Why We Use Recycled Cardboard (and Not Plant-Based “Plastics” Like Vivomer)
Quick answer: For most people, recycled cardboard is more sustainable than plant-based plastics like Vivomer. It's accepted in almost every recycling system and breaks down easily in home compost, while bioplastics often need specific conditions to decompose.
At first glance, new plant-based materials like Vivomer seem like the future of sustainable packaging. They’re made from natural sources and designed to break down at the end of their life a promising alternative to plastic. So why don’t we use them? The short answer: because post-consumer recycled cardboard remains the most sustainable, accessible, and low-impact option available today.
Bioplastics like Vivomer often require specific conditions to decompose properly. While Vivomer claims to be home-compostable, the reality is that only a portion of households can actually compost at home. Many people, especially in cities, simply don’t have the space, equipment, or habit to compost meaning most of this type of packaging still ends up in regular waste streams.
Even when compostable plastics do make it to home compost, they often face challenges. Home composting conditions vary widely in temperature, humidity, and microbial activity, which means materials may take months or years to fully break down, sometimes leaving behind fragments. Many compostable plastics are also mixed with inks, coatings, or additives that slow decomposition or prevent it altogether. In contrast, recycled cardboard is easily broken down in both home and industrial composting and is accepted in virtually every recycling system worldwide.
Our goal has always been to reduce plastic, not replace it. Plant-based “plastic alternatives” still behave like plastic, with limited disposal options and specialized manufacturing needs. Recycled cardboard is simpler: it’s made from recovered paper fibers already in circulation and can go straight into home recycling or compost.
It also has a smaller carbon footprint. Producing biopolymers often requires more energy and chemical processing, while recycled cardboard relies on existing materials and less energy overall. Most importantly, cardboard communicates what it is natural, recyclable, and truly plastic-free. Materials that mimic plastic can confuse customers and end up contaminating recycling streams.
For us, sustainability means transparency, not complexity. We’ll keep following innovations like Vivomer, but for now, recycled cardboard remains the clearest path toward genuinely low-waste, easily recyclable packaging that everyone can actually recycle or compost at home.
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Cardboard vs Bioplastic Packaging: FAQs
Is Vivomer really compostable?
Vivomer is marketed as home-compostable, but home compost conditions vary a lot, so how quickly and completely it breaks down can differ from one compost bin to the next.
Can cardboard makeup packaging be recycled?
Yes. Clean cardboard is accepted in almost every curbside recycling program. Just remove any leftover product first.
Can I compost cardboard packaging at home?
Yes. Tear it into small pieces and add it to your compost as a "brown" material. Uncoated cardboard usually breaks down within a few months.
Is bioplastic better than regular plastic?
It can reduce the use of fossil fuels, but it still behaves like plastic when you throw it away. Most recycling systems don't accept it, and it can contaminate regular plastic recycling.