Mixed soft plastic recyclable coffee bags unpacked

Our mixed soft plastic recyclable coffee bags have been an OG favourite for a very long time with roasters all over. When this bag first came to market a few years ago, it quickly became a really strong go-to option for those wanting to move away from traditional coffee bags made with aluminium and chunky, plastic valves, while still ensuring the quality and freshness of their beans was maintained.  

Here’s the pros and cons of this bag structure, and what you need to know when weighing up whether it’s the one for you. 

What’s our mixed soft plastic recyclable coffee bags made from? It’s made from mixed PET. 

PROS:

1. Medium oxygen barrier: This bag structure is really reliable in terms of keeping your coffee fresher for longer, and works for products with a longer shelf life.
2. Competitive price: Material cost is low, which means it’s a great, accessible option for a lot of roasters. 
3. Durable structure: This bag structure is really strong and durable. It’s not going to break easily, which means it can be trusted to keep your coffee safe during shipping and transit. 
4. Conditionally recyclable: It’s made from mixed PET and designed to be conditionally recycled after use, through programs like Reground and Terracycle. 
5. Customisable: This bag is super easy to customise with branding and add-on extra features like a ripper zipper, for example. 

CONS:

1. End of life: You can’t kerbside recycle soft plastics, and the recent pause of RedCycle means that end of life for this product is less accessible than other sustainable options like compostable or paper. 

In conclusion, this is a bag that offers really impressive coffee protection and customisation options, but there are limitations around how it can be responsibly disposed of at the end of its life with the absence of a mass soft plastics recycling program in Australia. In the meantime, Reground and Terracycle offer alternative conditional recycling programs as a solution to responsibly recycling these bags. 

Want guidance on the process? We’re always up for a chat. Book a call or send us a message!