FAQ

For all order enquiries, including ready-made bags, please contact the Convex sales team here

If you would like to trial Econic packaging in your business, please contact us to request a sample pack  here. If you have a packaging need that requires a customised pack or printing, you are welcome to request a low-cost trial to ensure the packaging is well-suited to your packaging requirements and processes. To ensure the manufacturing of Econic packaging is as sustainable as possible, we evaluate each trial request to determine if the shipment location, proposed order quantities and what is going to be packed will make it viable. You can request a low-cost trial here 

Ready-made bags can be ordered in packs of 100, please enquire here .

For larger orders or for bespoke sizes click here to contact the Convex sales team.

Our technical team is committed to make sure your transition to Econic packaging is as seamless as possible. Our in-house technical department includes a well-equipped laboratory in a HAACP approved food grade manufacturing plant and a highly skilled and experienced team of packaging technicians. They can evaluate samples of your current packaging to make sure your new Econic packs will provide the same sealing and barrier properties, and will advise you on the equipment and sealing settings that will give you the best result. They are also available to provide expert advice and support through every stage of your Econic packaging journey – from packing, processing and sealing through to supply chain trials and post-launch evaluation and troubleshooting. You can contact our technical team here

Due to the high volume of requests, custom-made Econic packaging is currently only available in the New Zealand and Australian regions. However, ready-made bags can be shipped to many locations world-wide through our authorised wholesaler.

All the testing we have done so far has shown that Econic packaging provides similar barriers and functionality as standard fossil fuel-based packs. Our technical team can carry out in-house testing comparing your current packs with Econic packaging to make sure your new Econic bags will deliver the performance you need. You can contact our technical team here.

Yes they do but at a lower temperature. Our technical team can advise you what pressure, temperature and dwell settings will give you the best results. You can find out more information about the sealing properties of Econic packaging here  

You should be able to seal Econic packaging on your existing sealing equipment without any modification. It generally needs to be sealed at a slightly lower temperature than standard packaging. You can find out more information about the sealing properties of Econic packaging here

Yes, Econic packs can be vacuum-sealed. The best vacuum-seals will be achieved by using a flat Econic bag with no gussets. If you would prefer to vacuum-seal a bag with gussets, we recommend that you carry out your own trials with our sample bags before committing to an order. Please contact us to request a sample pack here.

Yes, Econic packaging will withstand being frozen but it can be more brittle than traditional polyethylene plastic (PE). We recommend that you carry out your own trials with our sample bags before committing to an order. Please contact us to request a sample pack here.

Yes, Econic film works well on both vertical and horizontal (flow wrap) form, fill seal production lines.

Yes. Our technical team can advise you on the equipment settings that will give you the best results. You can contact our technical team here.  

Degassing valves can be added to the Econic packs to allow gases to be released from the bags. We recommend that you let your coffee rest before packing if possible. Our technical team are happy to help you trial the packs through your supply chain and will advise you on the best way to pack to suit your roasting process. You can contact our technical team here  

Yes. Our high clarity EconicClear packaging variant is ideal for dry products such as pet biscuits and cereals and for selected moist products with a shelf-life of less than 10 days. While still providing the same high oxygen barrier provided by standard Econic packaging, the see-through compostable EconicClear film currently only provides a moderate moisture barrier, making it unsuitable at this stage for products requiring a high moisture barrier, like coffee and drinking chocolate. We are diligently working to expand our range of EconicClear films and welcome enquiries from companies wanting a high clarity option. Please contact us here

Because water is one of the catalysts for the composting process, and the material derived from corn starch used in most Econic films is particularly sensitive to moisture – Econic and EconicKraft packaging are not suitable for packing meat or wet products. However, EconicClear packaging, which can be made without any corn-starch material, has been proven to be suitable for packing moist products with a shelf life of approximately 10 days. Because moisture levels, production processes and handling conditions can vary quite considerably, an EconicClear pack for any meat or moist product will need to be thoroughly tested to ensure it won’t start breaking down prematurely. This testing process will confirm the recommended shelf life for your specific product, packed in EconicClear bags. You can read more about moisture-resistant EconicClear packaging here. We have also developed a high clarity moisture-resistant compostable film called EcoClear™ for packing short shelf-life salad greens and produce. EcoClear packaging is marketed as a separate brand to Econic packaging as it contains less renewable content than our`Econic’ branded films and provides low oxygen and moisture barriers, which are ideal for packing fresh produce. You can read more about EcoClear packaging here

