Consumers are increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of plastic packaging, and are demanding that manufacturers and suppliers offer more sustainable alternatives.

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An increasing number of states and local authorities are also taking action to prohibit single-use plastics such as polystyrene containers.

In response, cornstarch panels have emerged as a non-plastic alternative touted as a sustainable solution to packaging needs, including insulated packaging. 

The issue is that recycling facilities and local municipalities are speaking out against their recyclability.

Cornstarch packaging is made through the fermentation process of the corn plant&#;s sugars and starch, which creates polylactic acid (PLA). This is then mixed with polymers made from alkene to create a product that can then be used to manufacture an array of packaging containers from trays and lids to bags, plates and foldable boxes.

Since cornstarch also provides reasonable thermal protection, it is increasingly being used as an insulated packaging material.

In the race to be green, many businesses have embraced cornstarch packaging and, in so doing, accepted many of its claimed environmental benefits without a great deal of scrutiny.

On closer inspection, however, cornstarch packaging is neither the most sustainable insulated packaging solution nor the best in terms of thermal performance.

Why cornstarch panels are not recyclable

The main contentious claim made by many manufacturers of cornstarch panels is that they are fully curbside recyclable.

This isn&#;t true.

Cornstarch panels have no recycling value. They cannot be reprocessed into another material that a recycling facility can then sell.

Cornstarch panels are frequently marketed, however, as curbside recyclable on the basis that they doesn&#;t interfere with the recycling process. Even this claim is dubious though.

The difficulties with composting cornstarch

As a biodegradable material, cornstarch packaging can be composted instead of recycled. However, this is another contentious claim cornstarch packaging manufacturers often make.

Technically, cornstarch packaging is compostable, but there are very few facilities that can compost cornstarch in large quantities.

This is because PLA requires very specific environmental conditions in order to break down. That&#;s to say, a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, a plentiful supply of microbes, and the right amount of moisture.

Even then, the resulting compost is highly acidic and must be mixed with an alkaline substance if it is to be used as a fertilizer.

As such, cornstarch packaging is not suitable for home composting nor do most consumers live close to a facility that can compost it industrially.

IPC&#;s alternative to cornstarch packaging: CelluLiner paper insulated packaging

So, if cornstarch panels are neither curbside recyclable nor easily compostable, where does this leave businesses and consumers looking for sustainable packaging alternatives?

For insulated packaging solutions, we suggest 100 percent paper-based materials as a superior alternative. The key benefit of using 100% paper insulated packaging is that your customers can conveniently recycle it curbside once received.

IPC&#;s CelluLiner insulated packaging is made using numerous layers of paper that contain thousands of small air pockets per cm3 to substantially slow heat transfer. It&#;s available in various forms to suit different packaging needs:

What is Cornstarch Packaging &#; Pros & Cons

Posted July 4,

Eco-friendly products in packaging are the new trend that is here to stay and become more critical. According to statistics, there is a vast number of people in the modern world who love eco-friendly materials. For instance:

• The search for sustainable products has increased by 130 percent between the year to Google.
• Alone in the US, this rate increased by 117 %.
• The 75 percent of overall product categories saw better sales results with sustainable products.

These facts show how eco-friendly packaging can improve the overall results of your product sales. This blog will inform you about the pros and cons, the future of the technology, and similar packaging materials.

What Is Cornstarch Packaging?

Cornstarch is an excellent material for multiple packaging needs and can replace plastic. It comes from corn; it comes from plant sugar and starch. Still, it offers perfect, cost-effective solutions from materials that do not cost much. It is among the eco-friendly solutions that are relatively easy to produce.

Its production comes from agricultural waste, so you can save money to produce it. Still, it offers you complete safety for food products. At the same time, it would easily break into the natural environment. This way, it is biodegradable and breaks down within a few months.

Pros of Cornstarch

Cornstarch is famous for a reason, and there is a complete list of pros it offers, like:

• It is a safe material for food packaging
• Cornstarch has excellent biodegradable and compostable properties
• You can try it to create fantastic print jobs
• Using it helps you get a better aroma barrier
• It is reliable when you need UV resistance for your packaging and products.
• At the same time, you can get waterproof solutions when you use this material.
• You can recycle it.
• Getting the material that helps you create it is easy; the fact makes it perfect with sustainable production resources.
• Also, it offers you low flammability.
• You can even use cornstarch as a fertilizer once it is no longer useable as a packaging product. Still, it does not carry many toxins that could damage the environment.
• Using it offers you resistance against food oils and other fats.

