What are the Different Types of Food Packaging?

For a long time, the food industry has used cardboard or plastic packaging for food orders. However, these food packaging materials are not compostable or sustainable. Although cardboard or paper to-go boxes might seem like a great alternative to plastic, molded fiber is a much better option for numerous reasons. 


During the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants had no choice but to make the shift from dine-in to to-go orders only. This caused a considerable production increase in plastic to-go containers and led to much more trash filling our landfills. Plastic may be the cheaper option than other food packaging types, but is certainly not the best for our planet. 


Paper


You may be asking yourself, what do you mean by paper to-go boxes? When we refer to paper as a material for food packaging, we are mainly describing the Chinese food basket-shaped containers. While these containers are still better than plastic, they are often treated with chemicals to prevent leaking. Although they are easier to break down in landfills, they aren’t able to be used in your compost. 


Cardboard


Cardboard is often used at pizza shops, as we are all well aware of! When we think of cardboard, we usually think of a decent packaging option that can be recyclable without causing harm to the environment. However, pizza usually creates lots of leftover greases that seep through cardboard boxes, making them unable to be reused as a recycled material. 


Molded Fiber


At Zume, we only create food packaging products out of molded fiber. We have identified this food packaging as the most sustainable method for the industry and the health of our environment. As a sustainable and compostable material, restaurants and consumers can use this product for a one-time use without feeling guilty. 

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