A guide to our packaging materials

Takeaway packaging is made from a wide range of materials, each with different properties and manufacturing processes. Some packaging applications require combining materials. Each material or combination thereof has its own physical profile and set of performance capabilities. Some materials, such as sugarcane fibre, make use of agricultural by-products. Others, such as polylactic acid (PLA), are manufactured from plant-derived sugars to produce materials with properties similar to conventional plastics. Understanding these materials - whether that is moulded fibre, paperboard or bioplastic, understanding the materials means knowing how the packaging performs, knowing what certifications and End of Life opportunities are possible.

 

We use renewable, recycled and compostable materials to provide alternatives to conventional fossil-fuel-based packaging. This guide explains the materials used across our packaging range, their properties, potential end of life pathways and the packaging products you’ll find them in.

Sugarcane fibre (bagasse)

Sugarcane fibre, also known as bagasse, is a by-product of sugar production. After sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract their juice, the remaining fibrous material is collected and processed into moulded packaging. Composed primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, sugarcane fibre provides a renewable alternative to conventional plastic packaging while making use of material generated by an existing agricultural process.

Moulded fibre packaging isn't a new technology. It has long been used to protect fragile products, such as eggs, and its combination of strength, rigidity and mouldability makes it particularly suitable for food packaging.

Sugarcane fibre naturally provides a degree of resistance to moisture and grease without requiring an additional plastic or bioplastic lining. This makes it suitable for takeaway containers holding hot, oily or moisture-rich foods. The material can be moulded into a variety of shapes from coffee cup lids to compartmentalised food containers that separate different meal components.

Where you'll find sugarcane fibre

Sugarcane takeaway containers

Sugarcane lids for cups

Read more: Compostability standards and environmental claims

Bamboo moulded fibre

Bamboo is a fast-growing perennial grass and one of the world's most productive sources of plant biomass. Unlike trees, which can take decades to reach maturity, certain bamboo species can be harvested within much shorter growth cycles. Its rapid growth and ability to regenerate after harvesting make bamboo an alternative source of fibre for packaging, reducing reliance on conventional timber resources.

Bamboo fibres have high tensile strength and can be processed into moulded packaging with good structural integrity. Like sugarcane fibre, moulded bamboo packaging can provide resistance to moisture and grease without requiring an additional lining. These properties make bamboo suitable for food boxes, bowls and other takeaway containers where rigidity and resistance to moisture are important.

Bamboo can also be manufactured into solid products, including forks and skewers. Unlike moulded fibre packaging, these items retain the structural properties of the original bamboo material and do not require coatings for their intended use.

Where you'll find bamboo moulded fibre

Bamboo food boxes

Bamboo forks

Bamboo skewers

Polylactic acid (PLA)

Polylactic acid, commonly known as PLA, is a bioplastic manufactured from renewable plant-based resources such as corn starch, cassava and sugarcane.

Unlike conventional plastics derived primarily from fossil fuels, PLA is produced using sugars extracted from plant-derived feedstocks. Manufacturing begins with fermentation, where microorganisms convert sugars into lactic acid. Through a process called polymerisation, lactic acid molecules are linked together to form long polymer chains, creating PLA resin.

The resin is processed into pellets that can be melted and manufactured into packaging through processes including extrusion, injection moulding and thermoforming. PLA can be made into transparent, rigid packaging with properties similar to conventional petroleum-based plastics. This makes it particularly suitable for products where visibility, shape and structural integrity are important.

It can also be manufactured into thin films used as moisture-resistant linings for paper cups and food containers.

Where you'll find PLA

Cold clear cold cups and lids

Cold clear deli containers and sauce containers

Lining paper coffee cups

Lining noodle boxes

Lining paper bowls

As a component in compostable bin liners

Read more: Is PLA compostable?

Birch wood

Birch is a hardwood species native to parts of Europe, northern Asia and North America. It is relatively fast-growing compared with many other hardwoods, with some species reaching maturity in approximately 30–40 years. Before the widespread adoption of single-use plastics, wood was commonly used to manufacture utensils and other everyday products; tooth picks for example. Today, it provides an alternative to conventional plastic cutlery.

Birch wood is lightweight, rigid and can be shaped into utensils without requiring the additional polymers used in plastic manufacturing. Our birch wood cutlery is manufactured without coatings and while uncoated wood is generally suitable for composting - not all cutlery is produced this way. Any coatings or treatments applied during manufacturing can affect composting suitability. Acceptance varies by collection provider and processing facility. 

