Biodegradable Packaging in Australia: What the Labels Mean
Biodegradable packaging is any material that natural microbes can eventually break down, but the word on its own says nothing about where, how or how fast. For an Australian café or takeaway shop comparing biodegradable food packaging suppliers and buying by the carton, the more useful question is what each item is actually made of: sugarcane, PLA-lined paper, aqueous-coated paper, kraft paper or corrugated board.
Key takeaways
- "Biodegradable", "compostable" and "recyclable" describe three different end-of-life ideas, and they are not interchangeable.
- The material is the most reliable thing to check on any listing. Every product below is described by its material, not by a label.
- Sugarcane, paper and corrugated options cover containers, cups, bags, cutlery pouches, food paper and catering trays.
- Everything is sold by the carton, with the carton price and price per item shown on each product page.
- There is no minimum order, and all orders are prepaid online.
What does "biodegradable" actually mean?
Biodegradable means a material can be broken down by bacteria, fungi and other organisms into simpler natural substances. The catch is that the term does not say what conditions are needed or how long it takes, which is why it is a weak basis for comparing products.
Almost any plant-based material will break down eventually, and so will some plastics under the right conditions. When a supplier uses the word without naming the material, you learn very little.
How is compostable different from biodegradable?
Compostable is a narrower idea: the item is meant to break down into compost alongside food scraps, in a composting system. Whether that happens depends on the item and on the facility or bin it ends up in, so a product should only be called compostable when it is sold and described that way.
None of the products in this guide carry "Compostable" in their name, so we do not call them compostable. If that is the specific requirement for your venue, our guide to compostable takeaway containers covers that question in more detail.
And what does recyclable mean?
Recyclable means the material can be collected and reprocessed into new material. It depends on what your local collection service accepts and on whether the item is clean enough, which is why greasy or food-soiled packaging is often treated differently from clean board.
In practice, plain paper and corrugated board are the materials people most often associate with recycling, while lined or coated paper and food-soiled items vary. Check with your waste provider before advising customers.
What materials are these products made from?
Each product below uses one of five plain materials, listed exactly as they appear on the product page:
- Sugarcane: a moulded fibre made from sugarcane pulp. The 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell (Carton of 200) and the 2oz Sugarcane Serving Container – Cup Unbleached (Carton of 2000) are both sugarcane in a natural colour.
- Paper + PLA coated: paperboard with a PLA lining. PLA is a plant-based polymer used as a liquid and grease barrier. The noodle boxes, the extra large lunch box and the 12oz kraft cup use this material.
- Paper + aqueous coated: paperboard with a water-based coating, used on the 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print (Carton of 500).
- Paper and recycled paper: used for greaseproof sheets, cutlery pouches and kraft bags.
- Corrugated: fluted board, used for the snack box and the large catering trays.
How do the prices compare?
Every item is sold by the carton, and each product page shows both the carton price and the price per item. This table is built from those listings, so you can compare like for like.
| Product | Material | Size | Carton qty | Carton price | Price per item |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell | Sugarcane | 229x152x75mm | 200 | $37.40 | $0.19 |
| 2oz Sugarcane Serving Container – Cup Unbleached | Sugarcane | 2oz | 2000 | $78.62 | $0.04 |
| 8oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box | Paper + PLA Coated | 8oz | 1000 | $124.59 | $0.12 |
| 32oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box | Paper + PLA Coated | 32oz | 500 | $142.00 | $0.28 |
| PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large | Paper + PLA Coated | 197x140x90mm | 200 | $116.64 | $0.58 |
| 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm | Paper + PLA Coated | 12oz | 1000 | $135.09 | $0.14 |
| 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print | Paper + Aqueous Coated | 8oz | 500 | $54.90 | $0.11 |
| Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Snack Box Large Plain | Corrugated | 205x106x76mm | 200 | $40.66 | $0.20 |
| Kraft Bag – Brown Twisted Handle Takeaway Medium | Recycled Paper | 305x305x175mm | 250 | $49.25 | $0.20 |
| Kraft Cutlery – Pouch With Napkin | Paper | 75x190mm | 1000 | $58.23 | $0.06 |
| 80mm Corrugated Plate – Brown Rectangle Catering Tray Large High Sides | Corrugated | 560x255x80mm | 50 | $43.55 | $0.87 |
Which one should I buy?
Start from what you serve, then choose the material that suits it. These picks match common venue types to specific products:
- Takeaway shops serving burgers or mains: the 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell (Carton of 200) at $0.19 each is a hinged sugarcane box in a natural colour.
- Asian takeaway, noodle bars and poke shops: the 8oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box (Carton of 1000) at $0.12 each for sides, and the 32oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box (Carton of 500) at $0.28 each for mains.
- Lunch bars and meal-prep kitchens: the PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large (Carton of 200) at $0.58 each. It can be custom printed with your logo through custom print.
- Cafés: the 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000) at $0.14 each, or the 8oz aqueous-coated double wall cup at $0.10 each for a smaller size.
- Food trucks and fish and chip shops: the Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Snack Box Large Plain (Carton of 200) at $0.20 each, lined with Greaseproof Paper – Yellow Gingham (Carton of 200) at $0.03 each.
- Caterers: the 80mm Corrugated Plate – Brown Rectangle Catering Tray Large High Sides (Carton of 50) at $0.87 each, paired with Kraft Cutlery – Pouch With Napkin (Carton of 1000) at $0.06 each.
- Any venue sending orders out the door: the Kraft Bag – Brown Twisted Handle Takeaway Medium (Carton of 250), made from recycled paper, at $0.20 each.
Sauces and dressings fit the 2oz sugarcane cup at $0.06 each. If you are stocking up across several lines at once, our notes on buying takeaway containers in bulk may help with planning.
How do I order?
There is no minimum order, so you can order a single carton to trial a material before switching your whole range. Delivery is $35 flat to metro areas, free on orders over $750, and $75 flat to regional areas, free over $1,000. Delivery takes 3–5 business days to capital cities and 4–6 business days to regional areas.
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 range of takeaway containers or, if you already know your product codes, use quick order.
Setting up or restocking your packaging?
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No minimum order · free delivery over $750 (metro) / $1000 (regional) · damaged items replaced free · Delivery details
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