12 Best Compostable Bags + Truth About Biodegradable Bags

hands unrolling biodegradable bags

Have you noticed more compostable bags lining supermarket shelves? More are recognizing that composting is one of the best things we could do for our environment—but only if it’s done correctly. There are more compostable and biodegradable trash bags than ever before, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that all of these products will quickly and easily break down in a backyard compost heap.

Let’s take a better look at the best compostable bags and the most eco-friendly way to dispose of them. We’ll explore the following topics and bag options:



If you’ve put compostable waste bags in your compost bin, you may have noticed a difference in how they degrade compared to food waste. So, are compostable bags really compostable? Better yet, is compostable plastic actually compostable? When certified, the answer is yes—but with a few caveats.

This article will guide you to the most sustainable compostable trash bags and how to dispose of them for minimal environmental impact. 


Do compostable bags break down in landfills? Are they really composable? 

overflowing trash can with trash bags and food waste

Compostable bags are designed to break down in a compost setting. This means that certain heat, oxygen, moisture, and microorganism conditions support the decomposition process. While this means that compostable bags are, in fact, compostable, a landfill is NOT a suitable place for them to decompose.

Actually, most compostable bags are designed for industrial composting, where all of these conditions are optimized so that the compostable bags break down in roughly two to six months. Unfortunately, many households don’t have access to these composting facilities—which is where the Lomi comes in.

Lomi kitchen composter is a smell free, mess free way to keep compostable material—including bags—out of landfills. In fact, it uses some of the same conditions you would find in an industrial composting facility! The smart composter looks great atop a kitchen countertop. With just the press of a button, it can handle many compostable bags, transforming them into nutrient-rich dirt!  

 

Lomi by Pela

Lomi

★★★★★

Lomi allows you to turn food waste into plant-ready nutrients in under 24 hours. Boost your plants while reducing your waste.


 

Are biodegradable bags compostable? 

green compostable material trash bags

Before we continue, we must elaborate on a few popular terms: biodegradable vs compostable. It’s important to realize that “biodegradable” does not mean the same thing as “compostable”.

Biodegradable materials require biological processes, like fungi and bacteria that enable life (bio) to break down (degrade). This will return the materials to their natural elements, BUT it can take decades, or even centuries to do so.

Generally speaking, everything is degradable—if you give biological processes long enough to work their magic. Compared with conventional plastics, biodegradable products are a better choice for our environment as they don’t take as long to decompose, if given the right environmental factors (read: not an anaerobic landfill).

Compostable products, on the other hand, also require a specific environment to break down (like mentioned earlier). However, compared to biodegradable products, they’ll be degradable in a far quicker period of time.

Also, unlike biodegradable products, those that are compostable are made with organic materials and are designed to not leave any toxic residue behind as they degrade (like microplastics).

So, if you want to take out the garbage while supporting a sustainable future, compostable bags are a superior choice to biodegradable bags. To give you a hand, we’ve put together a list of our favorite compostable bags.

The best news? Many of these bags are Lomi approved products, which means they can be composted by the kitchen countertop composter! 


 


 

Our top picks for compostable bags

To take care of waste in a way that’s better for our world, we’d recommend these five versions of planet-friendly packaging.

  1. Best compostable kitchen bags: Repurpose Compostable Tall Kitchen Bag
  2. Best compostable ziplock bags: BioBag Resealable Sandwich Bags
  3. Best compostable produce bags: BioBag Small 3 Gallon Food Scrap Bag
  4. Best compostable shopping bags: INVISIBLEBAG Transparent Garment Bag
  5. Best compostable mailers: The Better Packaging Co. ComPOST Pack

There’s more where that came from! Continue reading for more affordable, helpful, and sustainable ways to pack, fill, and carry. 


4 best compostable ziplock and other food storage bags

We’d love to (zip)lock up plastic-based food storage bags and throw away the key! These fossil buel-based bags are awful for the environment—even if they do provide a convenient way to carry packed lunches, coffee, and trail mix.

Fortunately, compostable food storage bags are providing a better alternative. Even better, these ones can go into your Lomi. 


1. BioBag Resealable Sandwich Bags

sandwich bags for the household


Sizes: Sandwich, Snack, Quart, Gallon 
Material: Bioplastic made from starches of vegetable oils, plants, and compostable polymers

Eco-friendly eating has never been easier, thanks to BioBag. The brand’s resealable sandwich, food storage bags, and snack bags are made from plants and vegetable oils—making them 100% compostable.

And just because they can be sent to a compost facility, it doesn’t mean they’re not sturdy. You can fill these bags with work lunches, leftovers, and on-the-go snacks. They’re suitable for all types of food, including acids and fat.

Don’t have commercial composting near you? No worries; these can go in your Lomi instead. Check out our test results to see how they break down! 


