Compostable straw producer seeks private brand partners

A compostable bioplastic manufacturer, UrthPact, has developed a line of home compostable drinking straws that are available for retailer private brands.

UrthPact, Leominster, Mass., worked with the company Danimer Scientific to engineer the straws, a company that also develops compostable bioplastic materials.

UrthPact said it has the capacity to make straws “in the billions” for this first year, looking to reduce the environmental impact of the single-use plastics industry and put a dent in the 142 billion plastic straws used yearly in the United States. The company is actively looking for private brand partnerships.

The straws are made with Danimer’s signature biopolymer Nodax PHA, a material that is certified to compost in any environment on Earth in under a year, including landfill and marine conditions.  

UrthPact said it is the only contract manufacturer worldwide currently working to partner with nationwide and international brands, distributors, and other private label organizations. The goal is to help expand their partners’ single-use product offerings and increase sustainability by carrying the home compostable straws under their own brands.

UrthPact products are fully made in the United States. UrthPact CEO Paul Boudreau said knowing exactly where and how products are being made matters today more than ever.

“Consumers are looking for an American-made product, and we’re here to help you provide that to your customers,” he said, adding that UrthPact’s facilities are also Safe Quality Food (SQF) certified, placing food safety and customer satisfaction at the top of their priority list, guaranteeing a contaminant-free and high-quality product.

“Home compostable straws are only the beginning,” Boudreau said. “PHA is a revolutionary new material in the world of bioplastics and has the ability to truly change the landscape of the single-use industry over the next 10 years. Single-usage was never the problem. The problem was we chose to use a material that was designed to last forever to make products only meant to be used for five minutes. With Mother Nature’s materials and our engineering expertise, we’ve truly solved the single-use plastic problem.”