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Packaging guides for US & Canadian buyers

Practical, sourced guides from Direct Eco Green on packaging regulations (PFAS, compostable and recyclable claims, Canada's single-use plastics rules), sourcing from Asia and Europe, and materials such as bagasse and rPET.

Regulations

Canada's Single-Use Plastics Ban in 2026: What Is Banned and the Alternatives

Canada's Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations (SOR/2022-138) ban the manufacture, import and sale of six categories of single-use plastic…

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Regulations

Plastic Bag Laws in the US and Canada (2026): Bans, Fees and What Counts as Reusable

As of 2026, about a dozen US states ban single-use plastic checkout bags statewide, from California and New York to Washington and Maine, and Canada…

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Regulations

Packaging EPR Laws in the US and Canada: What Brands and Restaurants Must Do (2026)

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws make the companies that put packaging on the market pay for collecting and recycling it. As of October…

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Regulations

PFAS in Food Packaging: State-by-State Bans in the US and Canada's Plan (2026)

As of October 2026, intentionally added PFAS are banned in food packaging by state laws in New York, California, Washington, Vermont, Colorado,…

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Regulations

Recyclable or Compostable? Packaging Claims Under the FTC Green Guides and SB 343 (2026)

Packaging is recyclable when it is actually collected, sorted and reprocessed where it is sold, and compostable when it is certified to break down in…

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Regulations

Compostable Packaging for Caterers and Events: BPI, ASTM D6400 and What You Can Claim

Compostable packaging only makes sense for a catered event when three things line up: the items are certified to ASTM D6400 or ASTM D6868 (typically…

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Regulations

Food Packaging Rules for Restaurants in the US and Canada: The 2026 Checklist

Restaurants in the US and Canada face five layers of packaging rules in 2026: food-contact safety (FDA regulations in the US, Health Canada guidance…

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Materials

Nitrile, Vinyl or PEVA? How to Choose Food Service Gloves in 2026

For food handling, powder-free nitrile gloves are the safest all-round choice: they are latex-free, resist punctures and fats, and suit long or…

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Materials

What Is PLA? Plant-Based Plastic in Food Packaging, Explained Without the Hype

PLA (polylactic acid) is a plastic made from plant sugars, usually from corn, sugarcane or cassava, that are fermented into lactic acid and…

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Materials

PE, PLA or Aqueous Coating? How to Choose a Paper Cup in 2026

A paper cup holds liquid because of a barrier on the inside: a polyethylene (PE) film, a polylactic acid (PLA) film, or a thin water-based (aqueous)…

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Materials

Switching to Reusable Foodservice Ware: Laws, Cost per Use and How to Run the Program

Reusable foodservice ware means plates, bowls, cups, cutlery and containers designed to be washed and served again, in materials such as…

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Materials

What Is Bagasse? Sugarcane Fiber Packaging Explained for Foodservice Buyers

Bagasse is the fibrous residue left after sugarcane is crushed to extract its juice; it is pulped and molded under heat and pressure into plates,…

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Materials

What Is rPET? Recycled PET, Food-Contact Safety and Recyclability Explained

rPET is recycled polyethylene terephthalate: PET plastic, mostly from used bottles, that has been collected, sorted, cleaned and reprocessed into…

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Sourcing

Landed Cost of Imported Packaging in 2026: Duties, Fees and Freight, Step by Step

The landed cost of imported packaging is everything you pay to get it into your warehouse: the factory price, freight and insurance, customs duties,…

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Sourcing

Custom Printed Food Packaging: From Artwork to Delivery, a Buyer's Guide

Custom printed food packaging goes through five steps: choosing the item and printing method, preparing artwork on the factory's dieline, approving a…

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Sourcing

Eco-Friendly Food Packaging Suppliers in the US and Canada: How the Options Compare (2026)

Eco-friendly food packaging suppliers in the US and Canada fall into four groups: large US manufacturers and their brands, catalog distributors,…

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Sourcing

Sourcing Packaging Beyond China in 2026: Vietnam, India, Turkey and Europe Compared

As of October 2026, imports of packaging into the US from most countries face Section 301 "forced-labor" tariffs of 10% or 12.5%, and goods from…

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Sourcing

How to Vet an Overseas Eco-Friendly Packaging Manufacturer: A 12-Point Audit Checklist

To vet an overseas eco-friendly packaging manufacturer, ask for documents you can verify yourself: the business license, FSC and BPI certificates…

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Sourcing

Packaging MOQs Explained: Why Minimums Exist and How to Lower Unit Cost Without Overbuying

A packaging MOQ (minimum order quantity) exists because every production run carries fixed costs, such as molds and cutting tools, printing plates,…

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