It would seem that we know everything about it: how convenient it is to take it with us on trips, how pleasant it is to take a walk in the park with autumn leaves rustling, and to inhale aromatic coffee or to drink freshly brewed tea, which is not getting cold and is only getting better while we are getting through thorns to work. Perfect, isn’t it?

A thermos cup made of bioplastic.
This idyll is easily ruined by “digging” a little deeper. Plastic thermocaps have many advantages (affordable price, various design, convenience, practicality) and a significant disadvantage – the material from which it is made. And we are not even talking about low-quality plastic, which has a negative impact on human health, we are talking about plastic in general. The main threat that comes from the use of plastic containers is the pollution of our once planet.

The increased interest of mankind to healthy lifestyles has led to thoughts about ecology, or rather about its disastrous state. But often the fight for ecology ends, when we have not only to change, but also to change: not to use plastic bags (choose paper bags), to sort garbage, to replace your plastic thermocup with a similar one, but made of bioplastic.

A small prefix “bio” almost completely changes the whole word: biological origin means that the product was made from biomass, i.e. biomaterial. Starch, bamboo fiber, recycled straw, sugar cane and cellulose are used as the basis for biomass.

Tableware and thermocups including, made of biomass are not afraid of high temperatures, for example, a thermocup made of straw can withstand a temperature of 235 degrees, is not afraid of dish-washing procedures and will not lose its properties when being exposed to microwave ovens. That is, choosing goods from bioplastic, you do not have to give up your own comfortable habits, but at the same time the owner of such a cup will be firmly convinced that after the disposal of these products the environmental damage will be reduced to zero. Biodegradation is the process by which microorganisms living in the soil break down bioplastic into compost, carbon dioxide and water. Bioplastic thermowasher completely decomposes in the soil in 1 year.

It should also be noted that some unscrupulous manufacturers willingly speculate on the topic of ecology and attribute their products properties, which they actually do not possess. Not all bioplastics can quickly and completely decompose.

The three main groups of bioplastics

• Are of 100% or partial plant origin, but not biodegradable (PE, PP, PTT or TPC-ET);
• made from biomass and readily biodegradable (PLA, PHA);
• products that are based on fossil resources and readily degradable without interference (PBAT).

You should also not think that thermal cups made of bioplastics (straw, bamboo fiber) have boring and monotonous design. These products are as stylish and bright (for dyeing use vegetable dyes) as well as already favorite versions of plastic or metal. Thermocups today are often used as an element of style and a way of self-expression. With a thermocup made of bioplastic you can not only “stand out from the crowd”, but also keep the planet clean.

The post Thermocup made of bioplastic appeared first on Ecozoomstove.

Waste-free coffee or grounds utensils
For someone who is far removed from the behind-the-scenes life of a coffee shop, it’s hard to imagine how much coffee grounds are left over every day. And there is a lot of it. Thousands of owners and restaurants dream, if not to get rid of this waste, at least to reuse it. But who needs the grounds? As it turns out, waste can be in demand, too.

While studying in Italy, young designer Julian Lechner had the idea for a natural and environmentally friendly material based on coffee grounds.

In addition to the main aromatic component Julian needed sawdust and adhesives of natural origin (biopolymers). The utensils are made by injection molding. The material turned out to be so strong that it easily withstands repeated use and cleaning in the dishwasher. A “side effect”, or more accurately a bonus, was the light aroma of coffee that the produced dishes exude.

Despite the fact that the cups and plates are made from recycled materials, Lechner’s project turned out to be very successful from a commercial point of view. Today there are more than 10 stores across Europe and several online stores where you can buy eco-friendly coffee tableware.

By the way, Julian Lechner is not the only designer working in this direction. His Spanish colleague Raul Lauri, for many years worked on the Decafe project, the main idea of which was to create household items, in particular lamps, from coffee grounds.

At the Salone Satellite young designers’ competition held during Milan Design Week in 2012, Raoul presented a collection of coffee grounds lamps, chandeliers, lamps and nightlights. They were created from natural raw materials based on coffee grounds, although this time the exact recipe is kept secret. The only known fact is that in addition to coffee in the composition of the earth from coffee plantations and natural binding components. Today Raul and his team are engaged not only in production of lighting, but also in production of tableware (cups, vases) and they are not going to stop at the achieved, which is only for the benefit of both coffee lovers and citizens of the planet who are not indifferent to the environment.

The post Coffee grounds utensils appeared first on Ecozoomstove.

This fate has not passed over cookware either. The main and most important issue was its production. After all, oil resources are devastated, and this is the main raw material from which plastic tableware is made, and the recycling process is rather labor-intensive, and sometimes requires production areas for its processing. And another very important factor is safety in application of eco tableware in contact with cold and hot products.

Proceeding from the huge modern problem, the developers came to the conclusion that it is necessary to save the environment and created dishes made of corn starch.

Ecological tableware is made from a natural material, which is very important nowadays and will be a great alternative to plastic tableware.

