Notes from the press.

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Two pieces instead of three: where the cost actually goes

The standard way to mould an egg-shaped container is three parts: a lid, a body, and a separate base ring that is fitted or glued on to give the piece a flat bottom. Buyers rarely question it, because that is what they have always been quoted.

Break the quote down and the ring is almost never the expensive line. What costs money is everything the ring drags in.

1. One more mould

A three-piece shell needs three tool sets. Tooling is paid once, but it sets the entry price for every size you want to offer — four sizes means twelve moulds instead of eight.

2. One more press cycle

Every part is a separate cycle: pulp slurry, vacuum form, dry, trim. The ring’s cycle is short, but it still occupies a machine, a dryer slot and an operator’s attention.

3. One more assembly step

The ring has to be fitted, aligned and — in most factories — glued. Glue is the part of a pulp container that fails first: it discolours, it creeps in humidity, and it is the reason a percentage of shells are rejected at final inspection.

Three parts means three moulds, three cycles, one glued joint and three QC touchpoints. Two parts removes one of each — that is where the saving sits, not in the gram weight.

Folding the ring into the body changes the seam, not the protection. The cavity still cushions on all sides; the base is still flat. What changes is the number of things that can go wrong before the shell reaches the carton.

If you are comparing quotes, ask for the part count and the mould count per size. The unit price will follow.

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Pulp vs foam: the five numbers buyers ask for

“Is it as protective as foam?” is the first question in almost every enquiry. It is the wrong first question — foam and moulded pulp fail in different ways. These are the five numbers worth putting side by side.

1. Wall thickness and density

Standard pulp shells run 1.8–2.0 mm. At 2.6 mm the wall carries more of the load before it deforms, which matters for anything with an edge — a bottle, a frame, a ceramic.

2. Drop performance

Ask for the test, not the adjective. ISTA 1A is the usual entry point for single packages under 68 kg. A shell that survives 1A at your packed weight is a spec; “strong” is not.

3. Storage volume before use

This is where foam quietly loses. Nested pulp shells ship flat and dense; foam inserts are bulky before they are used, so you pay for air in every container.

4. EPR and packaging fees

Extended producer responsibility schemes in Europe and a growing number of US states price packaging by weight and material. Paper fibre is usually in a lower fee band than expanded plastic — worth checking for your market rather than assuming.

5. End of life

Uncoated pulp goes into paper recycling or home compost. Foam goes to landfill in most jurisdictions. If your retail partner publishes a sustainability page, this is the line they will ask you to prove.

None of these numbers require a laboratory to discuss. They require your supplier to give you the test report and the wall thickness in writing.

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What “compostable” legally means in the US and EU

“Compostable” is one of the most claimable words in packaging and one of the easiest to get wrong. The difference between a marketing line and a defensible claim is a test standard and a condition.

Industrial composting

In Europe the reference is EN 13432. In the US, ASTM D6400 plays the same role. Both assume an industrial facility with controlled temperature and a defined time window — they do not mean the item breaks down in a garden.

Home composting

Home compostability is a separate and stricter claim, covered by schemes such as OK compost HOME and NF T51-800. Uncoated moulded pulp typically clears this within about 90 days, which is why it can carry a home-compost line that a PLA-coated shell cannot.

The US claim rules

The FTC Green Guides require that environmental claims be substantiated by competent and reliable evidence, and that qualifications be clear and prominent. In practice: never say “biodegradable” without a timeframe, environment and test basis. Say what it is, and what it is not.

Safe wording: “Moulded from bamboo, bagasse and wood pulp. Home compostable in about 90 days. Not certified for marine degradation.” It is longer, and it survives a complaint.

What to ask your supplier

The certificate number, the standard it was tested to, the thickness tested, and whether any coating is present. A shell with a moisture barrier is a different product — and a different claim.