity, transparency and being 100% compostable and food safe. PLA is not heat-resistant an therefore can only be used for cold drinks and dishes of up to 40 °C.

The production is also very sustainable because there is a 75% reduction in CO2 emission compared to regular oil plastic production. PLA is also certified compostable according to EN-13432 meaning that it degrades within 90 days in an industrial composting facility.

CPLA

CPLA, Crystallized Poly Lactic Acid, is a combination of PLA (70-80%), chalk (20-30%) and other biodegradable additives.Through the crystallization of PLA our CPLA products can withstand high temperatures up to 85°C without deforming. Once crystallized, CPLA is no longer transparent, but mat white. For our black CPLA cutlery and coffee cups lids, charcoal is added to create the black colour. This does not conflict with overall composting properties of CPLA. 

CPLA is also made from the sugars and starches of corn. But in the production process, talc is added so that the PLA crystallizes and Crystalized Poly Lactic  Acid is created. CPLA consists out of 70 to 80% PLA and 30 to 20% talc so that a heat-resistant (up to 85 °C) and fully compostable bioplastic is created. 

As CPLA is derived from PLA, it is 100% biodegradable and compostable according to the EN-13432 standard. At the end of life, PLA based products can be either recycled or composted in industrial composting facilities.

PLA

PLA stands for Poly Lactic Acid. The material PLA is usually made from fermented corn sugars or sugar beets, which is then used to manufacture this type of biobased plastic. PLA plastics have similar features as traditional petroleum plastics (PS, PP and PET), but they’re considerably more eco-friendly. For example, the production of PLA uses less energy and generates 75% less greenhouse gases than the production of conventional plastics.

PLA products are sensitive to heat and therefore only suitable for cold products. PLA products can be used with cold dishes and drinks of up  to 40˚C. Our CPLA products are more heat-resitant. According to the EN-13432 composting standard our PLA products are 100% biodegradable and compostable. In an industrial composting facility under optimum conditions (oxygen, moisture and heat), PLA will be fulliy composted in 8-12 weeks. Moreover, PLA is a non-toxic and is made from a natural renewable resource. 

PLA is using to create transparant cold cups, deli containers and clamshell salad boxes. PLA is also used as a coating for your coffee cups and food containers.

PLAM LEAF

All our premium Thali palm leaf products are made from fallen palm leaves of the Areca palm trees. The Areca palm tree grows in Southern India and is cultivated for its nuts. These nuts are mainly grown for consumption, but also used in the preparation of Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. Around 7 times a year the trees naturally shed their leaves which are collected from the areca nut plantation.

After collection the palm leaves are brought to the factory for production and packaging. The leaves are firstly cleaned with high-pressure water so that any debris is washed away. After washing the leaves are mechanically pressed into plates and bowls. The press works with steam and heat. The heat ensures that any moisture evaporates and the steam kills any leftover bacteria. After the pressing the pressed plates and bowls are cut from the leaf and left to dry a little longer. After drying the palm leaf tableware gets packaged and ship to us.

We source our premium Thali palm leaf products from 1 supplier. This supplier manages his own supply chain, from the leaf collection, production, packaging  till final delivery. This way we are ensured that the workers are working in a clean, safe environment and receive a fair wage for the plates that they produce.

Our premium Thali plates are very strong and are almost has hard as wood. No chemicals or coatings are added to the tableware, making them all natural.  Because we use a natural raw material, every piece of tableware is different which gives them a very nice look and feel.

PAPER

Paper for our coffee cups and food containers is made out of paper pulp from sustainable forestry. A large number of our related products is SFI-certified (Sustainable Forestry Initiative), comparable to the better-known FSC certification. All paper articles are bleached chlorine free and if printed, only water and/or soy inks are utilized. This will keep our cups and containers as natural as possible and 100% compostable.

Kraft as a paper variety is very popular as packaging material. Due to its brown colour and strength it is a preferred paper material for lots of packaging solutions. Kraft paper has a high tear-resistance because of the high density of fibres. This high density ensures that packaged products come less in contact with oxygen keeping any foods fresh for a longer period of time.

