Foodservice Packaging Rides Environmentally Friendly Wave

Those walking the floor of the National Restaurant Association Show at McCormick Place in Chicago would find it hard to miss the strong presence of packaging, cutlery, plates, cups and more that are in some way better for the environment. Products boasting recyclable, compostable, biodegradable and more were on display in force. Here are few that CSP stopped to see:

Zhejiang Great Shengda Packaging Co., China, sells plates, bowls, food trays, takeaway boxes and cup lids made from natural plant fibers. Natural non-wood plant fiber environmental protection tableware is made of sugarcane bagasse fiber, wheat straw fiber, bamboo textile and more. “These raw materials are extracted by modern technology, dehydrated, shaped, dried and processed by food grade waterproof and oil-proof technology,” the company said. The products, which are environmentally friendly, degradable and compostable, are also customizable.

Also from China, Leepack Industrial Co. products, which include cups, bowls, cutlery, straws, containers, bags and lids, are all biodegradable and free of plastic. The company said it’s the first manufacturer of paper cutlery in China, and designs can be customized for any style and size. 

InnoPak, Delaware, Ohio, also sells an array of products including cutlery, plates, containers, lids and cups, many of can be customized and branded. Its Stalk Market compostable products are designed for sustainability. Most are made from paper, other plant fibers and PLA, a plant-based material that eliminates the need for petroleum-based plastic—or a combination of these materials.

Changya Newmaterial Technology Co., based in China, primarily produces paper, PLA and plastic and plant fiber disposable tableware, such as straws, cutlery, microwaveable containers, clamshell containers, cups, plates, boxes, carryout bags, dining kits and more.

Kraftworth, Twinsburg, Ohio, makes recyclable products. Paper products include popcorn tubs, chicken buckets, single-wall hot paper cups, cold cups, insulated cups, cup sleeves and molded fiber cup carriers. 

Bambusian Co., Fremont, California, makes biodegradable tableware using bamboo fibers. Products include containers, cutlery, cups, lids, bowls and plates. The raw materials are sourced from unpolluted mountain bamboo forests, where bamboo grows naturally without fertilizers or toxins, the company said.

Anqing Eternal Paper & Plastic Co., China, makes various disposable paper products, all of which can be produced to be biodegradable. Products include paper cups, kraft paper cups, PLA paper cups, aqueous paper cups, ripple wall papers cups, double wall paper cups and more.

Finally, a related item came from Pittsburgh-based Ecotone Renewables that recycles food waste it gets from hospitals, colleges, corporate kitchens and more—and turns it into fertilizer.