FAQ

In case you are wondering and having some questions, this page is for you. If you don’t find the answer to your question here, you are welcome to reach out via the contact page.

Purchasing

You can purchase our products directly from us, wholesalers or distribution partners in specific regions. Please contact us and we will direct your inquiry to the appropriate sales representative.

 

Our products are sourced and manufactured in Europe. Our ambition is to make as little impact as possible on the environment.

 

Since there are on many different parameter including quantities, sizes, thicknesses, printing specifications, etc; we do not offer a standard price list.

You can contact us mentioning product type, size specification and quantities and we will assist you in the best possible way.

No. We already serve customers both in Europe and globally. We have our own warehouse and logistic partners enabling us to ship worldwide.

 

Currently, we sell to businesses. We are working hard to make it possible for individuals, end consumers and private citizens to get access to our products through retailers.

Please contact us and we will assist you with your inquiry.

 

In large quantities, PlasticFri is already cost competitive with plastic and bioplastics.

The price is dependent on many different parameter including quantities, sizes, thicknesses, printing specifications, etc.  Generally, PlasticFri products may cost slightly more than conventional plastic products to manufacture on a kilogram to kilogram basis; due to the different sources of raw materials.  However, our products are one of the most affordable options available on the market today, while providing unique environmental value propositions.

In fact, we provide our customers with the products at a significantly lower increase or no increase at all over what they are paying for conventional plastic. Because we have an efficient supply chain and can supply our customers with factory-direct pricing with adequate production volumes. We are also constantly improving our production processes and increasing the economies of scale in a continued effort to decrease our cost even more.

Please contact us mentioning product type, size specification and quantities and we will assist you in the best possible way.

Right now, we only offer finished products.

We don’t sell our biomaterial and don’t offer licensing of our technology at this point in time.

Yes! Our products are customizable with your design and your logo.

Additionally, PlasticFri Film products (carrier bag, waste bag, apron, cape and fruit bag) can be produced in different thicknesses, sizes and with custom printing to meet your needs.

Please note all of our products are subject to our standard terms and conditions.

For any inquiries about the customizability of our products, please contact us for more information.

Products & Technology

We utilize renewable resources such as agricultural waste, wild or non-edible plants and wood fibers.

We offer two categories of products: film-based products and paper-based/fiber-based products.

Film-based products include: Carrier bag, waste bag, fruit and vegetable bag, dog waste bag, cape and apron.

Fiber-based products include: disposable drinking cup, lid, straw, lux carrier bag and mailer.

Please see our product page, for more information.

Five main differences: sustainability, cost, functionality, scalability, third-party validations (certifications)

The alternative solutions either pollute the environment, are expensive, have poor functionality, not scalable and lack third-party validations (certifications).

PlasticFri is superior to existing solutions, because it is providing certified sustainable alternatives with great performance at a competitive price. Moreover, none of the competitors are using waste and non-edible plants as the source. This means that we are not competing with the food chain and at the same time can reduce the local waste streams.

The combination of five above-mentioned differences, makes PlasticFri unique!

The rate depends on multiple conditions that trigger the biodegradation process including moisture levels, oxygen, heat and microorganisms.  The process of biodegradation also depends on the product application. Our films comply with standards for home and industrial composting, including EN 13432 and ASTM D6400, TUV OK Compost Home which stipulate that home compostable films disintegrate within 6 months and industrially compostable films disintegrate within 3 months.

Please note that biodegradability does not mean that you can litter or throw our products in the nature! Littering should not be encouraged under any circumstances.

No. Our products will not biodegrade on the shelf. Biodegradation will only be initiated in an environment with the presence of micro-organisms, humidity and heat. However, PlasticFri product can over time, like any other material, lose some of its mechanical properties. As long as they are stored in a cool, dark place, the products will retain their structural integrity for a reasonably long time as proper storage prevents the initiation of the biodegradation process.  We have a shelf life of at least 12 months.

PlasticFri is produced using the existing manufacturing facilities. This makes our technology highly-scalable and cost-efficient to operate.

Sure! Our products are certified by toughest certification standards in Europe and globally.

The best end of life option for our fiber-based products are to recycle them as paper together with other paper waste. This enables the valuable raw material to stay in the loop and becomes new paper that can be used for making new paper-based products.

The best end of life option for our film-based products is composability, as it can become nutrition for the soil.

So basically when you compost the product, it can become fertilizer which is nutritiuos for the soil. And when you recycle it, the valuable raw material stays in the loop and can become new products.

Environmental definitions

The term biodegradable refers to a chemical process during which micro-organisms that are available in the environment convert materials into natural substances such as water, carbon dioxide and biomass (artificial additives are not needed!).

The process of biodegradation depends on the surrounding environmental conditions (such as moisture levels, oxygen, heat and microorganisms, location), on the material itself, and on the application.

In order for a product to be labelled as compostable, it must fully biodegrade in an industrial composting and/or setting within a specified time period usually less than 180 days. It also must be able to break down into natural elements that produce usable compost for soil and certified by an accredited laboratory under the relevant standards.

If a material is compostable, it is automatically considered as biodegradable and can be recovered in a composting process. A biodegradable material will break down under the action of micro-organisms, but could leave residues after one composting cycle and no guarantee for toxic residues can be given. Therefore a biodegradable material cannot automatically be considered to be compostable before proof of its compostability has been given according to existing standards (EN13432). The term biodegradable is very often misused in marketing and advertising of products and materials that are not actually environmentally friendly. This is why we use more often the term compostable when describing our products.

The main difference between home and industrial composting is the rate of biodegradation. European bioplastics defines the difference between home and industrial composting as follows: “The main difference between industrial and home/garden composting is that temperatures in industrial composting facilities are much higher and kept stable, whereas the temperature of a home compost are usually lower and less constant as well as being influenced by multiple other factors such as weather conditions. Home composting is a much slower process than industrial composting involving a comparatively smaller volume of waste.”

While often confused with biodegradable plastics, oxo-degradables are conventional plastics that are mixed with chemical additives that accelerate degradation when in contact with oxygen. Oxo-degradable plastics quickly fragment into smaller and smaller pieces, called microplastics, but don’t break down at the molecular or polymer level like biodegradable and compostable plastics. The resulting microplastics are difficult to clean up and are often left in the environment indefinitely causing harmful long-term effects. Of course, our products are NOT in this category and we strongly encourage you to pay attention when selecting products marketed as degradable or oxo-degradable.

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