Compostable Pouches
At Drew & Rogers, we are passionate about sustainability and we are always so excited when a customer shares our passion.
Our compostable packaging is available with a variety of barrier properties to ensure that your products inside stay fresh but has the added benefit of having a low environmental impact – this starts right from the source by using renewable resources to create the materials and ends in your compost pile.
Now, we know that nature is pretty perfect, however there’s a reason that conventional plastics have been in heavy use since the 50’s – conventional materials can be processed over and over again until the appearance of the final product is flawless. But “flawless” isn’t why our customers choose compostable; they make this choice because they want to do their part in pushing society towards a sustainable future.
Features of Compostable Films
Compostable Films have a few distinct features including the following:
- Our compostable structure has a moderately stiffer feel than conventional materials, some have described it as “brittle”, however we can assure you that our compostable packaging can withstand normal, controlled conditions (like the grocery store or your customer’s pantry shelves). Our compostable packaging is also freezergrade, however, it should be kept away from dry ice to prevent premature degradation.
- We can provide a window on your packaging, but due to the natural products used to create the films, it will not be like looking through a freshly cleaned windshield – you can expect a slightly diminished clarity.
- Mother Nature is great at a lot of things, but ironing isn’t one of them. The compostable films can sometimes have a covert wrinkly or wavy appearance. This usually becomes indiscernible after printing.
- Compostable materials can sometimes be a little rough around the edges, which means that sometimes you might see some tiny burrs on the cut lines or tear notches which have not fully been detached. This is normal – because of its stiffness, the films can be more difficult to cut.
- Over a period of time unsealed edges of compostable films may begin to show a slight curl.
- We do not recommend this format for Amazon-style automated fulfilment facilities as we cannot guarantee that it will withstand this type of handling.
- We always recommend that our customers request some test samples to test their product(s) in, as the materials can sometimes react with ingredients found in certain products. As a result, the packaging may begin to degrade prematurely.
Recommended Uses for Compostable Films and Pouches
- Dry Food Products Liquids
- Base Powders Very Fine Powders
- Granular Products Salts
- Non-Food Products Teas with Strong Aromas
Compostable Identification Logo
The world of compostable products is a complicated one, and we want to make sure that the end consumer is informed about what they’re buying and how to properly dispose of it. To this end, we have created an identification logo that we require be placed in a visible location on your packaging. This ensures transparency and allows the consumer to acquire more information about your compostable packaging.
FAQ
What material(s) are the compostable pouches made out of?
- wood pulp cellulose and non-gmo corn starch (three layers that make up the pouch) home and industrially compostable
- corn starch zipper – industrially compostable
- adhesives which bond the three layer structure together – not yet certified
- compostable inks – home and industrially compostable
What sort of printing capabilities are available for this material?
- Right now – digital only
- Digital printing can produce some of the most vivid and vibrant graphics, assuming that the artwork is submitted correctly to take advantage of the high res nature of the print quality.
- We also offer Kraft and White paper Compostable. For this, it’s the opposite, less is more, so simple graphics with limited colour floods are recommended.
What is your standard lead time?
5 weeks lead time (from proof approval) is very safe
Is the Compostable Identification Logo completely required? If we proceed with these pouches we would include language regarding it being compostable but we are not sure about putting a 3rd party logo on our products.
We very politely insist that one of the 12 logos is printed on the pouch. The reason, very simple. There is so much misinformation, green-washing and blatant lies surrounding sustainable options, that these logos are the only way to clearly identify the type of Compostable structure used in these bags.
You’ll notice that there is no Drew & Rogers branding on these logos, they are simply there for information purposes.