What we love

What we don’t love

  • Biodegradable Products Institute certified (commercial composting)
  • Meets ASTM D6400 Standards
  • Sent in an easy-open, plastic-free box
  • Non-toxic, BPA free, phthalate free
  • Lomi-Approved
  • Must be used within one year of purchase
  • Stored moist foods may seep through


 

2. Elevate Transparent Block Bottom Bag

compostable coffee bag to store in dry place


Sizes: 12-16 oz (5.7” x 9.5” x 3.4”)
Material: Bio-resins and wood cellulose

Zero waste coffee can be hard to come by—but not with Elevate! Their transparent block bottom bags are perfect for coffee, as they have a vent, flat bottom, and superior oxygen and moisture barrier. They can be stored in cool and warm conditions and are even freezer-friendly.

Unlike the paper bags usually used for coffee (which are lined with plastic), all components of these ones are 100% compostable.


What we love

What we don’t love

  • ASTM D6400 certified for industrial composting 
  • Made in USA
  • Free of GMOs, BPA, and PFAS
  • Lomi-Approved
  • Can’t withstand exposure to liquids, creams, or moist environments
  • 25,000 unit minimum order


 

3. Simply Clean Compostable Gallon Bags

A one gallon food storage back filled with vegetables


Sizes: 1 Gallon
Material: Corn starch, PLA, and PBAT

Simply Clean also makes compostable food storage bags. Though their original purpose is for preserving food, they can also be used for trash. They’re only one gallon, but they’re strong, durable, and easy to take with you. A standout feature of this product is that you can drop it into Lomi when you’re finished with it. The composter will fully break down your bag in less than a day.


What we love

What we don’t love

  • Strong and durable
  • Multi-purpose
  • Lomi-Approved
  • Small size
  • Difficult to buy online


 

4. Compostic Home Compostable Resealable Sandwich Bags

two boxes of compostable sandwich bags


Sizes: Sandwich, Snack, and Gallon
Material: PLA, BPAT, and another biopolymer

Breaking down faster than an orange peel, these resealable gallon bags can be home composted, breaking down in just 12-24 weeks! They’re ASTM D6400 certified to be home compostable and will break down even quicker in an industrial compost facility. They come in compostable packaging printed with soy and water-based inks, too.


What we love

What we don’t love

  • Free of BPA and GMOs
  • Stronger than conventional plastic
  • Microwave and freezer safe
  • Non-toxic to worms (AS5810 certified)
  • Shelf life of just 12 months
  • May get holes with reuse
  • NOT Lomi-Approved


 

4 best compostable kitchen bags

What’s better than the best kitchen trash can? One that’s lined with a compostable trash bag, of course! The following compostable and biodegradable garbage bags may not necessarily make trash day any less stinky, but they are making it more sustainable! 


5. Repurpose Compostable Tall Kitchen Bag

roll of green compostable material trash bag


Sizes: 13 gallons, 3 gallons
Material: PLA made from corn, cassava, sugarcane, beets

They may be light on our planet, but these trash bags are tough enough to avoid tearing. Through home composting, they’re designed to degrade within 12 months, and just 180 days in commercial composting facilities.

Suitable for bathroom or office waste, they also have a Small Bin Bag (3 gal). Check out these test results to see how thoroughly these bags broke down in the Lomi instant kitchen composter!


What we love

What we don’t love

  • OK Compost Home Certified
  • Durable design
  • Free of fragrance, BPA, phthalates
  • Lomi-Approved
  • Can tear with excessively wet conditions
  • Must carefully remove from roll to avoid tearing
  • Just 12 bags per box


 

6. Full Circle Home Tall Kitchen Bag

household compostable material bin liners


Sizes: 13 gallons
Material: PLA and PBAT

Trash day can become zero waste day when Full Circle is involved. Their compostable bin liners are designed for maximum strength (read: leak proof and resistant to tearing). They even have a tough drawstring!


What we love

What we don’t love

  • Certified compostable by Biodegradable Products Institute (commercial composting)
  • 15 bags per box
  • Thicker than the leading plastic bags
  • Lomi-Approved
  • A little weak at the seams
  • Not as affordable as conventional plastic bags


 

7. BioBag Small 3 Gallon Food Scrap Bag

trash bags for food waste


Sizes: 3 gallons
Material: Bioplastic made from starches of vegetable oils, plants & compostable polymers

As one of the most eco-friendly products to have on hand as you begin your home composting journey, these bags hold your food scraps until they’re ready to go into the compost bin. Then, they can be tossed right in with the stored food scraps!

While you’re at the grocery store, you can also use these as carry bags for your produce. Since they’re made with non-GMO materials, you won’t have to worry when they touch the food from your favorite organic market.

Made with plant starch and other compostable bio-based materials and polymers, these bags can be commercially composted and are degradable through backyard home composting, too. 


