As of May 2019, we at Vermont Artisan Coffee are changing out our retail coffee bags to the more environmentally friendly Biotré 2 bag. It is made from 100% renewable materials and is 60% compostable. Shifting to more sustainable packaging For coffee companies committed to sustainability, packaging is a crucial component to their business, and many have started to move away from traditional foil-lined bags. The impact can be significant. There are a variety of options for compostable bags. Some of you may have already seen Omnidegradable packaging from TekPak Solutions (used by companies like Wrecking Ball Coffee ) and Biotrē from Pacific Bag, Inc. What sets these two particular bags apart from other compostable and biodegradable options (like a pure paper bag, for example) is that they come with the barrier needed to protect the coffee. The outer part of this bag is paper-based and the inner liner is a plastic with an additive which allows it to break down over time. Navigating all of this as a consumer can be tricky. According to the Federal Trade Commission “it is deceptive to make an unqualified degradable claim for items entering the solid waste stream if the items do not completely decompose within one year after customary disposal.” The paper part of the Biotrē bag has been tested against these standards and will break down into compost in around 84 days. Choosing packaging is a “constant balance between quality and sustainability,” says Rennie. Selling specialty coffee means ensuring the quality of the product; the bags need to do things like let the coffee off-gas without letting oxygen into the bag (the valve’s job), and keep the coffee fresh (the liner’s job). Pacific Bag’s Walters understands this importance. “Ideally you want 100-percent renewable materials and 100-percent compostable,” says Walters. With that in mind, the company is currently working on a new version of the Biotrē bag, made with 100-percent renewable materials, including the valve.