Its Benefits For Food Packaging

There are many benefits to food packaging needs using this material. It can help the stability of soups and sauces as an additive. At the same time, it offers texture and uniformity of these food products. Moreover, it provides a better shelf life, which you can use for storing carbohydrates.

The thing is, it offers you insolubility inside water. You can get 100 percent safety when you package food products in this material. At the same time, it resists oils and food fats, and you do not even have to use coatings or chemicals.

One of the most unique reasons to use this material is you can transform it into fertilizers for fields. At the same time, it would work for creating products. It works for paper packaging needs.

Cons of The Cornstarch

Just like the good things we found about cornstarch, we have some disadvantages you can face. For instance:

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• It would not be possible to decompose this material in a natural condition.
• Putting this material in the recycling stream can cause contamination. And, due to less awareness, it does end up there.
• Also, it would cause issues for composted materials due to their acidic properties.
• This material comes from genetically modified corn.
• The wastage of this material can be a problem because it is a typical food globally.
• At the same time, many facilities support its composting.
• Moreover, the infrastructure required for the material&#;s processes is not very high in number.
• There are few facilities for this material, so it mostly ends up in landfills.
• At the same time, it would cause methane gas production, a by-product not welcomed due to environmental issues.

Trends With Cornstarch

There is a host of trends coming when we talk about cornstarch. We will cover some of them in this blog.

A Method To Increase Quantity

There are ways around when it comes to this material. So, using ethanol to increase cornstarch can help you out. Also, get rid of any carbon emissions in the environment.

Improvement In Quality

Methods that can help improve the quality of this material are being found. This way, the use of it works in the paper and textile industry. Also, it can work for corrugating purposes.

Improved Cornstarch

Now, some experiments can help the future of this material in the packaging world. The results gave nano biocomposites containing bacterial cellulose. One of these experiments that can improve food packaging helped create materials that can:

• Offer optical properties
• It offers you tensile properties
• You can get better barrier properties that can enhance food packaging results.

These benefits can help get more out of this trend, which has also helped many other packaging fields.

Plant Oils And Cornstarch

Using plant oils with cornstarch can help improve the strength of your boxes. They also showed that you can use them as active films and get more moisture barrier.

Cornstarch Packaging For Apparel And Fashion

Using this material for packaging that can support fashion and apparel products is becoming famous. Unfortunately, this industry is among the ones that emit a large amount of carbon. It produces around 8 to 10 percent of total carbon emissions.

Using nylon, acrylic, and polyester causes a rise in plastic waste that ends up in oceans around the world. This is where cornstarch helps improve the pollution conditions around the globe. You can use this material for both ecommerce and other packaging types.

These materials work for clothing and are common in different ecommerce stores. Even the use of resealable product bags for the industry is becoming common. Their quality will be pretty good as you can make them strong, and they can carry great printing work.

Some Other Similar Materials

Here is a list of eco-friendly solutions you can get from sustainable methods.

• Biodegradable packaging peanuts
• Recycled cardboard
• Glassine
• Green cell foam
• Potato starch
• Grape Skin
• Sheep wool
• Chicken feathers
• Palm
• Coconut
• Milk
• Sheep wool
• Cellulose
• Shrimp cells
• Kraft paper
• Sugar and carbon dioxide
• Mushroom material
• Eucalyptus
• Seaweed
• Biodegradable plastics
• Corrugated bubble wrap
• Air pillows
• Organic ecological textiles
• Edible films materials

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FAQs

Is cornstarch packaging good for food packaging?

It is a common type of food packaging that allows you to use compostable and biodegradable materials for your products. At the same time, it is a renewable material that promotes sustainability regarding packaging materials. Also, it is considered safe for food materials and is approved by the FDA.

Is cornstarch packaging waterproof?

Add waxes or polymers if you want to make your cornstarch packaging waterproof. Such coatings can help make your packaging more resistant to splashes and issues like exposure to moisture. At the same time, there are specific formulations of cornstarch that you can make for better water resistance through particular processing techniques.

How is corn starch packaging made?

For more information, please visit Cornstarch Based Lunch Box.

• The process of construction packaging manufacturing is quite complex, starting with soaking corn kernels in water.
• Then, extract starch from them, purify, and refine it to move any impurities for better consistency.
• In the following process, you polymerize it, adding plasticizers for better flexibility and workability of the material.
• Then, you form them into shapes and sizes you want to work with.
• Next, cool down the packaging and check it for quality control issues before sending it.