Repurpose: Compostable Tableware & Partyware
Repurpose makes plastic-free compostable tableware and partyware for your parties or everyday life.
About Repurpose:
Reusables aren’t always accessible or convenient, which is why childhood friends co-founded and created Repurpose. They created plant-based and compostable alternatives to the single-use plastic items that pollute our planet and food systems.
The compostable tableware & partyware company was founded ten years ago when childhood friends and co-founders Lauren Gropper and Jordan Silverman wanted to solve a problem they saw everywhere: Plastic. They believe sustainability should be convenient and are on a mission to make the Earth a better place now, and in the future.
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Production/Manufacturing:
Repurpose products are currently manufactured in the United States, China, and Taiwan, and are designed and shipped from Los Angeles.
Materials Used
The company uses renewable and upcycled materials to create their products for the now and for the future, but not forever, as all their products are designed to be composted.
They use 3 primary materials: Upcycled Plant Fiber, PLA (Polylactic Acid), and PBAT (Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate). Compared to traditionally used counterparts, the plant-based materials used to create their products not only function and perform like conventional plastics but are better for you and the planet. All of their materials are completely non-toxic – meaning they’re free of PFAS, BPA, and all those other scary household toxins.
Sustainability Efforts:
At Repurpose, what started as a problem became the root of why they are who they are today – plastic. They make their products from renewable and upcycled materials, meaning their products are compostable. These alternatives have a lower carbon footprint than plastic single-use items and are non-toxic.
Repurpose certified compostable products break down completely in a commercial composting facility within 3-6 months and in a home composter within 12 months. Repurpose® Lomi® Approved products (plates, cold cups, bowls, cutlery, straws, and waste bags) will decompose in a matter of days.
Repurpose products have a lower carbon footprint than those of comparable, non-compostable products. Renewable materials like corn, wood pulp, and sugar cane that would usually be treated as leftover waste are instead upcycled to create their compostable products. These materials are processed with methods that release fewer greenhouse gasses and toxic chemicals into the environment than conventional plastic and paper.
Their PLA-based products emit 80% less CO2 into the atmosphere, require up to 60% less water to manufacture, and use 52% less energy to produce than plastics. Their compostable plates and bowls use 66% less energy to produce than paper plates and bowls.
Furthermore, Repurpose products, once composted, can be used to help fertilize crops, creating a closed-loop sustainability system. By composting Repurpose products, Repurpose customers help contribute to creating nutrient-dense soil that helps future plants, and a circular economy, flourish.
Sustainable Credentials
Repurpose products are BPI Certified home compostable and/or industrially compostable. The company also has a range of Lomi-approved compostable products and USDA Certified BioBased products.
Sustainable Milestones
Since launch, Repurpose has kept over 4M lbs of plastic waste out of landfills and counting, and that’s how they’ll continue to measure their success towards a sustainable (and plastic-free!) future with plant-based, certified compostable, and non-toxic alternatives.
As the company expands its product line, they’ve made it a priority to minimize both the shipping and packaging of its products to and from their customers’ homes. They ship plastic-free, in cardboard and paper.
Currently Working Toward
Repurpose is working on making more of its product line packaging compostable. The company is committed to continuing its work innovating cost-effective compostable packaging that’s up to its performance standards. They hope to make all their packaging compostable soon.
They are currently formulating a cost-effective strategy to shift manufacturing to the United States to reduce their carbon footprint.
Social Justice & Advocacy
The Repurpose team believes climate justice is social justice. They’re proud to live what they believe. Their team is 43% POC / LGBTQIA+ and their leadership team is 83% female-identifying.
