Whether you want to keep your house party or picnic more environmentally conscious you’re looking for a convenient and more durable alternative to plastic flatware, biodegradable flatware is your way to go!
In today’s article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about compostable and biodegradable cutlery sets. Let’s hop in!
Biodegradable Flatware: Our Top Picks
- Greenware Disposable Wooden Flatware Set – Best Overall Flatware Set
- Eco-Daddy Disposable CPLA Compostable Set – Best non-wooden flatware Set
- WoodAble Disposable Wooden Flatware Set – Great value for money
- Ecovita Disposable Compostable Flatware Set – Premium Pick
- FirstChoice Wooden Biodegradable Flatware Set – Best budget option
Top 5 Biodegradable Flatware Available on the Market
1. Greenware Disposable Wooden Flatware Set
Kicking off the list with one of the most versatile and good quality flatware sets on the market. The Greenware set is made of white birch wood, which makes it highly durable and reliable for eating while staying compostable.
The set contains 300 pieces, divided into 80 spoons, 80 forks, 40 knives, as well as 100 coffee stirring sticks, so you save the spoons for eating.
The handles are 6.3 inches, which helps it to fit both children and adult hands, which makes the set great for home use as well as party use.
Pros
- Comes with a complimentary bottle opener
- Saves spoons with 100 stirring sticks
- Excellent balance between comfort and performance
Cons
- The spoons aren’t deep enough for soups
2. Eco-Daddy Disposable CPLA Compostable Set
If you’re looking for a flatware set that gives you an absolutely authentic feel and performance while staying 100% compostable and biodegradable, you should keep this one in mind.
The Eco-Daddy is made of corn polylactic acid, which is an even greener solution that won’t chop down wood for manufacturing.
The corn-based material completely composts in 180 days, leaving no toxic wastes or chemicals.
What’s great about this set is that all the 360 pieces come with a long handle to make them much easier to use.
Pros
- Comes with a serving tray
- Excellent design and quality
- Doesn’t have a wooden taste
Cons
- Low heat tolerance
3. WoodAble Disposable Wooden Flatware Set
WoodAble is another excellent option to consider if you want the maximum number of highly durable forks and spoons without spending too much money.
The package has 300 pieces split into 120 forks, 120 spoons, and 80 knives. All of them are made of 100% biodegradable Chilean pine and poplar wood, which are known for their durability.
The manufacturer pledges to plant 4 trees for every 3 they harvest. They’re also certified by the Forest Stewardship Council!
Despite being a great product, the only room for improvement for the WoodAble flatware set is that it needs to be a bit smoother on the tongue.
Pros
- Excellent quality wood
- Has a large number of forks and spoons
- The manufacturer has an environmental pledge
Cons
- Has a dry and rough wood texture
4. Ecovita Disposable Compostable Flatware Set
If you don’t mind splurging a bit extra for an unmatched level of durability, comfort, and style, you might want to keep this one in mind.
The Ecovita flatware set contains 380 pieces, divided in 120 spoons, 140 forks, and 120 knives. They’re made of corn polylactic acid, so they’re even greener and more guilt-free than wooden ones.
What’s great about this flatware set is that it has a very high heat tolerance, which allows it to withstand up to 212 °F (100 °C).
This means that you can stir boiling hot beverages with their utensils without worrying about them releasing any dangerous by-products.
Moreover, the set is one of the few options on the market that come in a matte black and ivory white finish, which adds a touch of elegance to the set.
Pros
- Available in white and black matte finishes
- Ergonomic design with long handles
- Very high heat resistance
Cons
- Premium price tag
5. FirstChoice Wooden Biodegradable Flatware Set
Last but not least, if you’re on a strict budget, but you still need to feed a large crowd without feeling guilty, this one will get the job done!
The FirstChoice Wooden flatware set is made of a quality variant of birch wood, which makes it 100% biodegradable and compostable.
It’s also much more durable than the average flimsy plastic option without costing a whole lot more.
