“Today in Sustainability” is a series that discusses trends in the sustainability sphere—tackling a variety of topics and issues from different industries like F&B, architecture, business, design, fashion, and more. 

Takeout containers look different from how they used to in the early 2000s. Instead of styrofoam, plastic, or plastic-lined box containers, some restaurants, businesses, and brands have shifted their takeout packaging to bagasse-based products. 

Bagasse or bagasse pulp is a sugarcane byproduct that is left behind after the sugarcane’s juices are extracted. Instead of being discarded, the fiber can be used for other purposes, like creating earth-friendly packaging, among others. 

Bagasse as food packaging

The process of making bagasse containers starts with the extraction of the pulp. After the sugarcane juice has been squeezed out for the production of sugar, the fibers left behind serve as the raw material. 

After the sugarcane juice is extracted from the stalks, the dry pulp is mixed with binders like water in order to achieve a paste-like consistency. The wet pulp is then molded into different sorts of products using a hydraulic press. The mold heats up the bagasse in order to wring excess liquid and dry the material into the desired shape. 

After molding and drying, the bagasse is cut down into the desired shape and passed on to quality control to check if it’s up to standard. Bagasse can be molded into products like food containers, plates, bowls, and paper. 

Benefits of Bagasse

For F&B brands and MSMEs, there are many benefits to using bagasse-based packaging. Aside from being compostable and biodegradable, bagasse is a renewable resource. Since sugarcane can regrow completely in 8 to 10 months, it’s considered rapidly renewable. 

Bagasse food packaging is also compostable, biodegradable, heat-proof, and microwave-safe. It can effectively store liquids such as soups and dressings as well. 

An important thing to remember in buying bagasse packaging is making sure that it’s free from toxic chemicals like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Some bagasse products require PFAS during production to create a durable product, but PFAS is toxic to humans and is a non-decaying, non-degrading chemical that may contaminate soil and water, which is bad for the environment.

Local bagasse suppliers such as EcoNest, Ecolutions PH, and Greener Genes have been certified as PFAS-free. 

For environmentally conscious businesses and consumers, bagasse is a solid alternative to plastics and plastic-lined, paper-based food containers. It’s renewable, compostable, sturdy, and better for the environment. 

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