Products
Cartons & Sleeves
Our minimum order quantity is one carton.
Unfortunately, we only sell full cartons.
Both product and carton dimensions are listed in the Product Specification on all product page on the website. Contact us for more details sales@biopak.co.uk.
No, unfortunately not. Our items are sold by carton and we only sell one cup size per carton.
Plant Fibre
Our plant fibre products can be recycled in the paper recycling stream if not too soiled, like a pizza box.
BioPak's BioCane range is freezer friendly but the packaging has minimal gas and moisture barrier properties. We recommend customers test the suitability of the packaging for their freezing requirements.
Yes, BioCane can withstand temperatures of up to 220 degrees Celcius for 20 minutes. However, BioCane is not suitable for reheating food from frozen.
Yes, the BioCane range can be heated in a microwave.
Our products are designed for serving takeaway food. They have minimal gas and moisture barrier properties, and while the materials can be frozen, they may not be suitable for storing foods. We always recommend customers test the suitability of the product for any retail application.
90% of our products are made from compostable, rapidly renewable plant-based materials. Unfortunately for some applications/products, there is not a suitable bio-based option – in these cases, we select materials such as PET that are widely accepted for recycling.
We take care to not intentionally mislead consumers or misrepresent our products. All non-bio-based plastic items are clearly marked with the relevant plastic recycling codes on the product and marketing collateral. Bioplastics are relatively new to the market, and there is significant innovation in this space. We are always seeking out and testing new, more sustainable, functional, and cost-effective materials, and as soon as a suitable replacement is found for any of our non-bio-based materials, we will not hesitate to make the change.
Our philosophy is to not let the perfect be the enemy of good. Through ongoing incremental changes and constant improvement, we remain committed to transitioning an industry away from the current linear model towards a circular economy.
We are working on a heat-safe PLA bioplastic alternative to replace all clear plastic PET lids.
Paper
The Forest Stewardship Council™️ (License code FSC™️ C110879) is an international non-profit that acts to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests.
FSC™️ forest management certification confirms that the forest is being managed in a way that preserves the natural ecosystem and benefits the lives of local people and workers, all while ensuring it remains economically viable.
More information:
Our bioplastic-lined paper cups, bowls, noodle boxes, lunch boxes and sandwich wedges have a 12-month shelf-life from the production date. Our paper straws, napkins and cardboard (BioBoard boxes and trays) products have an indefinite shelf-life if kept cool and dry.
The paper is made from virgin tree pulp from trees in sustainably managed plantations.
The coating is Ingeo™ PLA (Polylactic Acid) derived from corn and beet starch. PLA emits up to 80% less carbon and uses 52% less non-renewable energy than conventional plastic.
Our BioCups are certified industrially compostable to Australian AS4736 compost standards.
More information:
BioCup benefits include:
- Coated with Ingeo™, a bioplastic made from plants, not oil
- Compared to regular plastics, Ingeo™ emits up to 80% less carbon and uses 52% less non-renewable energy
- Certified industrially compostable to European EN13432 standard
- Can be processed into compost in a commercial compost facility within 12 weeks
- Fits in the circular economy
Degradable cups use additives to promote the degradation of plastics. The use of additives to promote the degradation of plastics does not provide any environmental benefits and is not a solution to plastic pollution. Over 150 organisations worldwide have backed a call to ban this type of packaging.
Claims that degradable cups will completely biodegrade in landfills after 2 years are not certified by third-party regulators. Degradable cups are tested using the ASTM D5511 protocol. ASTM D5511 is not a certification and does not guarantee that the product will decompose.
At BioPak, we only make real-world environmental and sustainability claims that can be independently verified through a robust and rigorous scientific process. We go to great lengths to ensure our packaging products align with the principles of a circular economy, and our BioCups are commercially compostable to the EN13432 European standard.
More information:
While our paper cups are technically recyclable, when packaging is contaminated with beverage residue, it is generally classed as contamination and will end up in a landfill. Moreover, recent bans on plastic exports and a lack of local recycling infrastructure have raised uncertainty about the future of recycling on a global scale. To get the most up-to-date answer, it is best to ask your local council whether they can accept PLA-lined paper cups in their recycling bin.
Our products are designed for a circular economy, using rapidly renewable materials that return nutrients back into the soil at the end of their life. Compost Connect empowers businesses to tackle waste responsibly and turn compostable packaging and organic waste into nutrient-rich compost.
BioPak's PLA lids are made from plants, not oil, and are designed for the circular economy. They are certified compostable to EN13432 European standards. Whilst PLA can be recycled the UK does not currently have an infrastructure that supports the recycling of PLA - we recommend you check with your local council to understand what end of life solution they are able to offer.
BioPak's PLA lids are made from plants not oil, and are designed for the circular economy. They are certified compostable to EN13432 European standards.
Yes. BioPak's BioCups are certified industrially compostable to European EN13432 compost standard. This means that they will be broken down into organic matter by microorganisms within 12 weeks in industrial compost.
BioCups are not suitable for home composts. Home composts may not maintain the conditions required to process bioplastic. Commercial facilities maintain sustained temperatures above 55 degrees Celsius and humidity levels above 70 per cent for the first 10 days in order to process compostable packaging.
Yes, you can put cold drinks in our hot wallpaper cups, however, there is no external moisture barrier to ensure the paper doesn’t absorb any condensation and softens. Hot wallpaper cups don't have an external protection layer for the external condensation that occurs. We recommend you order samples to test if your beverages can be served in our hot wallpaper cups without any quality issues. Another alternative is trying our Cold Paper BioCups, or our clear bioplastic BioCups.
