Founded in 2011, the challenge was finding a material that performed as well as plastic but didn’t have the same toxicity, climate-harming source material, or end-of-life.
Gropper landed on molded fiber from sugarcane and post-industrial recycled pulp for the plates and bowls; polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from canola seed oil for the straws, which Repurpose says are marine degradable; polylactic acids (PLA) from corn, cassava and beet pulp residue for the cutlery and cups, which require commercial composting facilities to break down; and bamboo fiber for the toilet paper and paper towels. The products are available at retailers like Target and Walmart and grocery stores nationwide.
“The last five years have really been amazing for us, the tailwinds have been in our favor and there’s much more legislation around anti-polystyrene, there’s legislation around [per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS] in products,” Gropper said, referring to harmful “forever chemicals” often used as a moisture barrier in other molded fiber bowls and takeout containers, but not used in Repurpose products. “We’ve always been ahead of the curve on non-toxic, sustainability and compostability.”
But… bioplastic is still plastic
It’s hard to get past the reality that only about one in 10 Americans have access to industrial composting facilities—and that compostable bioplastics are available all across the country regardless of what facilities are available.
“If you’re making a claim about something that can’t be done in your market, then you shouldn’t be making the claim,” said Noam Freshman, director of impact and sustainable solutions at climate-focused agency Futerra. “Even the suggestion that something is more sustainable, or that it’s compostable, or that you can put it in your backyard [compost pile] is a false narrative, and it’s creating even more confusion.”
