Eco-Friendly Disposable Cutleries: 9 Companies to Watch

PlasticFri: replacing disposable plastic with fiber-based alternatives

PlasticFri is a company founded by innovator brothers Allen and Max Mohammadi in 2018. The Stockholm-based company focuses on developing alternatives to plastic materials that can replace plastic in product applications where plastic is not a suitable choice, with the ultimate goal of reducing plastic waste and its detrimental impact on the environment.

The founders, Allen and Max, were inspired by their childhood experiences of cleaning up trash in nature and decided to take meaningful action to combat plastic waste.

A diverse range of plastic alternatives

PlasticFri has a diverse product range consisting of film-based and fiber-based products with unique properties that set them apart from mainstream alternatives. The PlasticFri Cup is a disposable paper cup suitable for cold and hot drinks made from fiber from sustainably managed forests. This cup is plastic film-free, PLA-free, certified recyclable, and biodegradable. The PlasticFri Straw works with all types of drinks, with no paper taste, and is recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable.

Apart from these two, the brand also offers aprons, trash bags, and mailers made with alternative materials. Their proprietary multi-step processes utilize renewable resources such as agricultural waste, wild plants, non-edible plants, and wood fibers.

Grabeco: plates and bowls from bagasse

Grabeco is an Indian company specialising in manufacturing an extensive range of biodegradable tableware, including plates, bowls, trays, clamshell boxes, wall panels, and pulp-molded packaging. The company is dedicated to offering bio-based biodegradable products produced using fibrous material from tree-free natural renewable resources like sugarcane bagasse.

Giving new use to sugarcane waste

Grabeco’s range of plates, bowls, and trays, made from bagasse, is an innovative way of making better use of waste. Instead of simply discarding the bagasse after the juice has been extracted, Grabeco turns them into paperboards and subsequently bowls and plates. At the end of life, these plates and bowls can be composted, meaning they don’t persist in the environment like traditional single-use plastic.

Renouvo: keeping waste in continuous useful cycles

JuTian Cleantech Co., Ltd. established the Renouvo brand in 2022. The company is based in Taiwan, but it has a global reach, with its products being sold to 25 countries on five continents, with Europe being the main market. The company has a vision of "waste equals food" and works towards keeping all waste in continuous cycles.

They design compostable materials to replace plastics and incorporate clean technologies in their manufacturing process to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Replacing petrochemical plastic with sugarcane plastic

Their primary focus is on the research and development of natural waste plant-based materials as a substitute for petrochemical plastics. Renouvo's solutions include an extensive range of compostable products made from sugarcane, a renewable resource. Their product lineup includes compostable sugarcane straws, cutleries, and sugarcane reusable cups.

After use, the products can be decomposed and returned to nature through biological recycling systems, which is a naturally occurring or engineered setup in which organic waste is decomposed by living organisms and transformed into nutrients for ecosystems.

traceless: plastic without traces

traceless is a Hamburg, Germany-based startup founded in 2020 that specialies in producing biomaterials derived from natural biopolymers found in agricultural industry residues.

Co-founded by Anne Lamp and Johanna Baare, their products are designed as an alternative to conventional plastics and bioplastics. traceless has a clear commitment to sustainability and environmental conservation. Their materials are biobased and home-compostable. These materials can be processed into flexible films, rigid materials, coatings, and adhesives, all while being completely natural.

a new material class that is neither plastic nor bioplastic

traceless has developed a technology to produce a unique material known as traceless®, which it says is neither plastic nor bioplastic. This material is derived from natural biopolymers found in agricultural industry residues, effectively utilising what would otherwise be waste products. traceless® is presented in granulate form, providing an alternative to conventional plastics and bioplastics.

traceless® is versatile and applicable to a wide range of uses, including but not limited to flexible and rigid packaging for food and non-food items, single-use products, high abrasion products, as well as coatings and adhesives for paper and cardboard.

BIO-LUTIONS: fiber-based disposable cutlery

BIO-LUTIONS is a company creating sustainable packaging solutions that are an alternative to single-use plastic. Their production facility is located in Schwedt/Oder, Germany, where they have been operating their R&D center since 2019.

