BIOBU® Eco-Composite
Our material is a unique formula named BIOBU®. This trademark is our guarantee of safety and durability.
What is FSC? Forest Stewardship Council is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. The FSC label provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products.
WE'RE ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
Described as a biopolymer, our bamboo fibre is comprised of about half bamboo fiber, a highly renewable material, and half non-toxic food-grade A5 melamine binder, which helps to extend the life of the products (a sustainable practice!). Our bamboo is responsibly-sourced and managed, collected as sawdust waste from chopstick factories. Our material is stable, unchanging and poses absolutely no health risk with daily use and is suitable for hot and cold foods and liquids. There is no need for an external varnish, and the product maintains its appearance over time as it is the same material inside and out. Our products feature a premium matte finish. There is no varnish, coating nor paint on the surface of our products, so they’ll never fade, peel or leach harmful chemicals. All BIOBU products undergo regular and rigorous testing.
All EKOBO products comply to all food safety standards around the world (FDA, LFGB & REACH) and are free of BPA, PVC, Phthalates, Lead, Cadmium and Mercury.
What is the difference between BIOBU® eco-composite & other bamboo fiberwares on the market?
In the recent years, there has been a wave of bamboo fibre products that have flooded the market. The new players are both bamboo fibre brands or lifestyle brands that have jumped on the green trend by adding a bamboo fibre range to their offer. Like all consumer goods, there is both superior and inferior quality available to consumers. Many of these brands are not informed, nor specialized in what constitutes a safe bamboo composite and some suppliers are either inexperienced in manufacturing bamboo fiberware or they cut costs/increase productivity by shortening the crucial "thermopress" process which forms and stabilizes the composite. It is imperative to reiterate that bamboo fibre is a safe alternative to traditional plastics, fragile and disposable dishware and home accessories. EKOBO is proud to report flawless safety results in all areas. We manufacture our custom-designed products with an exclusive partner. Our factory is not only BSCI-compliant in social responsibility, we also work together with our factory, never cutting corners, to manufacture the safest and most premium bamboo fibre goods on the market.
Let’s talk about Biodegradability
According to the FTC Green Guidelines, the only thing that can be considered biodegradable is a material that disintegrates fully in nature by way of bacteria or other natural organism within one year -like a banana peel. Therefore, no our products aren't considered 100% biodegradable, but the portion of bamboo 50% will biodegrade in 2-3 years. The remainder will decompose at a slower rate. If the product can't be repurposed (as a small pencil or plant pot for instance) you should crush it up and put it in the regular trash where it will start the decomposition process. However, we think it's important to look at the product's complete lifecycle - what occurs before, during and after production. Our products are made with about 50% raw bamboo waste that we collect from local FSC-certified chopstick factories - a green, responsibly sourced waste product. Bamboo is a highly renewable natural resource that doesn't require any fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides to thrive. Also the techniques used for manufacturing our product consume little water and energy. Our products are made by thermopression (or heat); our machines are operated manually, then each product hand polished and packed. Finally, the A5 food-safe binding resin makes our products durable, reusable and dishwasher safe; they are a real alternative to traditional plastic and single use products.