2024 was a year for Polythene and Compostable Innovation, and here’s how it went.
The rUK Sack – UK Made
Since its launch in 2023, The rUK Sack has undergone continuous enhancements, making it even better throughout the year. These sacks are uniquely British-made, crafted from recycled materials sourced entirely within the UK, and are fully recyclable after use—offering outstanding circularity. Last year, they took the market by storm, featuring as a standout at numerous events and exhibitions and even earning a spot on award shortlists. The rUK Sack has seen tremendous momentum since its debut, and we’re thrilled to see the market rally behind this resource-efficient brand as it continues.
PolyPacked Product
In the Spring of this year, we ditched the cardboard cartons and thought outside the box… literally – with our new Polypacked packaging solution. This innovative polythene alternative provides the same reliable protection as boxed cartons but uses less material, weighs less, and generates a significantly lower carbon footprint. Not only is the new packaging lighter, but it’s also far more compact, enabling more products to be stacked on each pallet for transport. With Polypack, 130 packs can fit on a pallet, compared to just 90 cardboard cartons, and the total weight is slashed to just over 10kg per pallet, down from over 27kg with cardboard—resulting in a 74% reduction in CO2 emissions associated with material use and freight.
Currently, this efficient alternative is available with our popular BK090C1, the 90L 15kg Black CHSA Refuse Sack – BK090C1. If you haven’t trialled them yet, now is your time to do so, and up your resource-efficient game!
New Compostable Gloves
Our second product launch of 2024 introduced the innovative compostable gloves under the brand ‘Glovelee,’ inspired by the product itself and the surname of our founder, James Lee. Incredibly, just a month after hitting the market, these biodegradable gloves won the ‘FPA Product Innovation – Back of House Award’ in March—a remarkable achievement for such a fresh release. Made from compostable material, Glovelee gloves are ideally suited to the catering, food service, and agricultural sectors, with particular popularity in food preparation and handling. They can be disposed of with other food and organic waste in the same bins, breaking down naturally and providing a fully circular solution. Glovelee gloves have been a hit at our shows, quickly becoming a crowd-pleaser in the industry. Get your hands on a pair today!
New Compostable Liner Design
Furthering our compostable improvements, we have also introduced a fresh new look for our compostable liners, perfect for food and organic waste collections. These bags are a favourite among our customers, thanks to their outstanding circularity. With that firmly established, we felt it was time for a style upgrade. The new design is inspired by the BBIA’s recently launched rapid identification system for compostable bags, developed in collaboration with its members to assist the waste management sector—especially organic waste recycling facilities—in quickly distinguishing compostable from non-compostable bags.
The updated liners still carry all the essential certifications, including the 7P number, EN 13432 code, and compostable logo, but now present these details in a much clearer, more concise format with an eye-catching hexagon print. This redesign aims to streamline identification in the waste management process, both at the point of disposal and at the recycling facility. The liner’s design also visibly reinforces its certifications to combat the issue of ‘false claims’ in the market. Rest assured, the impressive credentials and benefits of these bags remain as strong as ever.
Coming in soon…
Always thinking ahead and striving to stay at the forefront of the industry, we’re excited to introduce more innovations as we head into 2025. Set to launch in January or February, our new disposable piping bags, will further expand our reach in the catering and hospitality sectors. These piping bags are a seamless addition to our disposables range. Made from polythene, they provide a recyclable alternative to the traditional cotton or nylon bags commonly used in catering. This new product not only meets industry needs but also reinforces our dedication to sustainability and innovation.
Also making advances in 2025 will be our PolyPath, our waste tracking system which will enable you to trace captured waste or packaged goods, using a unique QR and sequential code. More to come on this, over the next 12 months.
With 2024 being such a successful year for us, we wonder what 2025 will bring… watch this space!
