// Materials Guide
Our team has done the hard work so you don’t have to. Every laminate we stock or custom-print falls into one of six families — compare them side by side below, then jump straight to the bags made from the one that fits. All our packaging is produced under BRCGS food-safety certification.
| Material | Finish | Barrier | Typical shelf life‡ | End of life | Certifications | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compostable NKME cellulose film |
Natural or white kraft | Excellent vs gases, oils & aromas | Up to ~6 months | Home & industrial compostable* | EN 13432 · layers certified home-compostable | Kraft-look eco packaging with a strong aroma barrier |
| Compostable PLA plant-based bioplastic |
Kraft or matt | Good; slightly more permeable than NKME | ~3–6 months | Industrially compostable | EN 13432 | Custom-printed compostable packaging (excellent printability) |
| Recyclable PE mono-material LDPE |
Matt only; clear windows available | High (EVOH barrier layer) | ~6–9 months | Recyclable in the PE film (level 4) stream where collection exists — incl. valve & zip | cyclos-HTP certified · DIN EN 13430 | Recyclability without giving up freshness; supports Plastic Packaging Tax planning |
| Paper Stream Recyclable barrier paper |
Natural or white kraft paper | Advanced barrier for a paper bag | ~3–6 months | Kerbside recyclable in the paper stream (remove flat valve) | FSC-certified paper | Brands that want the easiest recycling route for customers |
| Ceramic Barrier non-metallic |
Natural kraft | One of the highest vs moisture & oxygen, plus light protection | ~9–12 months | Not recyclable† | — | Maximum freshness without a metallized layer |
| PCR PE / PCR-PE / PE |
Matt | High (EVOH barrier layer) | ~6–9 months | Recyclable in the PE film (level 4) stream where collection exists | cyclos-HTP certified | Cutting virgin plastic; Plastic Packaging Tax planning |
| High-Barrier Foil Laminates paper / PET / AL |
Kraft, matt or gloss | Highest of the range | 12–18 months | Not recyclable (multi-material laminate) | — | Longest protection; the classic three-layer coffee bag |
* Degassing valves are industrially compostable only — remove before home composting. † Dispose of with general waste. ‡ Typical guidance for roasted coffee in an unopened bag with a one-way valve, stored cool and dry — actual shelf life depends on your product and filling process. Certifications available on request — contact our team.
// Quick Answer
Greenest end of life
Breaks down into CO₂ and water — no microplastics. Composts in under 90 days in commercial facilities.
Shop compostable →Easiest recycling
Mono-material PE goes in the PE film (level 4) stream; barrier paper goes straight in the paper bin.
Shop recyclable →Maximum shelf life
The highest oxygen and moisture barriers in the range — ceramic adds light protection with no metal layer.
Shop high-barrier bags →Custom print
Excellent printability in digital or rotogravure — full-colour branding on an eco-friendly base.
Get a print quote →// The Materials In Detail
Composite materials of two or more substrates bonded together to improve strength and barrier properties.
A cellulose-based film made from renewable wood pulp grown in managed plantations, paired with natural or white kraft outer layers. Known for an excellent barrier against gases, oils and aromas — ideal for keeping coffee and food fresh. Certified EN 13432 industrially compostable; the individual layers are certified for home composting in 90 days.
Structure: Paper / NKME / PBS
Shop compostable bags →
A bioplastic derived from renewable resources such as corn starch, sugarcane or cassava. Good barrier properties — slightly more permeable to moisture and gases than NKME — with excellent printability, making it one of the best options for custom-printed compostable packaging. Industrially compostable (EN 13432).
Structure: Paper / PLA / PLA
Quote a custom PLA bag →
Two layers of LDPE with a high EVOH barrier to maintain freshness — plus an LDPE one-way valve and LDPE zipper, so the whole bag — valve and zip included — is recyclable in the PE film (level 4) stream where collection exists. Matt finish, with clear-window options. Certified by cyclos-HTP, the institute for recyclability and product responsibility.
Shop recyclable bags →
FSC-certified paper with advanced barrier properties — the easiest recycling route for your customers, straight into the kerbside paper stream. Available with a flat degassing valve for coffee; simply remove the valve before disposal for complete recyclability.
Shop barrier paper bags →The same mono-PE construction as our recyclable range — high EVOH barrier, matt finish, cyclos-HTP certified and recyclable in the PE film (level 4) stream where collection exists — but with a post-consumer recycled core: plastic that has already lived one life as packaging. Cuts virgin plastic use and supports your Plastic Packaging Tax planning.