Where you'll find birch wood

Wooden forks, knives, spoons, coffee stirrers

Wooden ice cream paddles

Wooden cutlery sets

Paper and paperboard

Paper and paperboard are among the most widely used (and oldest) materials in food packaging. Manufactured from cellulose fibres, they provide structural strength, flexibility and a surface suitable for printing and custom branding. Different paper grades and construction methods are used depending on the packaging application.

Kraft paper and paperboard, for example, can be manufactured into bags, food trays, boxes and other containers that do not necessarily require an additional lining.

For foods with relatively low moisture content, such as chips, pastries or sandwiches, the structure of the paperboard itself may be sufficient. But packaging intended to hold liquids, soups or foods with higher moisture content generally requires an additional barrier to prevent absorption and maintain structural integrity.

But again, like wooden cutlery, while paper and paperboard products are often accepted in organics collections, not all paper and paperboard packaging are manufactured to the same specifications, and coatings or treatments can affect composting suitability.

Where you'll find paper and paperboard

Paper coffee cups

Paper carry bags

Greaseproof paper bags

Paperboard chip cups

Paper bowls lined with PLA

Kraft paper noodle boxes lined with PLA

Kraft food containers and trays

Paper straws

Paper napkins

Paper coffee cup carrier trays

A note on responsibly sourced paper and timber products

Paper packaging can also incorporate recycled fibres, reducing demand for virgin fibre in suitable applications. Across our range we use FSC®-certified paper and paperboard, including FSC MIX and FSC RECYCLED materials. FSC certification provides a framework for responsible forest management and supply chain traceability, while the specific certification claim identifies the sourcing category applicable to the product.

Read more: What is FSC?

Transitional coatings and linings

Conventional paper cups and food containers often use polyethylene (PE) linings to provide resistance to liquids. Alternative linings include PLA and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), which provide similar barrier functions while offering different material origins and end-of-life properties. In the case of PHA linings and aqueous coatings, these products may be certified for home compostability, versus PLA which is only suited to industrial composting. These materials are moving us away from using fossil fuels and towards new feedstocks, new ingredients and new processes.

The lining is an important consideration because it affects both the performance of the packaging and how the finished product can be managed after use. Not all paper packaging is recyclable or compostable simply because it is made primarily from paper. The presence of coatings, adhesives and other components needs to be considered alongside the requirements of local collection and processing systems. For example, a paper cup is not only paper. To hold liquid that cup requires a material barrier to hold liquid.

Where you'll find transitional linings

PHA lined paper cups

Aqueous coated paper cups

PLA lined paper cups

PLA lined paper bowls

Read more: PLA versus PHA what is the difference?

Polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT)

Polybutylene adipate terephthalate, commonly known as PBAT,  is a polyester-based copolymer derived from 1,4-butanediol, adipic acid, and terephthalic acid. Unlike PLA and PHA, PBAT is generally derived from fossil-fuel-based raw materials. However, its chemical structure allows it to biodegrade under suitable composting conditions  as is engineered to biodegrade through composting.

PBAT is flexible, resilient and has properties similar to low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a conventional plastic commonly used in bags and flexible films. These characteristics make PBAT suitable for applications requiring flexibility and resistance to tearing.

PBAT is often blended with other biodegradable polymers, including PLA, to produce compostable films because adding PBAT to another polymer means the blended copolymer will also biodegrade. Combining these materials allows manufacturers to balance properties such as flexibility, strength and processability. That said, the compostability of the finished product depends on the formulation and whether it meets the requirements of the relevant compostability standard.

Where you'll find PBAT

Compostable bin liners

Compostable coffee knock box bin liners

Choosing packaging materials

Different materials offer different properties, and no single material is suitable for every packaging application. Moulded sugarcane and bamboo fibres provide rigidity and resistance to moisture without requiring additional linings. Paper and paperboard offer versatility across a wide range of packaging formats, while PLA and PHA provide barrier properties suited to products such as cups and food containers. Flexible applications, including bin liners, require different material properties again. When selecting packaging, consider the food or product being contained, its temperature and moisture content, how it will be transported and the functional properties required.

Material origin and end-of-life suitability are separate considerations. Packaging made from renewable resources is not necessarily compostable, and compostable packaging is not necessarily made entirely from renewable materials. Where compostability is important, look for certification applicable to the finished product and confirm that an appropriate collection and processing pathway is available.

For more information about compostability certifications, local acceptance requirements and disposal options, read our End-of-Life Guidance.