Is PLA the future of coffee bag selection？

In recent years, all walks of life are pursuing the concept of sustainable development. The coffee industry has also introduced sustainable packaging. More and more consumers pay attention to whether the materials of coffee bags are recyclable. They are also willing to pay an extra price for environmentally friendly coffee bags.

So, coffee roasters and suppliers are turning their attention to reusable or biodegradable packaging. Like PLA. And it is becoming more and more accessible.

PLA is likely to lead the future of coffee bag materials. So, What is PLA?

PLA is a kind of bioplastics. It consists of a plant polymer extracted from plants. It is completely made of natural ingredients. PLA is non-toxic and harmless. After use, it can also be returned to the soil to become fertilizer in the form of composting degradation.

Please continue reading this article. You will get more information about PLA. And you will understand the mechanism of PLA on economic and environmental benefits.

Advantages of PLA selection

1. A certain barrier and tensile properties for packages request.

PLA comes from nature and it can decompose quickly after use, and produce a little carbon footprint. It is fully certified as an environmentally friendly material.

Moreover, PLA has strong functionality. It can provide a certain barrier and tensile properties. PLA also has good heat insulation, light, and oxygen resistance. This is the good performance it provides for packaging.

2. Sustainable solution

The position of traditional packaging in the market is gradually declining. The plastic contained in it is very difficult to decompose. According to the survey, the world produces more than 300 million tons of plastic every year. But only 9% is recycled. Plastic production is responsible for 5% of greenhouse gas emissions. These plastics will also affect human health. Because the components of plastics contain toxic compounds. Such as benzene and bisphenol A (BPA).

PLA is made by fermenting carbohydrates from corn or cassava. It is a pure natural, non-toxic and harmless. Its raw materials help it break down within 90 days in a commercial facility. It decomposes and returns to nature, producing only a tiny carbon footprint.

The disadvantages of PLA are also obvious.

1.Can PLA meet the high standard requirements in the coffee field?

The disadvantages of PLA are also obvious.

First of all, the product life of PLA is currently only 6-8 months. Thus, it can meet the long-term storage demand for coffee.

Secondly, its barrier and waterproof also need to be improved. The tensile and puncture resistance of PLA is very weak. So it has no way to protect the coffee bag during transportation. But this can be achieved by extra reinforcement.

Moreover, the thickness of PLA on the market can only be thickened by 40microns. This thickness is similar to that of the plastic handbag provided in the supermarket. Therefore, it can not meet the quality requirements of consumers for coffee packaging in the market.

2. PLA is unstable

PLA will become unstable when encountering high-temperature liquid or in a high-temperature environment. These factors will lead to the weakening of its tensile force and sealing. This will seriously affect the service life and function of the package

The same problem occurs in a frozen environment.

Current situation of PLA

At present, PLA is not the best choice for coffee packaging.

Because in the process of multi-layer material composite, we need to composite PLA (bottom film) with other layer materials. For example, PLA (when printing film) or kraft paper are compounded. In this way, the glue and ink in the middle layer will migrate more easily than ordinary plastic film and come into contact with the coffee. This is not friendly to coffee lovers and brand fans.

PLA is also limited by its service life. If the coffee brand uses PLA, you have to sell them as soon as possible within 5 months to avoid affecting the quality of your coffee. This is bad for the coffee shelf business.

Also, the barrier of PLA can’t protect your coffee for a long time. Its poor tensile force can’t avoid accidents during the transportation of your coffee bag.

Now the mainstream coffee packaging is still plastic bags. Then how to ensure that the coffee packaging has a sustainable solution?  you can refer to the next article (how to build your recyclable coffee packaging).

Conclusion

The world is committed to sustainable development. We pay more and more attention to environmental protection. We all hope there will be no more pollution. And consumers also spontaneously buy eco-friendly packaging.

In recent years, environmental protection packaging has been launched one after another. This adds a choice of coffee bag materials.

Xiaoyupack has been developing sustainable packaging. If you are also looking for sustainable packaging solutions, please contact us. We will provide the most professional ordering scheme according to your brand needs.