Frequently Asked Questions

Bare^TM by Solo® Products

Q:What are Solo's environmentally focused product offerings?

Solo offers a wide variety of environmentally focused products under the Bare^TM by Solo® brand. Bare by Solo is the industry's first full line of eco-forward^TM single-use foodservice products for restaurants and consumers made using recycled, recyclable, compostable or renewable materials. The Bare by Solo product line includes:

Consumer Products:

Plates made with plant-based renewable resources;
Compostable plates and bowls made with sugarcane, a renewable material;
Recyclable cold cups made with 20% post-consumer recycled PET plastic (the plastic commonly found in water bottles and other items);
Compostable cold cups made with a corn-based bioplastic

Foodservice Products:

Paper hot cups that contain 10% post-consumer fiber and are made with 90% renewable material;
Recyclable cold cups made with 20% post-consumer recycled PET plastic (the plastic commonly found in water bottles and other items);
Compostable paper hot cups made from 100% renewable material: paper fiber and a corn-based bioplastic coating known as PLA (polylactic acid);
Compostable paper cold cups made from 80-90% renewable resource materials;
Compostable plates and bowls made with sugarcane, a renewable material;
Compostable takeout containers made with sugarcane, a renewable material;
Compostable treated-paper cold cups that have a wax coating and are made with 50% renewable materials;
Compostable paper cone cups made with 80% renewable material;
Wrapped recyclable cold cups made with 20% post-consumer recycled PET plastic (the plastic commonly found in water bottles and other items);
Wrapped paper hot cups that contain 10% post-consumer fiber and are made with 90% renewable material;
Deli containers made with 20% post-consumer recycled PET plastic (the plastic commonly found in water bottles and other items).

Q:As a consumer, where can I find Solo's environmentally preferable products?

Solo's environmentally preferable products can be found in select restaurants, coffee shops and other foodservice operations. Some products they may utilize are compostable paper coffee cups made from 100% renewable material, plastic cold cups made with 20% post-consumer recycled PET, and compostable plates and takeout containers made with sugarcane. While our products are often printed with an operator's logo or design, they usually can be identified by looking at the bottom or reverse side of the item.
Consumers can also purchase our environmentally preferable Bare by Solo line of products for use in their own homes or at special gatherings. Bare by Solo cups and plates can be found in select retailers and markets. Please visit www.barebysolo.com to find convenient locations (most Target and Meijer stores for example). Our products also can be purchased at www.amazon.com and www.alice.com.

Q:I am interested in using Bare by Solo at my business. Who should I speak to?

A:	Contact your Solo representative or call 1-888-488-7539.

Q:What does it mean to be "made with 20% post-consumer recycled material"?

Instead of creating all of the material from scratch to make our Bare by Solo cups, 20% of it came from pre-existing materials that consumers added to the stream of recycled products through their own efforts. This "post-consumer" material contained in our Bare by Solo cups comes from products such as used water and soda bottles that consumers like you have recycled.

Q:What are bio-resin products? What are they made from?

Bio-resins are plant-based resins made from renewable resources such as corn.
They provide a positive alternative to petroleum-based plastics. Fast-growing plants like sugarcane can also replace traditional wood fibers from slow-growing trees in the manufacture of single-use products like dinnerware and food containers.

Q:How does Solo determine if its products are compostable?

Solo submits products for testing by the Biodegradable Products Institute, which certifies that a product meets the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard for compostability. For a product to be certified compostable, it must break down in controlled conditions 90% in 180 days at 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Q:Why are Solo's environmental products more expensive than its regular products?

We work first to make sure these new materials meet our safety and quality standards and also to create a manufacturing process that will enable us to use them cost effectively.

At this time, PLA, sugarcane, recycled PET (RPET) and other renewable and recycled materials are more expensive than conventional paper or plastic materials for a variety of reasons:

Supply of renewable resource and recycled content raw material is limited today, which naturally makes it more expensive. Conversely, demand for these new materials is still developing so suppliers are reluctant to produce more than they expect to be able to sell.
The process of creating the raw material is more complex and requires intense collaboration with suppliers to ensure it will produce a safe, quality product and meet all manufacturing and shipping requirements.
FDA requirements are much more stringent for foodservice items that contain recycled content.
However, as demand for these environmentally preferable products increases, we hope that supplies will increase and the cost of materials will go down.

Q:Why doesn't Solo replace all of its products with more environmentally preferable offerings?

We continually test new materials and work with our customers to find more sustainable solutions. However, there are many reasons why this is not a viable option today.

First, because Solo products are used to serve foods and beverages, they are subject to FDA regulations. Recycled content and renewable resource materials are relatively new in the single-use foodservice industry. It takes many years to research and test new materials to ensure they meet both FDA regulations and our own high standards for product performance and quality.

Second, the raw material required is still in limited supply, both because it is new and still under development and because the market for these products is not yet fully defined. These factors not only make it difficult to guarantee supply, they also increase prices from raw material all the way through the production process.

Finally, foodservice operators and consumers around the country face a variety of different circumstances and employ unique personal value systems. Each material choice – whether it falls in the conventional or environmentally sustainable category – has a trade-off and no choice offers a perfect solution. Options are necessary to enable customers and consumers to make the choice that is right for them.

Q:How do Solo's various paper, plastic and renewable resource products rank on recyclability, compostability and biodegradability?

All Solo products can be recycled. The ability to recycle a specific single-use product is dependent upon local municipalities and the recycling methods available to them. A number of Bare by Solo products also are compostable in commercial composting facilities. To learn about recycling in your area, contact your local recycling authorities or visit www.earth911.com. To locate commercial composters in your area, visit www.findacomposter.com.

Q:How can I find out if Solo plastic and paper products are recyclable in my community?

A:	The ability to recycle a specific single-use product is dependent upon local municipalities and the recycling methods available to them. Check with your local recycling authorities or visit www.earth911.com to learn what is possible in your area.

Q:What are the carbon footprints of Solo's products?

A:	We are currently in the process of understanding all the variables that affect the carbon footprint of a particular product and collecting the data necessary for analysis and evaluation. This is an important next step to improving the sustainability of our operations and products.

Frequently Asked Questions

BareTM by Solo® Products

Bare^TM by Solo® Products