What we love

What we don’t love

  • Certified compostable by Biodegradable Products Institute (commercial composting)
  • TUV OK Compost Home certified
  • Meets ASTM standards
  • Lomi-Approved
  • Recommended use within one year of purchase 
  • May decompose slowly in home composting settings 
  • Have a unique smell 


 

8. UNNI 100% Compostable Bags 13 Gallon

box of 50 compostable bags


Sizes: 13 gallon 
Material: Corn and plant-starch

These garbage bags are thicker than many of the alternatives, which helps to keep odors at bay. They fit well in conventional trash cans and are easy to tie. You might just want to be careful with lots of liquids, because they’re not totally leak-proof.


What we love

What we don’t love

  • Heavy duty 
  • BPI, ASTM D6400, EN 13431, and OK Compost Home Certified 
  • Contain no toxins or polyethylene
  • Price
  • Shelf life just 9 months
  • NOT Lomi-Approved

 


 

4 best compostable mailers and shopping bags

Top eco-friendly companies are stepping up their sustainability game by using compostable packaging as an alternative to plastic shipping mailers and shopping bags. Here are a few companies that have been Lomi tested and approved. 


9. The Better Packaging Co. ComPOST Pack

clear bag for shipping


Sizes: SM, M, L, LL, XL, XXL TR, UBER TR 
Material: Non-GMO corn starch, PLA (corn-derived), PBAT

Fully biodegradable and certified home compostable, these mailing satchels are a more sustainable way to ship. The black, white, and blue versions are stretchy—but also tear resistant. Even better, the larger sizes (TR) have two seals so that the mailers can be reused as a carry bag.

Toss them in your compost bin, worm farm, or bokashi bin and they’ll break down in 3-6 months. Put them in your Lomi and and you can expect to see the same as these before and after photos.


What we love

What we don’t love

  • Waterproof, tough, durable
  • Free of BPA and phthalates
  • Carbon neutral
  • Made with 30% renewable energy 
  • Lomi-Approved
  • Short-Dated bags expire in 1-2 months (shelf life is 10 months for others)
  • May not work with all labels 


 

10. Elevate Compostable Mailer

OK compost home compostable mailer


Sizes: 13” x 10”
Material: Bio-resins and wood cellulose

Incorporating all the benefits of conventional plastics and traditional shipping mailers, these ones are much gentler on the Earth! They won’t break, even when you fill them with books, soft goods, apparel, and more.

For a shop purchase, Elevate also has compostable cellophane bags and transparent compostable flat pouches (suitable for spices, jewelry, cosmetics, etc.). You can even top them off with one of their sunflower sugarcane stickers or compostable round stickers!


What we love

What we don’t love

  • Free of GMOs, BPA, PFAS, and phthalates
  • Home and industrial certified compostable (ASTM standards)
  • Water resistant
  • Lomi-Approved
  • Adhesive strip must be removed before being composted


 

11. INVISIBLEBAG Transparent Garment Bag

clear leak proof bags for garments


Sizes: S (9.8” x 13.8”), L (11.8” x 15.7”), XL (13.8” x 20.1”)
Material: PVA, starch, glycerin, water

Sustainable fashion just got a lot more sustainable with #INVISIBLEBAG. This company makes garment bags, white shopping bags, and black mailer bags that are water-soluble, landfill biodegradable, non-toxic, and compostable.

What we love

What we don’t love

  • ASTM D6400 certified compostable (commercial composting)
  • Instantly dissolves in water that is above 80°C
  • 85% biodegradable in landfill conditions (in 90 days)
  • Lomi-Approved
  • Minimum purchase quantity is 200 units
  • Adhesive is non water soluble


 

12. Tipa Resealable Bag

transparent shipping bag


Sizes: 350mm x 415mm; 7 other sizes available
Material: Proprietary blend of of biobased and fossil-based polymers

Using home compostable, transparent single-ply film, Tipa is revolutionizing the way garments are packaged and mailed. These bags are a great alternative to polybags and different sizes and thicknesses are available.


What we love

What we don’t love

  • Digital printing is available in 10 colors
  • TUV OK Compost Home certified 
  • ASTM D6400 certified compostable (commercial composting)
  • Lomi-Approved
  • 17,000 unit minimum order 
  • 6-month shelf life


Try Lomi - a convenient way to compost at home

Lomi composter on countertop


Conventional bags made with petroleum are a big environmental no-no. But their compostable alternatives really only contribute to sustainability when the right composting method is used.

We know that composting is worth the effort, but there are some caveats. For one, many bioplastics and biodegradable plastics aren’t as compostable as many people believe.

Also, for people who don’t have local industrial composting facilities nearby or have backyard compost bins without the optimal heat, oxygen, or microbial conditions, a bunch of compostable trash bags can end up turning into a slow-to-decompose mess.

Worse, compostable bags end up in landfills, they release methane like other garbage.

Lomi is here to change all of that. When it comes to all of the compostable materials that can go into Lomi, the list is long! In addition to food scraps, Lomi can Lomi approved bioplastics and non-food items like compostable bags, utensils, and packaging.

There’s really no better way to deal with a weekly compostable trash bag than with the Lomi—just ask the thousands of households that have turned to this smart composter!


Written by: Heather Seely