Materials library

Every material, with evidence.

A working library of the sustainable packaging materials we specify daily — FSC kraft, home-compostable PLA/PBAT film, recycled mono-PE, sugarcane bagasse, PHA bioplastic and aluminium-free barrier films. Each entry covers what the material is, what it's best for, key specs and certifications, and end-of-life pathway.

Recyclable & renewable

FSC Kraft Paper

Renewable, biodegradable kraft paper with high-barrier inner layers for food contact.

TÜV OK Compost Home

Home-Compostable Film (PLA / PBAT)

PLA/PBAT structures certified to break down in a home compost bin.

Kerbside recyclable

Recycled Mono-PE

Up to 70% post-consumer content. Single-polymer for true circularity.

Renewable & tree-free

Sugarcane Bagasse

Tree-free fibre from sugarcane waste. Premium tactile finish.

Marine-biodegradable

PHA Bioplastic

Next-generation polymer that breaks down in soil and seawater.

Metal-free & recyclable

Aluminium-Free Barrier Film

Metallised PET-free films with shelf life and no recycling drawbacks.

Recyclable & renewable

FSC Kraft Paper

FSC-certified kraft paper is the workhorse of plastic-free packaging. Made from responsibly managed forests, it delivers a natural tactile finish, full-bleed printability and kerbside recyclability across virtually every municipal stream worldwide. Paired with PFAS-free dispersion barriers, kraft handles grease, moisture and direct food contact without compromising recoverability.

Best for

Bakery, deli and takeaway bags
Coffee and tea pouches with kraft outer
Mailer bags and shipping cartons
Wraps, sleeves, labels and gift packaging

Certifications

FSC Mix / FSC Recycled
PEFC
FDA 21 CFR & EU 10/2011 (food-contact grades)
BRC and ISO 22000 supply chains

Key specs

Weight range: 60–300 gsm
Sources: Virgin FSC and 100% recycled options
Print methods: Flexo, offset, digital, foil stamping, deboss
Barrier options: PFAS-free dispersion grease and moisture coatings

End of life

Kerbside paper recycling worldwide. Uncoated grades are home-compostable (TÜV OK Compost Home where certified).

What to watch

Kraft darkens print colours by 15–25% — always proof on stock before approving artwork.
Choose dispersion-coated barriers over PE or wax lamination to keep the structure recyclable.
Specify FSC Mix or Recycled to anchor your sustainability claims with a chain-of-custody certificate.

TÜV OK Compost Home

Home-Compostable Film (PLA / PBAT)

Home-compostable films combine PLA (polylactic acid, derived from plant sugars) with PBAT (a flexible co-polymer) to deliver the seal strength and clarity of conventional plastic — but with full breakdown in a backyard compost bin within 6–12 months. Certified to TÜV OK Compost Home, these films are the gold standard for short-shelf-life food, fresh produce and ecommerce mailers from circular brands.

Best for

Compostable mailer bags for DTC and subscription
Fresh produce, bakery and short-shelf-life food
Bin liners, courier satchels and apparel polybags
Window patches in paper bags and cartons

Certifications

TÜV OK Compost Home
TÜV OK Compost Industrial (EN 13432)
BPI (USA)
Seedling logo (EU)

Key specs

Thickness: 20–80 microns
Feedstock: PLA from corn or sugarcane + PBAT
Shelf life: 9–12 months from production (sealed)
Print: Flexo with water-based or compostable inks

End of life

Home compost or industrial composting. Not suitable for kerbside plastic recycling — clear disposal icons are essential.

What to watch

Compostable films are 20–30% weaker than LDPE — right-size the gauge to the product weight.
Avoid mixing with petroleum-based plastics in the same pack — it breaks the compostability claim.
Print clear end-of-life messaging to prevent contamination of recycling streams.

Kerbside recyclable

Recycled Mono-PE

Mono-material polyethylene (mono-PE) is the recycling industry's preferred flexible plastic. By eliminating the mixed-laminate layers (PET/Al/PE) that have historically made pouches unrecyclable, mono-PE is accepted at store drop-off and an increasing number of kerbside programmes. With up to 70% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, it cuts virgin fossil plastic without sacrificing barrier, seal strength or print quality.

Best for

Coffee, snack and pet-food stand-up pouches
Refill packs and concentrated cleaning formats
Heavy-duty mailer bags and shipping sacks
High-barrier laminates for dry foods and powders

Certifications

How2Recycle Store Drop-Off
RecyClass approved
ISCC PLUS (PCR mass balance)
FDA / EU 10/2011 food contact

Key specs

PCR content: 30%, 50%, 70% post-consumer options
OTR: Down to 1 cc/m²/day with EVOH or SiOx coating
Thickness: 60–150 microns typical
Compatibility: Works on existing VFFS and HFFS lines

End of life

Store drop-off plastic-bag recycling; kerbside flexible recycling where available.