So in a way, it can also be more cost-effective if you count in all the broken plastic ones you’ll need to replace!
The set has 300 pieces, divided into 100 counts of each cutlery utensil. However, there are also sets with over 400 pieces for larger parties!
Pros
- Ideal for buyers on a strict budget
- Certified by the Forest Stewardship council
- Durable and convenient
Cons
- Comes in plastic packaging
Things to Look For While Shopping for Biodegradable Flatware
While shopping for a good set of biodegradable flatware, there are some aspects and specific features that you might want to take into considerations. Let’s have a brief overview of these points:
Materials and Quality
Most biodegradable flatware on the market is made of either wood or plant-based corn’s polylactic acid (CPLA).
The two materials are 100% biodegradable and can be composted entirely, so the choice between them is a matter of personal preference.
In addition to the type of material, you have to also ensure the quality of the material by checking if the product meets quality standards. A good point here is to opt for the ones certified by authoritative organizations.
Finish
There’s no point in getting a flatware set that won’t do its job. The utensil should feel smooth when you hold it. Nobody likes getting a wood splinter while they’re enjoying their meal.
The better quality sets will usually go through a multiple-hour long process of sanding and smoothing out to give you that durable yet comfortable feel.
Some biodegradable flatware will also have a unique finish, such as a matte one, to give the set a more appealing and aesthetically pleasing look.
Besides looking elegant, the reliable set should be professionally designed. The spoons should be concave enough to scoop the food easily, forks should have real ridges that will cut the food. And the ends of the forks should be pointed yet not dangerously sharp.
Heat Resistance
Of course, the design finish and how the utensils feel and perform is extremely important. But you should also include the ability to resist high temperature on your checklist.
Some materials aren’t designed to be used on hot items and may produce toxic by-products upon contact with heat, something you never want to happen with an item you put in your mouth.
A quality biodegradable flatware set should be tolerant to heat and is able to withstand up to 176 °F (80 °C) or more.
Zero Waste Packaging
There’s no point in going green for a biodegradable set if they’ll end up being packaged in a plastic box that wastes a lot of energy in production and won’t decompose for hundreds of thousands of years!
If you want an utterly guilt-free set, you should make sure that they also come in presentable yet biodegradable packaging, such as biodegradable cardboard or wooden boxes.
After Smell and Taste
Another point a lot of people realize after using biodegradable flatware is that some of them might have a strong wooden taste or smell that might interfere with whatever they’re enjoying.
Ideally, there are various wooden flatware sets on the market that have a naturally low wooden smell or have been safely treated to remove the smell as much as possible.
If you have a sensitive nose, or you don’t like any wooden smell whatsoever, consider going for a corn polylactic acid.
In addition to being a more eco-friendly option that doesn’t require cutting down trees, they also have no smell or taste, wooden or other!
Storage Tray
While having a storage tray isn’t a must for biodegradable flatware to be beneficial, it’s always one of the nicest things to have and adds value to the package!
Storage trays help in keeping the set organized and easily stored. They also make the set highly portable, which saves the time and hassle of sorting the utensils properly.
The Number and Variety of Utensils Available in the Package
In addition to the quality of the set, you should also keep an eye on quantity as well. As a rule of thumb, larger sets would cost you more per package but will save you a few cents on each disposable spoon, knife, and fork you use.
Since you’re into this for the long haul, those numbers add up nicely, making larger packs the wisest financial choice for heavy consumption.
You should also check the variation in the set. While flatware is supposed to mean spoons and forks, they usually include knives as well.
Make sure that the set contains the ideal amount of each of these tools, so you can the maximum value for your investment.
Wrap Up
As you can see, there are plenty of options on the market. If you’re looking for a more excellent wooden biodegradable flatware, you should consider the Greenware Disposable Wooden Flatware Set.
However, if you don’t mind spending a little extra for a dash of luxury all the while saving more trees, you should pick the Ecovita Disposable Compostable Flatware Set.
