Your Guide to Biodegradable Catering Supplies
Your comprehensive guide to the many different options of eco-friendly, biodegradable catering supplies available to you!
Here at Going Green Solutions, we’ve been specialising in biodegradable disposable eco catering supplies for more than 10 years. It’s just so exciting seeing the range of options increasing, at the same time as seeing prices decrease (as the market grows).
Here’s a round up of eco-friendly alternatives to conventional disposable catering ware options.
Biocane Plates, Bowls and Platters
Biocane fibre disposable plates, bowls and platters are both eco-friendly and user friendly! They are very sturdy (no need to resort to plastic plates just to get one that doesn’t sag). We supply the Queen Vic Night Market food traders with these plates every year and they hold huge delicious dinners no problem. They are also made from renewable, plant based waste materials including Bagasse (sugarcane fibre) and other agricultural waste fibres.
Bagasse is the fibre left over after the process of extracting sugar from sugar cane….instead of disposing of the fibres, they are collected and turned into fibre products which can basically replace paper pulp products. The same applies to other agricultural waste fibres – they are collected at the end of harvesting and the fibres made into fibre products. Sugarcane and other agricultural waste fibres are annually renewable and 100% tree-free. They are certified 100% home compostable, and the Carbon Emissions related to manufacture, distribution and disposal have been offset through the purchase of carbon credits.
Palm Leaf Plates, Bowls and Platters
If you need plates, these are our most beautiful eco catering supplies hands down – Palm Leaves from the Areca Palm drop naturally from the trees, are collected, soaked, pressed into shape and trimmed into a plate. Each is completely unique and hand made using no chemicals.
This is not the palm tree that is causing deforestation; no need to worry about contributing to that problem when you choose these plates. The Areca Palm tree (used for these plates) grows wild in India and is also known as the Betelnut Palm.
Palm leaf plates, bowls and platters are 100% natural, annually renewable, completely biodegradable and compostable and chemical free.
Biocup coffee cups
Did you know that even though conventional take-away coffee cups are mainly paper, they have a thin lining of plastic around them which means they take years to break down? As for polystyrene cups…let’s not even go there.
Lucky for us all, there is an awesome and cost comparable eco-friendly option, the Biocup biodegradable disposable hot drink cup. They are made from FSC certified sustainably managed plantation wood, covered in a very thin lining of biodegradable PLA plant based plastic, that is certified commercially compostable.
100% carbon offset and competitively priced – a brilliant eco-product to replace conventional plastic coated paper hot drink cups. Made with FSC certified plantation wood and coated in plant based PLA, our Eco BioCup coffee cups are biodegradable & commercially compostable, so they leave a smaller environmental footprint. A true eco-friendly alternative.
PLA cold drink cups
It’s hard to believe it – but PLA was invented in the 1800’s, even thought it has only started to be used more widely now. When it was invented it was used for medical sutures. So in fact, this amazing plant based bioplastic material has been available for a long time.
Thank goodness it is finally becoming recognised as a viable alternative to petroleum based plastics; another awesome fact about it is that carbon footprint of Ingeo™ bioplastic (which our range of cups are made from) is up to 75% smaller than conventional plastics such as PET. Not only that, but our full range of PLA clear cups are certified commercially compostable and are also carbon offset from cradle to grave.
PLA cups come in a huge range of sizes from 30ml (for tastings), through 150ml, 200, 300, 360, 420, 500, 700ml and also wine tumblers. Lids to match for all sizes, also made from PLA bioplastic. They can be frozen and used for anything cold including drinks, smoothies, yoghurt, ice-cream and salads. They CAN’T be heated….they are heat sensitive, so if you need a hot food container, check out our Fibre lunchboxes and food containers.
Soup and chip cups
Made the same way as our Biocup hot drink cups, our soup and chip cups are also made from 100% FSC certified wood pulp lined with biodegradable and compostable PLA bioplastic. Designed for hot foods, they can also be used for all manner of cold foods and look really great with salads, yoghurt and ice-cream. They are certified 100% commercially compostable.
Fibre lunch boxes and take-away containers
Just like our range of biocane plates, bowls and platters, our Biocane fibre lunchboxes and take-away food boxes are made from annually renewable, plant based materials and are 100% biodegradable and compostable after use. They come in a huge range of sizes and shapes, with and without lids, with and without compartments.
Kraft, PLA lined lunchboxes and sandwich trays
An alternative to the Fibre Biocane lunchbox range, our Kraft lunch boxes are a classy way to serve take-away meals. Made from certified FSC wood pulp and lined with Ingeo PLA bioplastic, they are biodegradable and compostable, as well as being certified commercially compostable and carbon offset.
Clear PLA deli bowls and food containers
Guess what – here is the perfect replacement for lots of your plastic take-away containers! Just as with our clear PLA cold drink cups, our cold food deli PLA containers and salad bowls are made from 100% Ingeo bioplastic, and are certified commercially compostable. They can be frozen but not heated (they are heat sensitive and will buckle and melt if left in direct sunlight or exposed to temperatures above 40 degrees). Great for salads, storing leftovers in the fridge or freezer, dips, ice-cream and desserts.
Eco-friendly, biodegradable disposable cutlery options
We are spoiled for choice when it comes to eco-friendly disposable cutlery options. All of our disposable cutlery options are a better option that plastic; all are sturdy and user-friendly, and people are usually pleasantly surprised at how affordable they are!
PLA & CPLA cutlery: both are made from 100% plant based bioplastic, and are therefore certified biodegradable and compostable.
PSM cutlery: made from 70% bioplastic with 30% conventional plastic mixed in. This makes them a little cheaper and also a bit more flexible. These are certified biodegradable but not compostable (because of the 30% conventional plastic).
Wooden cutlery, chop-sticks and coffee stirrers: are made from certified FSC birch wood and are also (as with all our catering ware range) carbon neutral.
Napkins and other paper consumables
Everything you require in terms of paper consumables has a beautiful eco-friendly alternative. Basically, you want to choose either post-consumer recycled paper fibre options, or products made from certified FSC materials. We have a range of Napkins covering everything from cocktail, lunch and dinner napkins (in white, natural and black, quarter fold or eighth fold, one or two ply), FSC paper straws, plus a range of other Paper Consumables such as facial tissues, toilet tissue and kitchen towel.
There are so many alternatives to check out, we recommend you go to our webpage to see what your options are.
We’ve tried to showcase the huge range of eco-friendly, biodegradable disposable catering ware options for you here – but please, if you have any questions at all just call us on 03 9718 0126 and our friendly staff will talk you through all the options available and help you find the best match for your needs :-).