Bamboo Catering Plates: Palm and Sugarcane Alternatives

Packery does not stock bamboo disposable plates. If you searched for bamboo catering plates because you want a natural, plant-based look on the buffet table, the closest match we carry is our palm leaf plates and our unbleached sugarcane plates.

Key takeaways

• We don't sell bamboo plates; palm and unbleached sugarcane plates are the plant-based plates in our plates and trays range.
• Palm plates are made from palm leaves and come in round, square, rectangle and oval shapes, sold in cartons of 100.
• Unbleached sugarcane plates come in a natural colour, in round, oval and platter shapes, with cartons of 100, 500 or 1000.
• Palm plates suit a rustic, styled look; sugarcane plates suit higher-volume service where a clean, even finish matters more.
• Every product page shows the carton price and the price per item, and there is no minimum order.

Does Packery sell bamboo catering plates?

No. We don't carry bamboo plates or platters. Rather than send you to a product that doesn't exist, this guide compares the two plate materials we do stock that give a similar natural look: palm leaves and unbleached sugarcane.

Both come in a natural colour, both are made from plant material, and both are sold by the carton. The difference is mostly in how they look on the table, the shapes on offer and how many plates come in a carton.

What do palm plates look like compared with sugarcane plates?

Palm plates have the more "natural" appearance of the two, because they are made from palm leaves. Unbleached sugarcane plates are made from sugarcane in a natural colour, for a plainer, more uniform look on the table.

That gives you a simple way to choose:

• Palm leaves read as rustic and organic. They work well for grazing tables, garden weddings, long-table lunches and anywhere the presentation is part of the brief.
• Unbleached sugarcane reads as clean and understated. It sits well at corporate functions, staff events, school and community catering, and anywhere you need a lot of plates to look consistent.

If your client asked for bamboo because they want guests to notice the plates, palm is usually the closer fit. If they asked for bamboo because they simply want to avoid a white plastic or foam look, unbleached sugarcane is the practical choice.

Which shapes and sizes are available?

Palm plates give you the most shape variety, while sugarcane gives you the larger serving platters. Here is the side-by-side from our current range.

A few things stand out. Palm plates all come in cartons of 100, which suits smaller or one-off functions. The sugarcane round and oval plates come in cartons of 500 or 1000, so they suit caterers who run events every week and want stock on the shelf. The unbleached sugarcane platters are the deepest items here and are the ones to look at for shared serving rather than individual plates.

How do I match plate size to the menu?

Start with what guests will eat, then pick the shape. Canapés, cake and dessert need a small plate; a full meal needs a dinner-size plate; shared boards need a platter.

• Canapés, sweets and cake: the 7in Plate – Palm Round Small (Carton of 100) or 6in Plate – Palm Square Small (Carton of 100) for a styled look, or the 7in Sugarcane Plate – Unbleached Round (Carton of 1000) when volume matters more.
• Mains and buffets: the 10in Plate – Palm Round (Carton of 100) or the 10in Sugarcane Plate – Unbleached Round (Carton of 500).
• Grazing and shared food: the 12in Sugarcane Plate – Unbleached Platter (Carton of 100) and 16in Sugarcane Plate – Unbleached Platter (Carton of 100) carry a spread to the table.

Rectangle and oval shapes are worth considering for long tables, where a row of the same shape looks tidy. Our guide to palm leaf disposable plates goes further into the palm range on its own.

Which one should I buy?

Pick by the type of function, not just the material.

• Weddings, garden parties and styled grazing tables: go with palm. The 10in Plate – Palm Round (Carton of 100) for mains and the Plate – Palm Rectangle Large (Carton of 100) for sharing plates give a natural, varied look that comes closest to what a client means by "bamboo".
• Corporate lunches and conference catering: the 9in Sugarcane Plate – Unbleached Round (Carton of 500) keeps every setting consistent and costs $0.11 each.
• Large community events, school functions and festivals: the 7in Sugarcane Plate – Unbleached Round (Carton of 1000) at $0.08 each covers snacks and sweets across a big crowd.
• Buffets with larger portions: the Sugarcane Plate – Unbleached Oval Large (Carton of 500) at 252x317mm gives more surface than the 254mm round plate.
• Platters for boards and shared food: the 16in Sugarcane Plate – Unbleached Platter (Carton of 100) is the largest plate in this comparison.

You can also mix the two: palm for the feature table or dessert station, unbleached sugarcane for the main service. If you are stocking up across several sizes, our bulk disposable plates guide covers buying plates by the carton.

How does ordering work?

Everything is sold by the carton, and each product page shows the carton price and the price per item. There is no minimum order. Delivery is a flat fee set by your postcode, and free once an order passes a set amount; checkout shows the exact cost, and today's rates are on the shipping page. Delivery takes 3–5 business days to capital cities and 4–6 business days regional, so order with that lead time in mind before your function. All orders are prepaid online. Damaged or faulty items are replaced or refunded free; unopened stock cartons can be returned within 7 days of delivery (10% restocking fee, return delivery at your cost). Browse the full plates and trays range or add cartons straight away on quick order.

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No minimum order · free delivery over $750 (metro) / $1000 (regional) · damaged items replaced free · Delivery details