Biodegradable Disposable Tableware
How can major events such as festivals and concerts, as well as company celebrations and private events, be organised more sustainably? – Organic disposable tableware and cutlery made from renewable raw materials help event organisers to offer food and drinks in environmentally friendly, compostable disposable tableware. Greenpicks, the online marketplace for sustainable lifestyles generally recommends using real china, reusable food and meal trays, plates, cups and cutlery. When hosting a large event, whether it's a birthday, anniversary, wedding, business meeting or any other occasion, it often makes perfect sense to use biodegradable tableware, and then it should be as environmentally friendly as possible.
For both practical and safety reasons, eco-friendly disposable tableware is a sustainable compromise, Compared with ceramic tableware, organic-based crockery will not break when the plate is dropped on the ground. Event participants could injure themselves on the broken pieces. And the organiser wants to minimise this risk. There are many benefits to doing so, from the convenience they offer to the affordability of the product. There is no need to worry about and pay for the risk of damage or breakage. Biodegradable tableware maintains hygiene and saves time and focuses on protecting and rehabilitating the oceans.
However, conventional disposable tableware pollutes the environment, both during production and disposal. In addition, the EU ban on plastic from July 2021 aims to prevent certain disposable plastic items from ending up in the sea and ending up in nature due to improper disposal. The sustainable alternative is organic disposable tableware and cutlery.
Environment-friendly disposable tableware
Sustainable single-use crockery has a better carbon footprint than comparable plastic tableware thanks to natural ingredients obtained from renewable raw materials. Completely without fossil fuels, the compostable single-use tableware is produced in Europe in a carbon-neutral way.
What materials are used in the production of organic disposable tableware?
Stylish Palm Leaf Dishes
The use of palm leaf and also banana leaf for packaging food used to be common in South India. The betel nut palm, also called Areca palm tree, native to South and Southeast Asia, naturally provides the raw materials for palm leaf tableware, made directly from the naturally fallen leaves. Instead of burning them as usual, they are collected, handpicked and washed. After drying in the sun the leaves for plates, bowls and trays are pressed into shape. In this way, natural by-products from agriculture are used in a resource-efficient and sensible way. The mechanical process takes place without use any kind of chemical additives and requires little energy.
As the leaves are naturally water-repellent, palm leaf tableware does not need any additional coating and is therefore also suitable for liquid and greasy food.
Because of its attractive appearance and pleasant feel, palm leaf dishes are ideal for the catering and food service industry. It is also microwaveable, ovenproof and frost-resistant. A wide range of Palm Leaf Plates of different shapes and sizes: square, rectangular, oval, round and even heart-shaped. These Reusable Dishes can be used for all types of food: cold, hot, liquid, solid, light or heavy, as these dishes have excellent rigidity and resistance and are fantastic for serving at celebrations where guests must stand holding the dishes in their hands.
Due to the different grain of the individual leaves, each product is unique and stylishly puts the food in the foreground. A beautiful eye-catcher at table.
Premium Bamboo Disposable Tableware
Similar to palm leaf tableware, the raw material bamboo offers ideal requirements for sustainable disposable tableware. Bamboo is a very fast-growing plant that grows without artificial irrigation and does not require pesticides. Moreover, the material is biodegradable after use.
Bamboo tableware has a natural look that produces a beautiful surface feel and valuable appearance. Since the raw material is very stable and also moisture-proof, it is ideal for packaging and serving food. Bamboo is used for tableware such as bamboo plates, bamboo bowls, bamboo cutlery, bamboo cups, bamboo trays and skewers. After its life as a sustainable dish, these Bamboo dishes can be buried and in a few months will decompose without any residues.
Sugarcane becomes sustainable disposable tableware
Bagasse is a raw material obtained from the remains of the sugar cane plant (bagasse), which remains after the extraction of the sugar juice. Although bagasse is only a waste product, it acquires similar material properties to plastic during further processing. Ideal conditions to replace menu boxes made of polystyrene. With the sustainable alternative made of bagasse, cold and hot dishes such as French fries, burgers, gyros, salads and much more can be transported safely. In addition to plates and bowls made of sugar cane fibre, there are also food containers with lids that are suitable for use in food trucks and for the sustainable transport of takeaway food. The material is temperature-resistant, so it is suitable for the microwave and oven, and it is also suitable for freezing and moisture-resistant. Disposable tableware made from bagasse is compostable, but only in industrial composting plants and not in domestic organic waste.