How to make disposable tableware from corn starch
Technology for the production of bio-dishware, which is based on plants, has been used for a long time. But recently it has made a significant leap and has received a huge scale for its development. After all, the market for ecological tableware is expanding more and more and requires the introduction of new technologies and materials. One of the raw materials for production was corn starch.

Disposable tableware made from corn starch has the highest technical characteristics, which can be attributed to the absence of harmful substances and easy disposal.

Disposable tableware made from corn starch is made by molding. And this work consists of several stages:

All the components that make up the future product are mixed on special equipment. Substances (safe), serving as helpers, gradually intervene in the main component (starch), and mix with different speeds for a certain period. During the mixing process, an elastic and liquid consistency comes out.

After the mixing process, the resulting mass is sent to an extruder (a machine that gives plasticity and shape to the future product through extrusion), to produce sheets of the desired thickness.

The resulting sheets of corn starch are subjected to two types of molding: vacuum and thermal.

After shaping and the stamping process, a final inspection is made and uneven edges are trimmed.

In the final stage of production, disposable corn starch dishes are disinfected with ultraviolet rays.
The final stage of production is completed – packaging of products and its shipment.

Advantages of corn disposable tableware
Corn starch is an absolutely natural product derived from vegetable raw materials. It serves as a base for the polymeric film from which disposable tableware is made. In the raw material is introduced additives of plant origin, which give the product strength and elasticity. On the outside, corn tableware is similar to plastic, but to the touch is more pleasant. The natural beige hue emphasizes the natural origin of the product.

The most important advantage is a short period of decay, which takes an average of 6 months. Such material does not require recycling, which greatly simplifies the process of disposal. In addition to these factors, disposable tableware made of starch has several other advantages:

There is no bisphenol and other harmful substances that negatively affect human health and the environment in such tableware;
Cookware made of starch is resistant to temperature changes. It can withstand from -20C to +120C (you can even use oil).
They are perfect for freezing or reheating in the microwave;
Cornstarch utensils are better for storing food than plastic utensils. Also, you can store food in it for longer periods of time.
Cornstarch cookware is ideal for various liquids because it is grease- and water-resistant.

Such disposable tableware is actively used in supermarkets, shopping centers, stores where it is used for packing, freezing, packing, storage of p/f and ready meals.

No less popular is the use of starch cookware in the home. After all, it is very convenient to store ready-made meals, do freezing of foods, take it with you on the road or on a picnic.

In any case, disposable utensils made of starch can enhance your reputation and popularity among clients. After all, many are now trying to use only natural and environmentally friendly products.

The post Eco cookware made of corn starch appeared first on Ecozoomstove.

Today the world’s leading corporations and small companies are more active in demonstrating that there are no alternatives: you can replace plastic, you just need to make a conscious choice. European countries have already banned the production of disposable plastic tableware and plastic bags, cocktail straws are next in line. The eco-replacement will be bamboo.

In general, straws or cocktail straws are quite a strange subject for discussion in terms of ecology: there is no big point in their use, except for aesthetics and some exceptions (diseases, anatomy, when you can’t do without them). The taste of the drink does not change. But at the same time, more than 36 billion plastic tubes are produced annually in European countries alone. And durability is not a “plus” here, they are disposable. Cocktail straws are almost never recycled, but they can be harmful to the environment and animals. In 2015, a turtle with a plastic straw up its nose was found in Costa Rica, and how many animals eat them and die? According to the U.S. community initiative One Less Straw, about 100,000 marine animals and 1 million seabirds in particular die from plastic and straws every year.

If cocktail straws are your masthead, there are replacement options. They can be reusable products made of glass and metal (it comes with a special cleaning brush), or bamboo sticks. Price glass sticks – 2.5 dollars / unit, the metal – from 0.75 dollars / unit, bamboo – 0.12 dollars / unit, and disposable paper and are at all worth less than 5 cents. The difficulty in popularizing the paper tubes is that not always their appearance is presentable, so some customers cafes and bars, preferring other options. The most popular eco-friendly cocktail straws are bamboo.

Why bamboo?
It is a perennial evergreen plant from tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, which is characterized by rapid growth: up to 50 cm per day. The herbaceous plant perfectly copes with temperature changes, humidity rates and mechanical stress. Bamboo products “inherited” these qualities, preserving their functional and aesthetic properties for a long time.

Bamboo drinking straws are not the only use of this raw material for eco-products. It is used to make glasses, spoons/forks/knives, plates, and outside of kitchen utensils it is used to make furniture, stoves, boards and cosmetics. The pluses of the material are low thermal conductivity, speed of drying, safety and environmental friendliness. In addition, the color gamut is endless, which means that even those users who appreciate drinking straws for their design will be able to find their own option among bamboo straws.

And most importantly, recycling. Almost all types of bamboo sticks completely decompose in the ground in just six months, water only takes 2 days for this process. And no toxic emissions and no harm to soil and water bodies.

The post Bamboo tubes: a future without plastic appeared first on Ecozoomstove.