Earth & Wheat compostable bags

Source: Earth & Wheat

‘Wonky’ bread subscription service Earth & Wheat has teamed up with Treetop Biopak to switch to compostable packaging.

Earth & Wheat subscribers will now start to receive their bread inside new home-compostable bags designed for short shelf-life food such as bakery items.

Compostable packaging requires an active microbial environment, such as a compost heap, to fully degrade. This means Earth & Wheat’s new bags will disintegrate and then biodegrade into carbon dioxide (CO2), water and biomass, leaving no harmful residue behind, the company said. The OK Home Compost and EN/13432 certification means the bags will disintegrate after 12 weeks and completely biodegrade within one year in a home compost, Earth & Wheat added.

Earth & Wheat was launched by James Eid in March 2021, aiming to reduce food waste at the point of production. The enterprise ‘rescues’ bread and other baked goods which would otherwise have been discarded due to its odd size or unattractive appearance.

“Our mission is to reduce food waste in the UK but we’re always looking at innovative ways to become more sustainable, so we’re delighted to partner with Treetop Biopak,” said Eid. “By using their compostable bags in our Earth & Wheat boxes, we have found a great alternative to using plastic, which can be harmful to our environment.

“The bags are durable, puncture-resistant and water-resistant, but will still decompose and become one with nature over time,” Eid added.

Treetop Biopak was set up by founder Amir Gross just weeks after the first UK lockdown was introduced in March 2020. It supplies a range of innovative compostable packaging materials such as cling film, stretch film and shrink wrap, developed in partnership with KM Packaging.

“At Treetop Biopak we are passionate about the benefits of compostable packaging, not only to stop plastic pollution, but also to assist nature to regenerate and replenish soil with more healthy compost,” said Treetop Biopak founder Amir Gross.

“Earth & Wheat is all about reducing waste and by using compostable packaging, its customers are reducing their single-use plastic waste and helping the environment. Our new bags will help to ensure a more sustainable circular economy,” Gross added.