Wood, Paper, Cardboard for Food Packaging
With the ban on single-use plastic, cutlery, cups, plates and bowls made of plastic are finally classified as harmful to the environment. Disposable wooden tableware is replacing the plastic versions. Paper, cardboard and paperboard are mostly made from cellulose fibre made from wood. The cellulose fiber derives from a number of plants; the longer the fiber the stronger the paper. It is a great material for food packaging. Assuming sustainable forestry, wood is a particularly environmentally friendly material, a renewable raw material that is also carbon-neutral. Certifications such as PEFC™ or FSC® guarantee a ecologically compatible, socially responsible and economically sensible use of the forest. Last but not least, products made of wood are easy to recycle, which conserves natural resources.
The manufacturing process with wood fibres can be climate-neutral and environmentally friendly, and the material also scores when it comes to disposal. While pure wood is biodegradable, paper and cardboard can be recycled to re-enter the product cycle.
Kraft paper is suitable for wrapping dry food. Once baguettes, rolls and the like have been eaten, the paper bag can be used again at home or can be recycled.
Cardboard and carton are basically thicker paper that is made from multiple compressed layers. Cardboard is used for many types of disposable food packaging: from paper plates, paper cups for soups, French Fries pockets and pastry trays to drinking and ice cream cups and burger boxes. Finger food, pizza, sushi and other fast food dishes are not only easy to transport in appropriate cardboard boxes, but also packaged in an environmentally friendly and ecological way. Responsible disposal of food packaging by customers is a prerequisite!
Particularly attractive is disposable wooden tableware, often made of birch wood. It is stable, visually appealing and gives the table an elegant appearance. According to the motto 'You eat with your eyes!', the high-quality surface feel enhances the enjoyment of the food served on wooden plates. Thanks to the thin coating with a bio-based natural wax, paper take-out containers are leak-proof, and also suitable for greasy and liquid dishes. The wax coating is food-safe and tasteless.
Sustainable disposable wooden tableware, such as finger food trays, ice cream spoons, French Fries forks, stir sticks, shashlik skewers, knives, forks, spoons and wooden cutlery sets are used for the daily supply of walk-in customers at food trucks, festivals, snack bars and for take-away food.
At parties, anniversaries, topping-out ceremonies, summer festivals and regular company celebrations, hosts can use disposable wooden tableware not only to demonstrate good taste in terms of the drinks and food on offer, but also focusing more on your environmental impacts that events are organised in an environmentally friendly manner. Show off appetisers on a wooden tray and finger food served in wooden boats.
Innovative packaging materials such as grass paper and cocoa paper round off the range of food packaging.
No-waste disposable tableware made from wheat bran
Particularly resource-efficient is the further processing of waste products from agriculture. Wheat bran is a by-product of the grain milling process and accumulates in large quantities. With water and no chemical additives, up to 10,000 disposable plates, bowls, trays or disposable cutlery can be produced from 1 tonne of pure, edible wheat bran, which can be fully composted in just 30 days. Theoretically, you can eat wheat bran tableware because it is healthy and rich in fibre, vitamins as well as trace elements. The edible tableware made from wheat bran are plain and simple and serve their purpose. The brownish colouring of disposable crockery made from wheat bran particularly emphasises a rustic buffet with hearty dishes.
Biobased PLA plastic disposable dinnerware
For a long time, disposable products made of petroleum-based plastic have been considered harmful to the environment. That is why many countries have banned the use of conventional plastic cups and plates. Instead of fossil oil, bioplastic tableware is made from cornstartch or wheat and sometimes also from mowed meadow. The processed fibres are often by-products of agriculture, given them a sensible benefit to produce plates and cutlery made that are environmentally friendly materials because these do not leave behind toxic chemicals or residues.
Biodegradable disposable cutlery, cups and drinking straws made of bioplastics are the ideal solution for combining environmental friendliness and practical benefits.
Organic disposable tableware made from fair trade materials
In addition to environmental sustainability, disposable tableware also depends on the sources of supply of the raw materials and how they are obtained. Manufacturers of eco-friendly disposable tableware from fair trade only work with suppliers who can guarantee socially ethical and ecological procurement in accordance with the applicable conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO). In addition to the Fair Trade seal, certificates such as Sedex and SA 8000 as well as the SMETA audit ensure transparency in the supply chain in respect of ethics, working conditions, occupational safety and hygiene as well as environmental management.
How easy it is to switch to eco-friendly disposable tableware and biodegradable food packaging
Greenpicks helps shift consumer mind-sets, offering organic disposable tableware to meet the aesthetic, tactile, practical and sustainable needs of professional events, company celebrations and private parties. No matter which natural material is preferred for catering and parties, guests and customers will not notice any difference to conventional plastic disposable tableware. On the contrary, the high-quality appearance and environmental compatibility will be taken note of with favour.
