what goes into the compostable mailer.
the compostable mailer is made from corn starch and a mix of two common bioplastics (PLA and PBAT).
PLA (polylactic acid) is a bio-based, biodegradable bioplastic. it’s derived from renewable biomass, typically fermented plant starch from field corn, cassava, sugarcane or sugar beet. it’s biodegradable, but many 100% PLA products, particularly thicker ones like single use cups and food trays, won’t biodegrade in a compost bin – they need to be taken to an industrial composting facility to break down.
PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate) is non-bio-based, biodegradable bioplastic. that’s right – it’s derived from oil, which is why we’re working to develop compostable mailers that contain less of it. it biodegrades rapidly and doesn’t need industrial composting facilities to break down, so without it, the compostable mailer wouldn’t biodegrade in a compost bin. to the best of our knowledge, there are no home compostable mailers currently on the market that don’t contain PBAT. the technology just isn’t there yet, but make no mistake, as soon as it is, we’ll be the first to embrace it!