Our Materials

Our eco materials are...

	...renewable Vegware is made of plants not plastic. Why use up finite resources? Trees, corn and sugar cane are rapidly renewable natural materials.
	..low carbon Our eco materials contain less embodied carbon than those used in conventional packaging.
	...recycled We love recycled card, paper and bagasse (our recycled sugar cane fibre).
	...sustainably sourced Any virgin card or paper used to make Vegware products come from a responsible forestry source with a recognised chain of custody.

Paper & Cardboard

Sustainably sourced, using recycled content when available. Used to make coffee cups, paper bowls, paper straws & various takeaway containers.

Inks

Vegetable and water based with a crisp and vibrant print finish.

PLA (Polylactic Acid)

A compostable bioplastic made from plant sugars. Used to make cold cups & salad containers, and as a moisture-resistant lining in paper products. CPLA (crystallised PLA) is used wherever higher heat tolerance is needed, i.e. coffee cup lids & cutlery.

Bagasse

Bagasse is the dry fibrous material left behind once sugarcane has been processed. Rather than going to waste, this fibre is pressed and shaped to form single-use plates, bowls and takeaway boxes.

Natureflex

A grease- & heat-proof clear film made from sustainably sourced wood pulp. NatureFlex can be both home and commercially composted. Used to make clear bags & product windows.

BioPBS

A compostable bioplastic derived from sugarcane, cassava and corn. Used to line Vegware's unique paper hot cup lids.

Mater-Bi

Made from ethically sourced Vegetable oils, starch, beet pulp or thistle. Used to make bin liners.

Certification

Vegware’s entire product range can be commercially composted with food waste, where accepted. Independent bodies have certified that our products break down in under 12 weeks in an industrial composting facility.

Current certifications include European EN13432 & American ASTM D6400, which are largely equivalent and include the following elements:

Biodegredation – materials turn to soil through microbial action.

Disintegration – materials fall into small pieces

Eco-toxicity – seeds can germinate from resulting compost

Heavy metals – resulting compost is safe for use on the land

Vegware are currently undergoing the process of extending our (already extensive) certifications to include AS Certification.