Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Sustainable Summer Picnic-Ware


Product Review

I’ve posted here about Wheatware, a company that makes biodegradable plastic alternative products, including disposable flatware, but Verterra’s got the disposable plate, bowl and platter thing down!

I brought some samples of Verterra’s thoroughly sustainable and thoughtfully produced plates and bowls to my office to give them a rough test drive. I’m a salad girl and I love to use a lot of dressing and mix up all kinds of mushy stuff with my green mess, so this seemed to be a perfect way to see how these products held up.

These simple, but amazing plates are like a sustainable fantasy product - ethically sourced, fair-trade made, 100% compostable, non-toxic, bleach-free, non-leaching, made from 100% renewable plant materials, microwavable AND dishwasher safe, reusable and made by wonderful green pixies . . . okay, that last one was me getting carried away. But wait! There’s more!

Seriously, after making an effort to abuse these plates and bowls, I have to say, there is absolutely nothing negative I can report. They held up well with moisture - no getting soggy or absorbing stuff you don’t necessarily want to taste next time you use the plate. They are generally attractive, although not necessarily uniform and consistent in color, which I happen to appreciate so that doesn’t count as a negative in my check list, but perhaps in someone els’s. They wash quite easily, although I’ve only washed each piece once so far. Not really sure at what point they begin the biodegrading process, but I’ll keep you posted. I'm told you can actually cook up to 350 degrees for up to 45 minutes! I haven't tried this yet (don't try this at home - kind of thing).

Did I mention these plates are made from leaves? Leaves that have fallen to the ground and would otherwise be burned or disposed of! No trees are harmed in the process of manufacturing these plates. A process of steaming, high-pressure spraying and UV sterilizing (while recapturing at least 80% of the water), makes this happen almost by magic without the use of glues or other toxic binders and chemical varnishes, etc.

Aside from the extremely ethical eco-production, these make stylish sustainable summer sustenance serving stuff. How about that for alliteration!

Eat. Blog. Be Merry!

GD Meg

1 comment:

Carrie J. Boyko said...

I've heard about this stuff, but this is the first time I've seen a photo. Thanks for sharing it.

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