Frequently asked questions

It's up to you! We have options for both solid block colours and also opaque (see-through) colours.

For each new custom packaging order, there may be tooling costs, which refer to print plates and mould costs used during the production of your packaging. These costs are one-off, as your tooling can be used for future runs.

No, our bio-based recyclable materials are not compostable. They designed to perform like their virgin plastic counterparts but instead of being made from fossil fuels are made from plants, carbon negative and designed to be recycled. We have plenty of other compostable options if you are looking for something made from plants and compostable!

If you require a waterproof mailer, you are best to choose either our compostable or post-consumer recycled (PCR) mailers. Our paper mailers are water resistant and will withstand most conditions during transit but aren't designed to be left out in the wet.

Yes, our paper mailers and mailer boxes are made using recycled board and can be recycled in any paper waste stream.

Yes, if your order for custom packaging meets the minimum order quantity (MOQ)for your product we can customise the size, print and optional features for you.

We have a range of padded mailers in either compostable, PCR recycled or paper honeycomb material that will provide a level of protection during shipping. Get in contact if you're unsure about sending your product in one of our mailers and we'll provide some guidance.

Compostable materials are designed to be composted. Unfortunately, that means that they generally cannot be recycled and shouldn't go into a recycling stream. Although commercial composting systems are not widely available presently they are growing rapidly, so too is the rate of home composting. For further reading please visit our Resource Hub.

Yes, we can split your order and send it to as many locations as you like!

All of Grounded's vacuum pouches are able to be used for sous vide cooking. Our Plantmade recyclable pouches can be used for temperatures up to 80C or 175F. Our Plantmade compostable pouches can be used for temperatures up to 70C or 160F.

Yes our our bio-based recyclable films and laminates work well for both wet and oily product sets.

Compostable materials generally are not compatible with wet or oily products for any length of time. Compatibility is product dependent. They can work for product sets that only have a short shelf-life expectation but aren't suitable for anything over four weeks.

No, our recyclable product are not compostable - they're designed to be recycled! For further reading please see our blog post on Composting vs Recycling.

Yes they can. Grounded's recycled films and laminated are recyclable in either dedicated LDPE streams (#4) or via in-store collection systems. Check out your local soft plastics recycling schemes or speak to one of our packaging experts for more information.

No, they don't. Our certified compostable materials undergo rigorous biodegradation and compostability testing to ensure that they completely breakdown into healthy organic matter.

Our recycled and paper mailers do not have a shelf life. Our compostable mailer will keep its strength for 12 months. All our our products should be stored in a cool, dry place.

Unlike plastics, compostable materials are designed to have a shelf-life. They won't start spontaneously composting on the shelf or in your warehouse but over time things like sealing and lamination strength will start to deteriorate. In general, we recommend our compostable materials be used within 12-18 months depending on the product being filled as well as storage conditions. However this is influenced by atmospheric conditions like heat and humidity so in particularly hot and humid climates this is reduced. We recommend storing all compostable materials in dry climate controlled conditions as best practice to ensure best shelf-life of the packaging itself.

Recycled content has greater variability compared to virgin plastic that creates a slightly speckled, grainy texture in the film. This is almost imperceptible to the naked eye and does not effect packaging or print quality. Speak to one of our packaging experts about getting your hands on samples of our recycled products!

Refer to a blog post on how to compost!

See blog post on how to use a dieline.

Grounded's bio-based recyclable films and laminated are recyclable in either dedicated LDPE streams (#4) or via in-store collection systems. Check out your local soft plastics recycling schemes or speak to one of our packaging experts for more information. ‍

Our mailer bags can withstand heavy weight and are 100% waterproof. They are also tear-resistant and are designed to distributes the weight throughout the whole bag. We encourage you to order a sample pack and put them to the test

Composting timeframe depends on the exact conditions of the compost. Industrial or commercial composts run at higher temperatures and generally operate on a time frame of 2-3 months. Home composts are more variable and dependent on things like climate and how well they are managed. Home compost certification assumes the compost environment operates ~30°C and in order to achieve certification products must fully biodegrade within 12 months.

Global shipping lead times vary based on the shipping route, market demand and other external variables at a given time. For the latest shipping lead times please get in touch with one of our packaging experts.

The Pantone Color System, or Pantone Matching System (PMS), is a standardized color matching system widely used for printing. It was designed to help printers and designers to specify and control colours for printing projects.

Print plates are used to print your designs onto your packaging material. Your designs are laser cut into the plate, with the negative parts of your image cut out so that the plates don't pick up ink. If your design uses multiple colours, there will be a different print plate for each colour. The printing plates are mounted to giant cylinders on the printing press and the plate runs through the ink and onto your packaging.

Depending on the product and material, we print using either Pantone (PMS) or CMYK colours. The print capabilities for each product can be found on each of the product pages. Here you can also see what different print methods we can use. For example, digital printing or rotogravure printing.

We ship globally and have customers in every continent.

MOQ is an acronym for Minimum Order Quantity. This refers to the smallest number of units of each SKU you can order for your custom packaging. Each product specifies the custom MOQ in the details section on the product page.

Fluting is the wavy layer of paper in the middle of corrugated board that makes boxes rigid, strong, and stackable. Adjusting your fluting can affect the size and dimensions of your shipments which could have a major effect on your product performance and shipping costs.

A dieline is a template that contains the exact dimensions of your product. Dielines also show cut lines, fold lines and glue flaps. When customising your packaging we will supply you with a dieline to apply your designs before providing you with a final digital proof to sign off. You can create and download your own dielines using our dieline generator.

First up, for all those that don't yet speak packaging, MOQ means 'Minimum Order Quantity'. This is product dependent and can be found in the details section of the product page. Unfortunately the manufacturing MOQ cannot be split across multiple SKUs. If the MOQ for a product is currently a bit high for your business we have a wide range of products available in our online store which come in smaller cartons and can be labelled to get a similar result. Check out our Online Store for more details.

Global freight rates vary based on the size of the order, the shipping route and method, market demand and other external variables at a given time. For the latest shipping rates please speak with one of our packaging experts.

The same ink colour can look different depending on what type of substrate (material) you print it on. Inks printed on an uncoated material such as paper, soak into the material and lose vibrancy as it takes on the character of the surface. If you use the same ink and put it on a coated material, it looks brighter and retains vibrancy and has a gloss look similar to the material surface. When choosing colours, you should consider the surface you’re printing on (e.g. paper or film) and choose the correct Pantone type (coated or uncoated) to ensure you get the right outcome. If you use different materials across your packaging range, you may have to choose different Pantone colours for matte and glossy materials to ensure you keep your brand colours consistent across different materials.

Unfortunately different products and materials have different considerations so there is not a uniform answer to this. Please reach out to one of our packaging experts who can assist further.

Our spouts are made from rigid plastic polymers and can easily recycled in their respective plastic streams.

Our vacuum pouches have a high barrier to both oxygen and moisture, and are able to be used in place of traditional vacuum packaging for most food products.

We have paper stock available starting from 80GSM right up to 400GSM. Key considerations when deciding which thickness to choose are the weight of your product, the rigidity of the mailer and your durability requirements. Speak to one of our packaging experts about your requirements.

The spout can be placed anywhere along the top edge pouch; this is typically either on the top left edge, top middle center or top right edge.

Yes, we will provide you with a digital artwork proof to sign before proceeding with production. If you would like a physical proof we can also do pre-production samples at an additional cost. Please note this will also extend the lead time of your order.

Our vacuum pouches are designed to be used on commercial in-chamber vacuum sealers. They won't work on out of chamber machines.