We print with soy or water-based inks.
Benefits of these inks:
- Soy-Based inks: It has a number of environmental benefits. Much of the soybean crop requires no irrigation, limited fixed nutrients, and leaves fewer agricultural residues than other crops. Soy ink also has low levels of VOCs, (volatile organic compounds) which helps to reduce air pollution by minimizing toxic emissions. Since naturally clearer soybean oil is available, it is possible to obtain as brightly coloured ink as by using clear petroleum distillates. By using clearer soybean oil grades, less pigment is necessary to produce the same optical effect, which reduces the overall cost of the ink. Soy ink has been found to spread approximately 15% further, reducing ink use and printer cleanup costs.
- Water-Based inks: Oil-based inks contain PVC and phthalates that are harmful to the environment and have been linked to numerous medical disorders. They also require the use of harmful solvents in the cleaning process. Water-based inks do not contain PVC or phthalates and you don’t need solvents to clean up after they’ve been used - you can clean them with water.
The printed Kraft pattern applies to the 4oz & 6oz Kraft Green Stripe Cups as well as the entire range of 80mm Green Line cups. The reason we sometimes print a kraft-look pattern onto bleached white paper is either due to the fact that unbleached kraft paper is stiffer than bleached kraft paper and it doesn't form as well on the smaller cup diameters, or as in the case of the following BioBoard range, we are unable to source FSC certified unbleached kraft board and we believe the paper source is more important than the paper colour.
For more information, visit the "Kraft vs. Printed Kraft-Look Paper Products" blog.
In the paper cup industry, cup sizes are referred to in ounces (oz) as a standard and are used as a reference only. Depending on the manufacturer, the actual brimful capacity may vary – this is the exact measurement of liquid that fits in the cup/container when it is filled to maximum capacity or right to the brim. It is also called overflow capacity.
Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee a certain design. We cannot sell individual art cups and cannot guarantee which prints, or which series of prints will be in each carton.
For more information, visit "BioCup Art Series" website.
Our BioBoard boxes and trays are recyclable in the paper waste recycling if not too soiled. Like with recycling pizza boxes, if they are too dirty (grease, cheese, etc.), you need to put them in your general bin. This applies to products without bioplastic lining or windows only.
Yes, the window is PLA and most of the BioBoard range is PLA lined inside to ensure the paper doesn't absorb any condensation or softens. The sandwich wedge has a PLA window but no PLA lining.
Yes, as a paper product, our napkins can be placed in home compost bins and are widely accepted in council or commercial organics bins.
BioPak paper BioStraws are made from 4-ply premium grade paper, meaning they last longer without turning soft. Unlike other paper straws on the market, they are not lined with plastic. BioStraws are recyclable if not contaminated, home compostable and industrially compostable.
Wood
BioCutlery benefits include:
- Made from FSC™ certified Birchwood. FSC™ certification confirms responsible forest management that preserves the ecosystem and benefits the lives of locals.
- Home compostable
- Sturdy and versatile making them perfect for everything from ice cream to steak.
Did you know?
If a large music festival converted 100,000 plastic knives, fork and spoon packs to wooden BioCutlery, it would save 1.2 tonnes of plastic and reduce carbon emissions by 3.7 tonnes. That’s equivalent to the emissions produced by driving a new car halfway around the world!
No, wooden cutlery is not recyclable.
Yes, BioPak wooden cutlery is made from 100% FSC™️ certified Birchwood and would take the same amount of time to compost as any other woody garden waste.
Our coated wooden cutlery range has been coated with a food-safe, non-toxic, compostable plant-based carnauba wax.
Bioplastic
Some of the corn used to produce PLA bioplastic from Ingeo is made from GM crops. After converting the corn to PLA bioplastic there is no trace of any GM content and supporting evidence is available from Genescan if required.
For more information, visit the "Where does INGEO come from" website.
Benefits of our clear BioCup include:
- They are made from plant-based bioplastic, not fossil fuels
- Compared to regular plastic, bioplastic emits up to 80% less carbon and uses 52% less non-renewable energy in the production process
- They are transparent and suitable for serving cold food and drinks
- They are certified industrially compostable to the European EN13432 compost standard
- They can be processed into compost in a commercial compost facility within 12 weeks
Did you know?
If a large sports stadium converted 500,000 plastic cups used at one event to BioCups, it would reduce carbon emissions by 15 tonnes and would save 5.5 tonnes of plastic. That’s equivalent to reducing the emissions produced by driving a new car around the world two and a half times and saving the weight of two elephants in plastic!
More information:
Yes, our clear BioCups are certified commercially compostable to the European EN13432 compost standard. This means they will be processed into compost in 12 weeks in industrial compost conditions.
While our BioCups are technically recyclable, large scale infrastructure to process PLA (material category 7) is not well established. Therefore, BioCups generally not accepted in kerbside recycling. BioCups are certified commercially compostable to the European EN13432 compost standards and are designed for a circular economy.
Our bioplastic cups and lids have a 12-month shelf life from the date of purchase. Bioplastics must be stored out of the direct sun and below 35°C.
Bioplastics must be stored out of direct sun and below 35°C.
Our bioplastic cups and bowls do not have the appropriate barrier properties to be completely airtight and we do not recommend them in a retail setting.
NatureWorks, our PLA supplier, uses only the starch from corn for Ingeo PLA while the plant-based proteins are directed to the animal feed industry, maximizing the crop's total value.
