At Made in Oldstead, being ecologically mindful is important to us. One way that we are championing this is through our packaging. Our aim is to constantly innovate the way we package our menus to ensure sustainability remains at the core of our ethos.
Cardboard Boxes:
Our outer food boxes are made from corrugated board, which is one of the most environmentally-friendly packaging materials available. All waste created during the process of manufacturing the outer boxes is collected into an extraction and baler system. This produces bales of corrugated board which are then collected and processed to be made into corrugated board again.
Not only do they contain a minimum of 80% recycled material, our outer cardboard boxes are 100% recyclable too. Simply flatten and place into your household recycling.
Flexi-Hex Packaging:
Our Flexi-hex packaging is made from over 85% recycled material, is 100% plastic free, composts in six weeks and can be placed in your household cardboard recycling. The PVA adhesive glue used to construct the Flexi-hex boxes is non-toxic, and under the right conditions, will biodegrade within six weeks of disposal.
Flexi-hex also carbon-offset their emissions by working closely with the Mossy Earth Company too!
Woolcool Fleece Lining:
To keep your food boxes nice and chilled on their journey from us to you, we insulate them with Woolcool lining – made from 100% sheep’s wool which is washed in a natural process and sealed in a recyclable polyethylene wrap.
When separated from the inner wool lining, the polyethylene wrap can be recycled for use in plastics manufacturing by replacing oil, which is a key contributor to air pollution. The wool lining, as well as being one of the most sustainable and abundant natural materials, is also completely biodegradable and compostable! It can be recycled around the home too – head to Woolcool’s #LetsBoxClever page for inspiration: https://www.woolcool.com/woolcool-recycling-ideas/. You can also return your Woolcool for free for them to clean, reprocess and make into new Woolcool to be used again. To return for FREE: https://www.collectplus.yodel.co.uk/woolcool/.
Gel Packs:
All our boxes contain frozen gel packs – this guarantees that the contents are kept cold for at least 48 hours while on their journey to you. All our gel packs are food safe and non-toxic. They can also be reused – just pop in the freezer to refreeze!
The polymer gel balls on the inside of the gel pack can be disposed of as normal water waste, as they are not harmful to the environment (e.g. down the drain). Please place the outer film into your general waste.
Modular Boxes, Ovenable Trays and Menus:
Our menus and inner modular boxes are made from responsibly-sourced materials, with inks made with vegetable oil or water-based ingredients – they’re also 100% recyclable too. Simply flatten and place into your household recycling.
Kraft Containers:
Our PLA (plant starch) kraft lined containers are 100% recyclable, sustainable, renewable and compostable – our lids are fully recyclable too! Both can be placed into your local household recycling for cardboard and plastic.
Plastic Pots:
Our plastic pots are made by Vegware from renewable, lower carbon, recycled or reclaimed materials making them an environmentally friendly solution. Vegware pots and lids can be commercially composted with food waste, where accepted – you can find out if there is a collection service in your local area here. Where there is no access to industrial composting facilities, used pots and lids should be put in general waste.
NatureFlex™ Bags:
NatureFlex™ is a fully-compostable film made from wood pulp. Free-from genetically modified materials and sourced from managed locations, this film has excellent properties and is made from renewable, sustainable sources – an environmentally friendly choice. NatureFlex™ bags are 100% compostable in line with both American (ASTM D6400) and European (EN13432) norms. This means they can be composted alongside your garden waste, degrading relatively quickly.
Sachets for Sauces and Other Liquids:
Sachets for sauces and other liquids are unfortunately not yet recyclable in the UK, as their composition involves various layers of plastic to prevent leakage in transit to you. Although a standard recycling process hasn’t yet been found, we’re committed to finding alternative solutions that are better for the planet, no matter how long this might take.
How you can recycle at home:
Recycle Now is a great website with lots of information about how to recycle different materials at home. You can view their complete directory of recycling household items here, and you can also check what your local authority can recycle here.
Questions about our packaging? You can speak to our customer service team via email: shop@tommybanks.co.uk