BIO-LUTIONS is committed to creating environmentally friendly and cost-effective fiber-based packaging solutions. Their products are completely recyclable, holding a CEPI certification.

Bringing efficiency to alternative materials

BIO-LUTIONS offers a range of products that address the concern of single-use packaging, through using natural fiber.

Their products are recyclable, food-safe, robust, and odor-neutral. The dry molding production process used by BIO-LUTIONS allows for efficient manufacturing while saving water and energy compared to conventional fiber molding. Natural fibers are transformed into a fluffy web using air, which is then layered with tissue, pressed, and die-cut into the final products. This technology offers faster production cycles, decreased energy consumption, and a drastic reduction in water usage.

Spoontainable: edible spoons and more

Spoontainable offers sustainable cutlery alternatives for the food industry. They have developed edible spoons, stirrers, and straws as an alternative to plastic cutlery.

Based in Heidelberg, Germany, the company's commitment to sustainability is evident in its use of rescued cocoa shells or oat husks to create their products. This provides a use for these materials and results in products that are edible and biodegradable.

Eating with edible cutlery

Spoontainable’s innovative solution includes a range of edible cutlery products such as spoons, stirrers, and drinking straws made from 100% natural ingredients. The main highlight of their product lineup is the edible spoon, available in different flavors and sizes, made from upcycled food fibers derived from cocoa shells and oat husks.

Spoontainable's edible cutlery stands out because it is not just an alternative to single-use plastic but also an innovative way to tackle food waste. Their products are vegan and gluten-free. These edible spoons and stirrers last for at least 60 minutes in cold desserts, providing a practical solution without compromising on convenience or quality.

MYNUSco: disposable cutlery from biocomposites

Founded by Mahadev Chikkanna and Shruthi Ramesh, MYNUSco specialises in producing a wide range of biocomposite materials made from fast-renewable resources and binders.

These materials are bio-based, fossil-based, biodegradable, or recycled, making them suitable for various applications, from cutlery to cars. They also provide a diverse range of materials, including bamboo, husk, straw, wood, starch, coir, and pine, giving customers the freedom to choose the most sustainable option for their needs.

Designed to degrade faster

MYNUSco’s biopur biocomposites are designed to be suitable for disposables and packaging that need to biodegrade in home or industrial compost. They are made from a variety of materials, including bamboo, husk, starch, wood, and even stone. The products are certified safe for use in food contact. Their products degrade faster than many commercial compostable bioplastics and are suitable for industrial and home composting.

RWDC Industries: leveraging microbial fermentation

RWDC Industries, founded in 2015 by Roland Wee and Dr. Daniel Carraway, has set a course towards a more sustainable future by focusing on the commercial production of bio-based polymers. The company is headquartered in Athens, Georgia, USA, and has developed innovative solutions to reduce the reliance on petroleum-based plastics.

The company has developed a technology that utilises microbial fermentation processes to convert plant-based oils into a naturally occurring biodegradable polymer known as polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). This polymer is the basis of their product, Solon™.

Biopolymers from renewable feedstock

Solon™ is the innovative biopolymer that RWDC Industries hopes to use to replace petroleum-derived, single-use plastics. It is a type of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), sustainably produced from renewable feedstock. It can biodegrade in natural environments and leaves no harmful remains or byproducts. The biopolymer is suitable for making everyday items like drinking straws, coffee cups and lids, utensils, food containers, and plastic bags.

Frugalpac: recyclable paper cups

Founded by Martin Myerscough, Frugalpac was born out of a need to create packaging solutions that are both recyclable and reduce carbon emissions. Since its inception, Frugalpac has developed the Frugal Cup and the Frugal Bottle, with more innovations on the way. The company operates from an engineering innovation center located in Ipswich and supplies its products globally.

Paper cup based on simplicity

The Frugal Cup is aimed at addressing the need for a truly recyclable paper cup option. The cup is designed specifically for food and beverage products, and is unique in its construction. It is made from 96% recycled paper, and the liner is easily separable during the standard recycling process. The liner can either be recycled or utilised for energy recovery. With its simple yet innovative design, the Frugal Cup is available in various sizes and brands can print inside and outside the cup.