Structure: PE / PCR-PE / PE
Shop PCR & recyclable bags →Custom projects open up further structures — including BioPE and specialty surface papers such as rice and cotton paper — and any of the laminates below in white, natural or black kraft. If you have a spec in mind, we’ll match a structure to it.
Get a custom quote →// Traditional Laminates
Three-layer laminates with excellent barrier properties — the proven workhorses of coffee and food packaging, used across our stock range and available for any custom print.
| Construction | Layers |
|---|---|
| MOPP / AL / LLDPE | Matte oriented polypropylene · aluminium barrier · linear low-density polyethylene |
| PET / AL / LLDPE | Polyethylene terephthalate · aluminium barrier · LLDPE |
| MOPP / VMPET / LLDPE | Matte oriented polypropylene · metallized PET · LLDPE |
| MOPP / PET / PE | Matte oriented polypropylene · PET · polyethylene |
| PET / VMPET / LLDPE | PET · metallized PET · LLDPE |
| Paper / VMPET / LLDPE | Kraft paper (white, natural or black) · metallized PET · LLDPE |
| Paper / MCC-PET / LLDPE | Kraft paper (white, natural or black) · ceramic-coated PET (non-metallic) · LLDPE |
| Paper / PET / LLDPE | Kraft paper (white, natural or black) · PET · LLDPE |
| PET / LLDPE | PET · LLDPE |
Each structure reads surface · barrier · heat-seal layer. Surface papers: white, natural or black kraft as standard; rice, cotton and other specialty papers available on custom projects. Multi-material laminates are not recyclable. If end-of-life matters to your brand, compare the eco-friendly families above — or ask our team which barrier your product actually needs.
// Plastic Packaging Tax · Green Claims
The UK Plastic Packaging Tax rewards recycled content, and the CMA’s Green Claims Code requires environmental claims to be accurate and substantiated. Our recyclable, compostable and PCR ranges are built with both in mind.
Under the CMA’s Green Claims Code, environmental claims on packaging must be accurate, clear and substantiated. Our materials carry the certificates that back up yours:
| Compostable NKME & PLA | “Compostable under industrial conditions” — certified EN 13432 (Seedling); NKME layers additionally certified OK Compost HOME. |
| Recyclable PE & PCR | Recyclability certified by cyclos-HTP; PCR supports substantiated recycled-content claims. |
| Barrier paper | Made with FSC-certified paper, recyclable in the paper stream. |
Certificates supplied on request. Claim rules vary by market and change over time — always confirm final on-pack wording with your own advisors.
// Which Bin?
Around a third of consumers put compostable packaging in the recycling bin. Print the right disposal guidance on your bag — here’s the answer per material.
Compostable
Food-waste stream or compost heap. Remove the valve before home composting — valves are industrial-only. Never the recycling bin.
Recyclable PE & PCR
Level 4 PE / soft-plastics collection, bag, valve and zip together — where the stream exists locally.
Barrier paper
Straight into kerbside paper recycling — just remove the flat valve first.
Foil & ceramic barrier
Multi-material laminates can’t be recycled — general waste, not the recycling bin.
// FAQ
No — compostable materials are designed to break down through composting, not recycling. Placing them in a recycling bin can contaminate the recycling stream. Dispose of them in a composting bin or via the food-waste stream where it exists.
EN 13432 (adopted in the UK as BS EN 13432) is the European standard for compostability. Certified materials must biodegrade into CO₂, disintegrate within 12 weeks, fully degrade within 6 months, and leave compost that is safe for growing food. All laminates in our compostable bags are, as a minimum, certified EN 13432 industrially compostable.
Industrial facilities control temperature and conditions, so materials break down faster and more reliably. Home composting runs cooler and slower. Our NKME layers are certified for home composting in 90 days; PLA needs the higher temperatures of an industrial facility. Valves are industrially compostable only — remove them before home composting.
No. When properly composted, they degrade into CO₂ and water only, leaving no microplastics behind.
No. Industrially compostable materials only degrade under specific compost conditions — in nearly all other situations, including storage and retail shelves, they will not break down.
You don’t need to do anything — the bag, one-way valve and zipper are all LDPE, so the whole bag goes into the PE film (level 4) collection as-is, wherever that stream exists. For barrier paper bags, just remove the flat valve before putting the bag in the paper bin.
Order a free sample pack and compare the materials in your hands — real bags, real films, delivered to your business. Or talk to our team about which barrier your product actually needs.
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