Our roaster partners set the standard when it comes to sustainability, and they’ve inspired us to raise the bar and do our part too. We’re excited to announce that we have switched to 100% compostable bags to ship our coffee orders going forward.

Moving Towards Zero Waste

Trade is taking a big first step toward zero waste by switching from cardboard shipping boxes to compostable bags. Our aim is to empower our community to compost their packaging and help reduce their environmental footprint. We expect to ship one million orders this year, so it’s a difference that adds up to a lot.

We know change and learning new behavior can be hard, so to make it easy for our customers, we took the extra step of making our bags backyard compostable. That means, they can be composted naturally and conveniently at home without having to be deposited at a commercial facility (though you can do that too if you prefer). Together, we can reduce the end of life cycle impact of our packaging. We hope you’ll join us in this effort!

Designed with Intention

To get here, we designed and tested many different packaging options. Our objective was to meet the highest sustainability standards, while also protecting your coffee during shipping.

• The compostable and plant-based material could arrive with folds and creases. While we loved the branded experience of our boxes, we thought this change was a small price to pay for being more sustainable.
• Our recyclable cardboard inserts are not only a handy reference, they also provide an extra layer of protection for your coffee.
• Don’t let the bright red color fool you — our bags are tinted with vegetable dye. So, they are still totally safe to go in your compost!
• Bonus: our bags also take up less space than boxes, so what used to fill 12 trucks now fits on one! This translates to over four tons of reduced shipping weight a month, or 50 tons annually.

Composting Is Easy as 1, 2, 3

You can compost your bags in your backyard in these three easy steps:

1. Cut off the mailing label with scissors to remove it from your Trade bag.
2. Add the bag and coffee grounds to your compost bin. (Or, bring them to a compost drop-off location, like your local farmers market.)
3. Moisten and turn your compost in your bin until it becomes rich soil.

Our bags are commercially compostable as well. Use this helpful resource to find a location near you. Keep in mind, many of our roasters’ bags are also compostable. Find out which ones are and how to properly compost them, here.

What’s Next?

We’re just getting started! We know that this is just our small part and we’re always seeing what else we can do. And, as we continue to evolve our packaging, we’d really love feedback. Whether it doesn’t measure up or positively makes your day, tell us at support@tradecoffeeco.com.

Learn more about Trade and our roasters’ shared commitment to sustainability through standards of excellence in seasonality, quality, diversity in offering, and sourcing here.

View all of our compostable mailer FAQs here.