How sustainable is this biobased packaging foil?

A reality check of the home compostability of the certified biofoil.

Project : Checking the home compostability of Lovechock’s biobased packaging foil. For : Lovechock Role : Design Coach At : Design for Good

Objectives

To check the actual home compostability of the packaging foil that is certified Home Compostable and to assist with the communication about the new foil.

Good

After thoroughly investigating sustainability claims, certificates and labels of suppliers of biobased packaging foils Lovechock and Design for Good decided to actually verify the home compostability of the foil that was chosen for the brand’s chocolate bars. A test was set up in Jop’s Amsterdam backyard compost barrel. It stands in the shade, so if it works there, it will work anywhere. For 93 days foils were kept buried inside and every week at least one foil was taken out and carefully observed and photographed. Details can be viewed in the blog part of the website. The celluloid based foil degraded very well. Conclusion: Lovechock is using a great renewable, biobased packaging material that can easily be turned into fertile compost in a home compost barrel. See the end result and a selection of the foils below, in order of removal from the compost barrel.

Test set up for home composting celluloid foil — 20 foils are buried in the compost barrel.

End result home compost test of celluloid foil after 93 days — Before and after 93 days in the compost barrel.

Materials used

Home compost barrel, 20 foils, rope, wire.

Further development

Lovechock is happily using the tested packaging foil. If you want to learn more about biobased packaging foils or if you want to have a similar reality check done with your materials contact Jop here.

Biodegradation over time of celluloid based biofoils in home compost test for 93 days. — Biodegradation over time of celluloid based biofoils in home compost for 93 days.

Movie

The reality check project by Design for Good of the home compostability of the certified biodegradable packaging foil of Lovechock is now captured in a 1 minute 42 seconds YouTube movie. The degradation of the foil is visualized very well. Check it out!