Compostable Packaging Resources & Guides
Welcome to the Pure Compostables resource library — a working set of in-depth guides written for the people who actually procure, evaluate, and switch to compostable packaging. You’ll find detailed certification breakdowns (BPI, TUV, EN 13432, ASTM D6400 and beyond), step-by-step playbooks for transitioning a business away from conventional plastics, and product selection guides covering bag sizes, materials, and use cases. Every article is written from the perspective of a manufacturer with thirteen years of operating experience — not a marketing team. Use the categories below to navigate by topic, or browse the most recent guides directly. If your question isn’t answered here, our team is happy to help — start with our wholesale page or send us a note via the contact page.
-
Are All Paper Cups Compostable?
The short answer is no — most paper cups in everyday use have a plastic lining that prevents them from being compostable, recyclable, or biodegradable in any meaningful timeframe. The cups that ARE compostable use specific alternative coatings. Here’s how to tell which is which.
-
10 Compostable Items Every School Lunchroom Needs
School lunchrooms are one of the highest-impact venues for switching from disposable plastics to compostable foodware. Ten specific compostable items address the full lunchroom experience — from trays to utensils to milk containers. Each one displaces a plastic equivalent that’s currently going to landfill.
-
6 Compostable Items for Cruise Ship Foodservice
Cruise ship foodservice operates under unique constraints — limited storage, on-board waste processing, regulatory pressure to reduce ocean-bound waste, and high-volume room service. Six compostable items are particularly well-suited to the cruise environment, addressing the operational realities that land-based operators don’t face.
-
What Is Bagasse? The Sugarcane Pulp That’s Replacing Plastic Across Foodservice in 2026
Bagasse — the byproduct of sugarcane processing that’s become the workhorse compostable substrate for foodservice bowls, plates, clamshells, and to-go boxes. How it’s made, why it works, and what B2B buyers should know in 2026.
-
Why “Bioplastic” and “Biobased” Are Not the Same Thing
The packaging label says “bioplastic” or “biobased” or “bio-derived” — and most consumers assume these all mean the same thing. They don’t. The terminology hides important distinctions about what the material is made from, how it breaks down, and whether it actually composts. Here’s the unpacking.
-
A Compostable Holiday Wreath That Composts in a Backyard Pile
Most decorative holiday wreaths use plastic ribbon, wire frames, foam berries, and synthetic greenery — they last for years on the door and forever in the landfill. A wreath built entirely from compostable materials can hang for the season then go straight into a backyard pile. Here’s how it’s done.
-
A Compostable Cat Scratching Post Bottom
Cat scratching posts wear out — the sisal frays, the wood scratches through, the carpet shreds. The bottom plate is usually plastic or particleboard with synthetic adhesive, and it ends up in landfill when the post is replaced. A scratching post built with a compostable bottom plate solves this without changing the cat’s experience.
-
Christmas Dinner: How to Compost Every Scrap From the Plate
Christmas dinner generates more food scraps per capita than almost any other meal of the year — turkey carcass, vegetable peels, gravy boats with leftovers, fruit cake crumbs, dessert plate residue. With a thoughtful approach, almost every scrap can go to compost rather than landfill. Here’s the meal-by-meal walkthrough.
-
Earth Day Crafts for Schools: Compostable Materials Only
Earth Day crafts in schools often use plastic, foam, glitter, and synthetic materials — the very things Earth Day is trying to reduce. With a small amount of planning, every craft for the day can use exclusively compostable materials. Here are the projects, the materials, and the lesson framing that makes the day actually align…
-
9 Compostable Materials Compared by Heat Tolerance
The single biggest reason a compostable container fails in real foodservice use is heat — the contents are hotter than the material can handle. The 9 main compostable materials each have specific heat tolerance ranges that determine where they belong in a kitchen. Here’s the comparison, with concrete temperature data.
-
8 Compostable Items for Theme Park Foodservice
Theme park foodservice has unusual constraints — high volume, walking customers, no return-to-counter dishwashing, weather exposure, sticky and oily foods. Eight compostable items handle this environment well, with specific spec considerations that don’t apply to standard restaurant operations.
-
A Buyer’s Guide to Compostable Hot Food Sleeves
Hot food sleeves — the cardboard cylinders that wrap around hot drinks and hot food items — protect customer hands from heat and protect food temperature from the surrounding air. The compostable version handles both functions while replacing the standard PET-coated alternative. Here’s the buying guide.