BAMBOO

Bamboo is a simple grass that grows without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilisers, it furthermore doesn’t need irrigation and rarely needs replanting. Bamboo land can be reused for several decades, even hundreds of years as there is no soil depletion. Bamboo is a strategic resource that many countries can use to restore their degraded landscapes and reverse the dangers of desertification. Its rapid growth and strong root systems make bamboo a powerful soil protection and land restoration tool.

Bamboo’s fast-growing and renewable stems sequester carbon in their biomass – at rates comparable or superior to than many tree species - it can store up to 1.5 times more carbon than trees. Bamboo also releases 30% less carbon in the cutting and mill pulp process compared to wood pulp. Durable products made from bamboo are potentially carbon negative because they act as locked-in carbon sinks and encourage the expansion and improved management of bamboo forests.Next to carbon sequestration bamboo produces 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees.

Bamboo comprises of many different species which all have unique growth rates and characteristics. Bamboo includes some of the fastest-growing plants in the world, due to a unique rhizome-dependent system, certain bamboo species, like the Chinese Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), grow up to 90 cm per day, which is almost 4 cm and hour, or at a speed of 0.00003 km/h. These growth rates can be established in shooting season during the spring through early summer, when optimal soil and climate conditions are present. 

Herbaceous bamboos are usually small and resemble grass and are only a few centimeters tall, while woody bamboos (depending on the species) can grow up to 30 m tall and 20-30 cm in diameter, hence the reason they are often confused for being ‘bamboo trees’. The bamboo species Dendrocalamus sinicus is considered the largest bamboo in the world reaching 40 m in height and 30 cm in diameter.

Tree trunks have a growing layer underneath the bark that makes the diameter of the tree increases every year. Bamboo shoots on the other hand grow for one season until they reach their full size, after this they remain the same size and diameter. Over the years they do grow side branches, but they never grow taller or wider.

The production of bamboo paper is essentially the same as the production of regular (or kraft) paper. Bamboo material however possesses excellent properties to form cups. In the cup forming process only very limited amounts of water are necessary. The easy processing of the material results in reduced wastage and increased output. Unbleached bamboo pulp has the same attractive soft natural colour from original pulp to finished product. The pulp therefore does not need to be treated with chemicals which are required when bleaching wood pulp.

Whilst wood pulp cups become soft when boiled water is put in them, cups made from bamboo pulp will gain even more strength. Bamboo paper does, if at all, have the faintest smell of natural bamboo. Scientists have found that bamboo owns a unique antibacterial and bacteriostatic bio-agent named ‘bamboo kun’.

The bamboo products have a compostable coating that makes them suitable for all kinds of use. They can be used for cold and warm dishes alike and can even be used for hot liquids without hesitation.

SUGARCANE

The raw material for our eco-friendly sugarcane plates is bagasse. Bagasse is a by-product from the sugarcane production and is harvested and manufactured in Asia. After the sugar-rich juice is extracted from the sugarcanes, the leftover canes are collected and turned into pulp. With the addition of water the pulp is turned into paste. This paste can then be pressed into any desired form, creating plates, bowls and even menu boxes. 

Due to the high cellulose and fibre content of bagasse, the disposable plates, menu boxes and bowls of sugarcane are very stable and even suitable for the oven (up to 200 °C) and the microwave (750W). Besides the heat-resistance, the sugarcane disposables are also grease and moisture resistant, making them suitable for any hot or cold dish. Because our disposable sugarcane range is made from a natural renewable resource, it is 100% compostable and certified under EN-13432.

MATER-BI

The company Novamont produces a series of innovative bioplastics under the brand name Mater-Bi. Mater-Bi is made from non-genetically modified corn starch and vegetable oils that are cultivated in Europe. 

Mater-Bi can be used to create all kinds of compostable tableware. However our Mater-Bi products are made out of Mater-Bi foil. This foil is then used to produce compostable T-shirt bags and compostable waste bags and bin liners. All grades of Mater-Bi are entirely biodegradable and compostable in accordance with the European composting norm EN-13432. The properties and characteristics of Mater-Bi are relatively similar to those of traditional plastics. Mater-Bi is however, a more sustainable and compostable option.