Paper-based packaging is one of the oldest forms of food packaging. Although plastic packaging has dominated the market over the last few decades, the tide is once again turning in favour of more eco-friendly materials. Notably, the global paper and paperboard container and packaging market is poised to reach $463.3 billion by .
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Alongside kraft paper, recyclable rice paper coffee bags have become a popular alternative to plastic packaging. That said, some coffee businesses may consider rice paper coffee packaging a more ‘niche’ option. Many also wonder how rice paper holds up during transport and over long-term storage.
Understanding the logistical and material-specific factors of these coffee bags can help brands balance sustainability with product quality. More so, it can help brands determine if recyclable rice paper coffee bags are best suited for their business.
To learn more about the benefits and limitations of rice paper, I spoke to Ben Sibley of Assembly Coffee in the UK.
Despite its name, rice paper for packaging is produced from renewable and bio-based sources like quintan bark and bamboo. These raw materials are fairly low maintenance and don’t consume large volumes of natural resources. Additionally, they do not have a significant negative impact on the environment.
Rice paper is flexible, strong, and slightly translucent. When used in its natural form, rice paper is both biodegradable and recyclable. That said, when used to package coffee, it’s often layered to make it more opaque and enhance its strength and protective qualities. The material is also frequently lined with aluminium to further protect the coffee from moisture, UV rays, and oxidation. However, this drastically reduces its recycling potential and biodegradability.
It’s important to note that sustainable packaging alternatives are likely to have a slightly shorter life span than traditional plastics. Under hot and humid conditions, the materials may rapidly lose effectiveness. As such, they are better recommended for those who use up coffee beans or grounds quickly in a short amount of time.
Recyclable rice paper coffee bags are also landfill-friendly. This means that natural bacteria can break them down in very little time. Additionally, the decomposition process won’t generate any carbon dioxide, which lowers the materials’ carbon footprint.
Unfortunately, rice paper alone has limited protection against certain elements. They can’t adequately preserve a coffee’s quality for long periods of time unless lined with another material or coated for added protection. As durability is a concern, the research phase of finding suitable rice paper coffee bags is crucial and can be quite time-consuming.
Additionally, when left untreated, rice paper coffee bags can be fragile and prone to tearing if not handled carefully. Beyond this, the ink used on rice paper may smudge or fade over time. While adding additional layers and coating to rice paper doesn’t negate its eco-friendliness, it can make it more challenging to recycle or biodegrade, depending on the materials used.
Assembly Coffee has stores across London’s most well-coffee-versed boroughs and caters to an entire wholesale market. Ben has worked as a brand manager for over two years and explains the Assembly’s choice to invest in rice paper coffee bags.
“Coffee is historically interpreted as strict and sometimes quite sterile,” he says. “We were looking for a material that could feel refined and premium but also offered texture, transparency, and a reminder of coffee’s connection to the natural world—that it’s handmade, perishable, and [essentially,] a food product.”
He adds that the brand partnered with MTPak Coffee to create rice paper coffee bags backed with a food-safe lining. “These bags achieve the structural integrity we desired for both brand and function, but we felt the frayed threads and organic texture perfectly achieved this other aspect we wanted to incorporate.”
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Rice paper coffee bags are lightweight, which means they often come with lower shipping costs. They also offer a unique, natural look, which effortlessly enhances branding and product appeal, bringing consumers back to the coffee beans’ natural roots.
“It’s easy to make a box or jar feel premium, and it’s easy to create a packaging system that links to traditional queues of luxury,” says Ben. “In our experience, however, this inhibits the rate of [retail sales]. This is the insight we were working on and wanted to make as clear as possible, using the transparency of rice paper and the dimensions of a regular coffee bag to highlight that the product is coffee and not garments, electronics, or cosmetics. The result is that both online and offline, we’ve seen a definite increase in the rate of sales.”
Brands can and should consider opting for rice paper coffee bags for everything from overseas clients to subscription and wholesale options. That said, they must take a few key factors into consideration.
The first factor to consider is quality. The quality of the rice paper bags will determine their barrier properties, which are crucial in protecting coffee during overseas shipping. When shipping products overseas, ensure the bags can withstand varying environmental conditions, including rapid changes in humidity and overall temperature.
When properly lined and sealed, rice paper coffee bags will offer coffee sufficient protection. That said, brands are advised to conduct thorough testing to ensure their complete durability during transit.
The same rules should generally apply to subscriptions and wholesale options. The key element is to ensure that the rice paper coffee bags you invest in have been crafted with the utmost care to protect your coffee.
Brands must also communicate correct disposal to consumers. If the local municipality requires homeowners to sort their trash before collection, there’s a very good chance it will be recycled. However, brands must clearly communicate whether any sealing materials or degassing valves need to be removed prior to disposal.
AT MTPak Coffee, we offer a range of 100% recyclable coffee packaging options made from renewable materials such as kraft paper, rice paper, or multilayer LDPE packaging with an environmentally friendly PLA lining, all of which minimise waste and contribute to a circular economy.
Our design team is available to help you create the ideal coffee packaging. Plus, we are able to custom-print coffee bags using innovative digital printing technology, with a quick turnaround and shipping time. We also offer low minimum order quantities (MOQs) to micro-roasters who are looking to remain agile while showcasing brand identity and a commitment to the environment.
Custom resealable mylar bags are a popular option for packaging food products such as snacks, dried fruits, and nuts. These bags are made from a material called mylar, which is a type of vapor metalized plastic film that is known for its strength and durability. Mylar bags are also known for their ability to protect products from ultraviolet light, as well as moisture and oxygen migration, making them an ideal choice for food products that need to be kept fresh.
One of the main advantages of printed mylar bags is that they can be customized to include your logos and graphics directly on the pouch, reducing or eliminating the need to apply labels to the bags. This can be a great way to make your products stand out on store shelves and attract the attention of potential customers. Additionally, printed mylar bags can be produced in a variety of different sizes and shapes, making them a versatile packaging option for a wide range of products.
Stand-up pouches, on the other hand, are a broader category of packaging that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Stand up pouches can be made from a variety of different material laminations, including plastic, aluminum, and paper. They are designed to stand up on their own, making them a convenient option for displaying products on store shelves.
Stand-up pouches can be made from vapor metalized plastic, just like mylar bags and thus can protect products from light, moisture, and oxygen. They are also great for products like snacks, dried fruits, and nuts as the gusset helps these bags hold the product and stand up on a shelf.
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