Frequently Asked Questions

Vegware is headquartered in Edinburgh, UK with further operational bases in the EU & US.

We sell to 70 countries and have distribution throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East, US, South America and the Caribbean

UK: Contact our Customer Service team on +44 (0)330 223 0400 or info@vegware.com and we can connect you with one of our UK distribution partners.

Europe: Contact our European Sales team at sales.europe@vegware.com or +44 (0)3333 055 404 to be connected to a distributor.

US: Contact our US team at us.info@vegware.com or (844) 610-0915

Hong Kong: Contact info@vegware.hk or +852 2127 4489

Australia: Contact sales@vegware.com.au or +02 9987 0800

Rest of the world: Contact our Customer Service team on +44 (0) 330 223 0400 or info@vegware.com, sharing your location.

UK: Contact our Sales team at sales@vegware.com or on +44 (0)3333 055 404.

Europe: Contact our European Sales team at sales.europe@vegware.com or +44 (0)3333 055 404.

US: Contact our US team at us.info@vegware.com or (844) 610-0915

Rest of the world: Contact our Global team at global@vegware.com or +44 (0)330 223 0400, sharing your location.

Founded in 2006, Vegware was a privately held company until August 2021 when we joined the Novolex family of brands. Learn more about the Vegware team on our About page.

We appreciate your interest. Vegware is owned by Novolex, and we have funding in place.

We have a wealth of information available online. To learn more about composting, please read our Composting FAQs and visit our About pages.Information on our plant-based materials and products can be found on our Catalogue pages and the Products FAQs. Additionally, our annual Impact Report, and our blog posts contain many articles, case studies and company updates from over the years.

Vegware is made from plants using renewable, recycled or reclaimed materials. We use a variety of plant-based materials – visit Our materials pagefor more information.

Vegware is certified food safe. We hold the market's most comprehensive food migration certification.

We encourage customers to request product samples, as each kitchen is different, so samples allow you to test Vegware with your menu offerings and see how they work in your ovens, microwaves, refrigerators and freezers. Products that are Vegware-approved for a commercial kitchen appliance, such as hot cabinets, are referenced in the product's description.

Our products are made from plants using renewable, recycled or reclaimed materials. We use synthetic glues to bind our materials and have confirmation that they do not contain animal by-products.

Bioplastics are typically made from materials that are not suitable for human consumption. For example, producers do not use food grade corn in the manufacture, thus it can be grown on outlying agricultural land and not interfere with food production. If half of the world’s plastic production switched to crop-based bioplastics, the industry would still only require 3% of the world’s cultivated land.

Do not store Vegware near heat – for example not in direct sunlight or near an oven or radiator. Vegware is best stored at temperatures not more than 40°C

Vegware is a global brand, operating across a range of markets. As such, our supply chain is spread across a range of territories including the UK and Asia. We manufacture our products close to the source of our raw plant-based materials, so that when transported, Vegware products are in their finished form.

Generally speaking, Vegware products have a shelf life of up to one year.

Please refer to our Online orders page.

Vegware 可以在哪裡送貨？

請參閱我們的線上訂單頁面。

Please refer to our Online orders page.

你們的截止時間和運輸提前期是多少？

請參閱我們的線上訂單頁面。

Unfortunately, once processed and confirmed by the Vegware Customer Service team, orders cannot be amended.

Additions to an order can be made by raising a new order, which may be subject to an additional shipping charge where applicable. Where possible, we will try to minimise shipping costs and packaging materials by consolidating orders into single cartons and or single deliveries.

Customers are entitled to return goods – other than printed or bespoke products – to receive a refund or credit on the sum paid, and we require a specific process and timeframe be followed – please refer to our Online orders page for further information.

Should you notice that you have received an incorrect item after receipt of the delivery parcel or pallets, please do report them to us by the end of the day you receive the goods: info@vegware.hk. Vegware will not be liable for non-delivery of goods unless written notice is given within this timeframe.

我收到的訂單中的商品不正確，我該怎麼辦？

 如果您在收到送貨包裹或貨件後發現收到的商品不正確，請在收到貨物當天向我們報告： info@vegware.hk。除非在此期限內發出書面通知，否則 Vegware 不會對已交付貨物負責。

Should any shortages or damages appear after receipt of the delivery parcel or pallets, please report them to us by the end of the day you receive the goods: info@vegware.hk. Vegware will not be liable for non-delivery of goods unless written notice is given within the timeframes advised above.

