Sustainable Materials for Bulk Take-Out Containers in 2025

These days, restaurant owners are on the lookout for ways to lower their carbon footprints. One way to do it is by using take-out containers that have a smaller impact on the environment. However, it is essential to ensure that the containers consist of materials that benefit the Earth. Read on to learn about sustainable materials for bulk take-out containers in 2025 so you can purchase the right products.

Paperboard

One material you should seek out when shopping for take-out containers is paperboard. Manufacturers produce paperboard by combining multiple fibers, resulting in a stronger-than-average paper that’s perfect for take-out boxes.

There are several reasons why paperboard is a sustainable material. Manufacturers use renewable resources, such as wood pulp or recycled paper, to produce paperboard containers. This gives previously used materials a second life as sturdy boxes that will protect customers’ food.

Users can put their paperboard boxes into recycling bins after they finish eating to undergo the recycling process again. However, if they end up putting their paperboard containers in a regular garbage can, the paperboard’s effect on the environment will be minimal. Because the material is biodegradable, it will decay within mere months, as opposed to a material like plastic, which can take hundreds of years to degrade.

Paper

Although paperboard is a stronger material for take-out boxes than regular paper, that does not mean you should overlook the latter. Paper containers meet the needs of certain food items and align with sustainability goals.

When you buy paper to-go containers wholesale, you invest in durable products that can hold various kinds of foods. For example, when you sell ice cream or soup in these containers, you can feel assured that the cups will stay dry, instead of becoming damp and leaking onto your customers. Your guests can also easily recycle paper containers, as they are biodegradable. Or they may consider taking the container home and reusing it, which will prevent it from ending up in a landfill.

Sugarcane Fiber

A lesser-known sustainable material that manufacturers use in bulk take-out containers is sugarcane fiber. Manufacturers of these containers take the bagasse portion of a sugarcane stalk and turn it into boxes, instead of disposing of it or using it to power mills. When you use a sugarcane fiber container, such as a clamshell case, to serve your customers, you can rest assured that the material will stay rigid enough to protect the meal inside and prevent it from spoiling. In addition, if your customers bring their food home and freeze it for later, they can continue using the sugarcane container, as the material is safe for cold storage.

Manufacturers derive the fiber from the sugarcane plant, which is a renewable resource. Consumers can wash sugarcane fiber containers and recycle them, or they can use them as compost, which will supply their land with essential nutrients such as nitrogen and calcium. And even if the box does end up in the regular garbage, it will biodegrade in three months, if not sooner.

Plastic

Plastic has fewer environmental benefits than the other materials mentioned in this article, but it is still worth considering when shopping for take-out containers. Although plastic containers do not come from renewable resources and take longer to decompose in landfills than the other materials we have discussed, recycling plants can efficiently process these containers for future use.

Plastic’s durability may also make it more beneficial to consumers, who may continue using them for storage around their homes. In addition, they are excellent for maintaining food freshness, which means they can reduce food waste that contributes to methane production. These capable containers could even increase the chances of customers finishing their take-home meals, instead of throwing them away due to spoilage.

Aluminum Foil

Another packaging material worth considering for your restaurant is aluminum foil. Just as you use aluminum foil in your home for wrapping up food after a meal, packaging companies often use it to manufacture take-out containers. You can place sides or small desserts in foil containers so customers can take them home.

In addition to protecting food from contaminants such as bacteria, aluminum foil packaging offers a range of environmental benefits. Unlike materials such as paperboard or plastic, which have limits in their recyclability, aluminum can be recycled infinitely without the material losing its strength.

Recycling these containers also saves energy. Manufacturers can conserve the massive amounts of power they would have spent producing fresh aluminum by simply recycling the previously used material.

Aluminum foil is a nearly weightless material, which also benefits the Earth. Because the material is so light, delivery trucks use less fuel and fewer emissions to move the containers from the manufacturer to their clients. For these reasons, investing in aluminum foil containers supports energy conservation.

Wheat Straw

One last sustainable material you should consider for your food containers is wheat straw. Food manufacturers often use this grain to make flour and wheat, but packaging firms have been able to convert it into a robust bioplastic for items such as clamshell containers. After consumers bring them home, they can put them in the microwave to warm up their food or even freeze them.

One of the reasons why wheat straw is environmentally friendly is that it prevents material waste. Usually, farmers burn wheat straw after completing their harvest. This process gives that waste a second chance. By purchasing containers featuring wheat straw, you will reduce material waste and prevent the release of carbon dioxide emissions during the burning process.

Although wheat straw containers are not as easily recyclable as plastic ones, they are much more biodegradable, and customers can use them for composting. In addition, wheat straw containers degrade faster in landfills than plastic containers and do not release toxic materials.

In our review of the various types of container materials, we have seen that some are more sustainable than others. When you make your final decision, make sure to select materials that align with your goals. These may include having an eco-friendlier business that doesn’t compromise on the quality of its customer service. Doing so will attract a more environmentally conscious clientele while maintaining a strong reputation in your market.