When I first decided to try and go plastic-free it was immediately clear I would have to cut my crisp habit. My waistline and my wallet were pretty happy about this but I did miss the crunchy salty snacks. So when I discovered Two Farmers crisps I was excited to say the least.
Two Farmers crisps launched the UK’s first 100% compostable and plastic-free crisp packet back in 2018 and filled them with their super delicious Herefordshire hand-cooked crisps. I was free to enjoy my snacks knowing I wasn’t creating any plastic waste and I was keen to share this discovery so soon started stocking the crisps through Tribe zero-waste too. But it has provided a little tricky as the shelf life of these bags hasn’t always been great and they haven’t always reached me sealed. This meant wasted bags and a few flash sales to shift the last few packs before the best before. (There’s only so many leftover bags I can eat and still fit into my jeans!)
The Two Farmers team have been all too aware of this hurdle and in 2020 they continued R&D with sustainable packaging specialists Parkside UK. This has resulted in a new film that significantly increases shelf life and crunch. Instead of being made of two cellulose layers and one layer of paper this new bag is made of 3 cellulose layers. This extra layer of cellulose means that there’s a second barrier layer within the packet and as a result it strengthens the packaging and maintains the quality of the product for longer.
However, this change does increase the time it takes for the packets to decompose in home compost situations to 26-38 weeks. Unfortunately this extended time means they can no longer display the home compost accreditation on their bags as the test criteria for this is 26 weeks. The packs do however meet industrial composting criteria and you will see this listed on the back of each pack. But don’t let this stop you from popping your empty packet in your home compost bin or heap – you might just have to wait a little longer for them to decompose. There’s a great guide to all the labels on their compostable bags over on their website.
Sean Mason, founder of Two Farmers, comments “As an innovator, we have always known that being the first would not be without its challenges. With this change, we look to provide retailers with a sustainable, plastic-free crisp brand that also meets their shelf life needs and ensures the freshness of our crisps. We are sure that this new film will deliver that, whilst still ensuring that the packets remain compostable in a home environment, just with a slightly longer wait.”