我的訂單中缺少一件商品，我該怎麼辦？

如果在收到交貨包裹或貨件後出現任何短缺或損壞，請在收到貨物當天向我們報告：info@vegware.hk。除非在上述規定的時間內發出書面通知，否則 Vegware 不對已交付貨物承擔責任。

Any quality concerns should be sent to our Customer Service team at info@vegware.hk. Please include the below information in your email:

• Product code (including associated products such as lids, pots, etc)
• Original order number
• Batch numbers (printed on the outer case, with prefix VEGW)
• A clear explanation of the potential fault including usage
• Quantity affected
• Photo or video of the fault
• Requested action and/or outcome

Once all required information has been gathered, we shall create a plan for further investigation with an agreed-upon timeline for updates and actions.

我收到了有缺陷的商品，我該怎麼辦？

 如有任何品質問題，請發送至我們的客戶服務團隊： info@vegware.hk。請在您的電子郵件中包含以下資訊：

• 產品代碼（包括相關產品，如蓋子、食物盒、杯等）
• 原始訂單編號
• 批號（印在外殼上，帶有前綴 VEGW）
• 對潛在缺陷（包括使用情況）的清晰解釋
• 受影響的數量
• 缺陷貨品照片或視頻
• 需求的行動和/或結果

收集完所有必需的資訊後，我們將製定進一步調查計劃，並商定更新和相關處理行動的時間表通知閣下。

Please refer to the individual product page to find details on the product and case dimensions.

在哪裡可以找到產品或箱子的尺寸？

 請參閱各個產品頁面，以了解有關產品和箱子尺寸的詳細資訊。

Vegware holds the deepest set of compostability certification in the sector – you can learn more in the Our materials section on our About page. If you are seeking further details for specific products please contact our Customer Service team: info@vegware.hk.

在哪裡可以找到可堆肥性認證？ 

Vegware 擁有業界最深入的可堆肥性認證 - 您可以在「關於」頁面的「我們的材料」部分中了解更多資訊。如果您需要了解特定產品的更多詳細信息，請聯絡我們的客戶服務團隊：info@vegware.hk.。

Composting is a form of recycling which keeps resources local, unlike much plastic and paper which is exported overseas with no guarantee of it actually being recycled.

Compostable disposables are designed to be recycled in an industrial composting facility together with food waste. That means there’s no need for sorting, and the compostable cup, lid, burger box, knife and napkin can all go together without removing the ketchup and leftover chips. An extra bonus is that once food and disposables share one bin, other dry recycling bins are cleaner and easier to recycle.

Compostability isn’t best for all situations. For example, Vegware wouldn’t make compostable water bottles, as PET plastic already has a developed recycling infrastructure. But for food-contaminated disposables, compostability is a sensible solution.

Combining plastic and card in foodservice packaging can create massive recycling challenges. Food contamination is inevitable, so the result is incineration or landfill.

For disposables destined for serving food, it makes sense to use materials that can be recycled together with food. With compostable disposables, food isn’t contamination, it’s a vital ingredient in the composting process.

Everyone likes the word ‘recyclable’, but here’s some news which highlights the real challenges of recycling used ‘recyclable’ packaging. Many countries export their recycling, and recent news has brought to light that it's not actually getting recycled.

For example, the UK exports 70% of its paper and 66% of its plastic for recycling. China took a lot of exported UK recycling, but over the years discovered it isn’t good enough quality to recycle. Since January 2018, China has banned imports of household plastics, and only accepts cardboard and paper with less than 0.5% contamination. Other Asian countries are implementing or considering similar bans, to avoid becoming a dumping ground for unrecyclable waste. Food contamination is a major problem, and the British recycling industry worries that most UK card and paper won’t meet China’s standards.

What’s the learning here? That in reality, card + plastic + food isn’t recyclable.

Vegware’s close ties to the waste sector means we are able to help identify composting solutions for many of our clients – from contract caterers operating on-site dining for large corporate office buildings, hotels, universities, and more – to independent cafés and those holding events such as large-scale festivals or sports venues. We also encourage sites to offer a bring-back scheme to entice customers to return their used Vegware takeaways. This can operate as a loyalty card scheme, with customers earning a point or stamp towards a free drink or other treat, for each item returned.

Used Vegware can be captured within the site’s bins, designated by signage for composting, which allows us to work with their waste teams to set up composting schemes. Cup recycling schemes are making huge strides; however, ours is a solution for all disposables and food waste, not just cups.

Composting your Vegware? Offer a bring-back scheme! We encourage clients to operate a loyalty programme with a difference, rewarding customers who bring back their used Vegware while tackling the issue of on-the-go recycling.

