Every week a US buyer asks us for "biodegradable bags," and the first job of a good supplier is slowing the conversation down. Biodegradable is a word, not a standard. Compostable is a standard, with test methods and certifications, and in the US market that means ASTM D6400 certification and usually BPI listing. We produce compostable bag lines alongside conventional plastics, and this guide is the honest version we wish more suppliers handed out.
The certification ladder, briefly
ASTM D6400 is the US standard for plastics designed to compost in industrial facilities: it requires disintegration within a composting cycle plus verified biodegradation and no toxicity in the finished compost. BPI certification is the North American third-party mark built on that standard, and it is what US municipal programs and many state laws effectively reference. EN 13432 is the European equivalent for buyers with cross-border programs. If a quote says "biodegradable" without a certification to one of these, it is marketing copy on an unspecified film, and it will not satisfy a municipal RFP.
Materials: what the bags actually are
Certified compostable films are typically blends of PLA (plant starch polymer) and PBAT (a flexible compostable polyester), sometimes with starch modifiers. They behave like conventional film on the filling line with modest temperature adjustments, and they look nearly identical on shelf. They also have a real shelf life, commonly 9 to 12 months under good storage, which is a genuine inventory consideration, not a defect: order to program rhythm rather than hoarding a year of stock.
Where compostables genuinely fit
- Food scrap collection programs with municipal composting access: the flagship use.
- Food service liners for cafeterias and events feeding compost streams.
- Retail carry programs in jurisdictions where ordinances push compostables.
And the honest caveat: compostable does not mean litter-degradable. A compostable bag on a roadside degrades slowly and unglamorously; the certification covers compost facilities, not the gutter. Programs that treat compostables as an industrial-stream product get the value; programs that treat them as self-disposing plastic get disappointed.
Indicative pricing
Certified compostable film carries a 15 to 40 percent premium over conventional equivalents depending on gauge and certification overhead; indicative FOB for carry and liner formats runs case-specific, so we quote by program. MOQs follow container logic for custom prints, with stock-size programs more flexible. Production 3 to 4 weeks; ocean 4 to 6 weeks; certificates ship with goods, and we recommend buyers file them with their program documentation.
Program buyer questions
Will our compost facility accept them?
Ask the facility, not the supplier. Facilities accept by certification and their own process experience; BPI listing is the ticket that usually clears the bar.
Can we print brand colors?
Yes, with compostable-compatible inks; one to three colors is the practical range, and proofs come on the actual compostable film.
Certifications and formats are on the Biodegradable Products page. Related waste-stream products: heavy duty trash bags and trash bags on rolls.