What to watch

Specify EVOH or SiOx barrier (not aluminium) to maintain mono-material recyclability.
PCR content can shift colour slightly batch-to-batch — approve a tolerance range with your printer.
Confirm recyclability claims against the destination market's scheme (How2Recycle, RecyClass, OPRL).

Renewable & tree-free

Sugarcane Bagasse

Bagasse is the fibrous residue left after sugarcane is crushed for juice — a true agricultural by-product that would otherwise be burned. Moulded into trays, clamshells, plates, bowls and rigid tubes, bagasse offers the rigidity and heat tolerance of paperboard with a distinctive natural texture. It is tree-free, rapidly renewable and both home and industrially compostable.

Best for

Foodservice plates, bowls, clamshells and trays
Ready-meal and meal-kit containers
Cosmetic and skincare moulded inserts
Rigid tubes and lids as a paperboard alternative

Certifications

BPI Compostable
TÜV OK Compost Home (selected SKUs)
FDA / EU food contact
PFAS-free certification

Key specs

Heat tolerance: Up to 100°C (microwave and freezer safe)
Moulding: Wet-press or dry-press into custom 3D forms
Feedstock: 100% sugarcane bagasse, often blended with bamboo
Finishes: Natural, bleached, embossed, printed

End of life

Home compost (60–90 days) or industrial compost. Some kerbside organics streams accept bagasse.

What to watch

Confirm PFAS-free certification — older bagasse used PFAS for grease resistance.
Tooling investment is required for custom 3D shapes — plan for 6–8 week lead times.
Natural colour varies by harvest — communicate this as a feature, not a defect.

Marine-biodegradable

PHA Bioplastic

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biopolymers produced by microbial fermentation of plant sugars or waste oils. Unlike PLA, PHA biodegrades not only in industrial compost but also in soil, freshwater and marine environments — making it the only mainstream bioplastic certified for marine biodegradation. PHA is the leading-edge choice for brands targeting closed-loop circularity in regions without composting infrastructure.

Best for

Single-serve sachets and condiment packs
Coffee capsules and tea bag fibres
Cosmetic and personal-care primary packaging
Coastal-region foodservice items

Certifications

TÜV OK Biodegradable MARINE
TÜV OK Biodegradable SOIL
TÜV OK Compost Home & Industrial
USDA BioPreferred

Key specs

Biodegradation: Soil, freshwater and marine certified
Feedstock: Canola oil, sugar or food-waste fermentation
Form factors: Films, rigid moulded parts, fibres, coatings
Heat tolerance: Up to 130°C (depending on grade)

End of life

Home compost, soil, freshwater and marine biodegradation. Not suitable for plastic recycling.

What to watch

PHA carries a 2–4× cost premium over PLA — prioritise high-impact, hard-to-recover SKUs.
Limited global supply — secure capacity early for large launches.
Marine biodegradation is a recovery pathway, not a licence to litter — communicate responsibly.

Metal-free & recyclable

Aluminium-Free Barrier Film

Conventional high-barrier pouches use a layer of aluminium foil or metallised PET — both of which contaminate plastic recycling and add embodied carbon. Aluminium-free barrier films use vapour-deposited silicon oxide (SiOx), aluminium oxide (AlOx) or EVOH inside a mono-material PE or PP structure, delivering the same oxygen and moisture protection while remaining flexible-plastic recyclable.

Best for

Premium coffee, tea and chocolate pouches
Powdered nutrition, infant formula and supplements
Pet food and treats
Pharma blister overwraps and medical packaging

Certifications

RecyClass approved (mono-material)
How2Recycle Store Drop-Off
FDA / EU food contact
EU PPWR-aligned

Key specs

OTR: <1 cc/m²/day (SiOx and AlOx grades)
WVTR: <1 g/m²/day
Structure: Mono-PE or mono-PP with transparent oxide barrier
Optics: Transparent or matte options — no foil look-through

End of life

Flexible plastic recycling (store drop-off or kerbside where available).

What to watch

SiOx and AlOx coatings are sensitive to flex-cracking — design seal areas to minimise creasing.
Confirm OTR/WVTR against your shelf-life model — barriers vary by supplier and run.
Brief your printer on transparent barriers — back-printing strategies differ from foil laminates.

Not sure which material fits?

Send us your product, fill weight, target shelf life and the markets you ship to. We'll spec a structure, certifications and a matching end-of-life pathway.

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