Many clients offer their own loyalty card where, for each used Vegware product returned, a customer earns a point or stamp towards a free hot drink or other treat. This helps increase footfall while capturing used Vegware takeaways, helping to get the packaging into the correct waste stream so it can fulfil its potential to become compost, while also boosting clients' recycling rates and green credentials.

Our full-time Environmental team are experts in helping clients find composting solutions for their used Vegware – we've been working on this full-time since 2012. Find out more about your region's composting options by visiting the Composting tab under our About page.

Absolutely. We’ve won awards for our product quality and functionality, in addition to being recognised for our social and environmental impact.

Same process, different breakdown speeds. Biodegradable tells us nothing about timescales – for example, wood is biodegradable, but a log cabin can stand for generations. Compostable means that packaging can break down in under 12 weeks in composting conditions, and is therefore suitable for industrial composting.

Make sure your disposables supplier has compostability certification – that’s the real guarantee. Vegware holds the most extensive compostability certification of any UK packaging supplier – read more about certification in the Our materials section of our About page.

Compostable packaging needs to be in the right composting conditions in order to break down. Commercial, also known as industrial, composting creates the perfect balance of microbes, moisture and warmth, so that compostable packaging can be included in food waste recycling. Learn more about composting in our Composting section on the About page.

Where there is no access to industrial composting facilities, used Vegware should be put in general waste. Vegware’s takeaway packaging is made from plants using renewable, recycled or reclaimed materials, and these benefits still apply no matter what happens to them after use.

Used Vegware should not be placed in standard recycling bins which collect paper, plastics and metals, as those materials go to a different type of sorting facility. Another reason is that food waste harms the quality of mechanical recycling – the same applies to any used foodservice disposables.

General waste goes to either incineration or landfill. If Vegware is incinerated, energy is produced. Incineration studies on compostable packaging from NatureWorks, a key materials supplier of ours, show that their PLA bioplastic produces more heat than newspaper, wood or food waste; also that it produces no volatile gases and leaves little residue. Some in the waste sector prefer plant-based materials over conventional plastics as they give off fewer toxic gases.

In landfill, studies have shown that compostable packaging is inert and does not give off methane.

Please do not litter – compostable packaging is not expected to break down when discarded in the environment, and is not a solution to marine pollution.

If you have space, staff, and a use for compost, on-site composting can be an exciting opportunity to process your used Vegware. Read more in our Composting section under the About page.

The actuality is they can’t be recycled easily. Foodservice packaging made from conventional oil-based plastics – once stained with food and drink residue – are a massive recycling challenge.

A lot of UK plastic and paper is exported overseas with no guarantee it is actually being recycled. Britain does not have the requisite infrastructure to recycle its own plastic waste, with only 9% of plastic recycled domestically. Most often, plastic can only be recycled one or two times, often into something that is unable to hold food or heavy items.

Instead, composting is a local form of recycling, boosting local economy and supplying nutrient-rich compost for local agricultural, horticultural or flood management. Read more here about how Vegware has been growing the UK’s trade routes to access composting.

Yes. As with all Vegware, our custom print products can be commercially composted where accepted.

We need your logo and any additional text and artwork elements you may want included. We ideally require these in a vector format, however, depending on the product, we may be able to use high resolution jpegs (300dpi or higher). Please include instructions if you have a specific idea in mind for your artwork.

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If you order through one of our distributor partners, please send this information directly to them.

Our Creative team will spend up to an hour on a custom print request and, if needed, can amend the design based on your feedback. Over and above this first free hour, we will charge a flat rate for each additional amendment.

We will send you a digital proof of your artwork so that you can approve the colours, sizing and positioning before it goes to print.

We ask that you provide CMYK values or Pantones codes to ensure colours come out as you expect. These values will also be stated on the digital proof so that you can sign off on them.

Please refer to our Pantones vs CMYK guidance sheet.

We can print on either matt or gloss board, depending on your preference. Matt board is slightly textured and is similar in finish to recycled paper. Gloss board is smooth and shiny, ideal if you want your colours to be more vivid.

All of our products are printed using vegetable or water-based inks, and the finish is great.

Yes! If you would like to design your own custom printed products and have access to Adobe software, please get in touch so that we can supply you with the correct templates and guidelines.

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If you order through one of our distributor partners, please contact them directly for this information.

If you are providing your own artwork, we accept Adobe Illustrator (.ai), editable .pdfs or .eps files.

Timing varies based on the product, design and quantity ordered. Please contact our Customer Service team who can provide a more detailed timeline.