The majority of every Econic bag or wrapper is made from a combination of compostable films derived from sustainably-managed renewable resources. With the exception of the paper-outer on the EconicKraft and EconicSnow bags, the films used to make Econic packaging have been individually certified to the European and American commercial compostability standards (EN 13432 and ASTM6400) and either the European or Australian home compostable standards: OK Compost Home or AS5810.  Each completed Econic bag or wrapper also includes a percentage of compostable non-renewable components derived from unrefined fossil fuels, which can vary due to factors such as ink coverage, film thickness and customised performance adaptions. We are constantly working to increase the renewable content of Econic packaging as suitable sustainable raw materials and resin formulas become available. You can find out more here

Compost trials have shown that Econic bags can break down into small fragments in as little as 16 weeks. However, the rate of breakdown will vary depending on the compost environment, temperature and humidity. Therefore, it will likely take longer to break down if you live in a cold climate. You can find out more here.

Yes the bag will break down, but at a slower rate than it would in a compost environment containing heat, water, oxygen, soil and micro-organisms.

You can put your used Econic bags in your own backyard home compost or worm farm, containing heat, water, oxygen, soil and micro-organisms. They can also be disposed of in a commercial composting facility if you have one in your area. If you don’t have access to either a home or industrial compost, you are welcome to return your used Econic bags to us and we will compost them for you.

No, but we are working on it.  The majority of every Econic bag or wrapper is made from a combination of compostable films derived from sustainably-managed renewable resources. With the exception of the paper-outer on the EconicKraft and EconicSnow bags, the films used to make Econic packaging have been individually certified to the European and American commercial compostability standards (EN 13432 and ASTM6400) and either the European or Australian home compostable standards: OK Compost Home or AS5810. We follow robust international testing regimes to ensure that all Econic packaging variants meet recognised compostable packaging guidelines. Tests carried out by our technical team have verified that the completed Econic packaging structure and the  EconicKraft and EconicSnow paper outer layer break down in a typical composting environment. The degassing valves we use for fresh roasted coffee are currently not compostable, but they can be easily peeled off the bags before composting.

Unfortunately, no it is not. Each completed Econic bag or wrapper includes a percentage of compostable non-renewable components derived from petroleum, which can vary due to factors such as ink coverage, film thickness and customised performance adaptions. The estimated average percentage of renewable resources contained in Econic films is around 60%. Like you, we would ideally like this percentage to be higher but are limited at the moment by the availability of suitable sustainable raw materials that deliver the barrier and performance properties we need. We follow robust international testing regimes to ensure that all Econic packaging variants meet recognised compostable packaging guidelines and tests carried out by our technical team have verified they break down in a typical composting environment. If you would like to know the percentage of renewable material contained in a specific type of Econic film, you can contact our technical team here.

We use certified home compostable inks to print all EconicClassic, EconicClear and EcoClear packaging. We are currently using eco-friendly water-based inks to print EconicKraft and EconicSnow packs, which have paper outers, and these inks are expected to be certified soon as well.

Our suppliers have confirmed that the formulation of their inks and adhesives contain no heavy metals that would be harmful to worms, seedlings or the environment.

It’s important to note that compostable packaging guidelines include precise percentage specifications as to how much ink the finished pack can have, which still apply to certified home compostable inks. Meeting these guidelines is important for packaging being marketed as compostable. The allowable ink coverage can vary depending on the size, shape, seals, and thickness of the pack, which can make it complex to work out. Our technical team has a lot of experience helping customers calculate the allowable ink coverage for their specific packaging. You can contact our technical team here.

Yes, we do everything that we can to make Econic packaging as sustainable as possible, including using only base films that have been sustainably-produced. Our suppliers have confirmed that the corn sources for our Greensack and EcoClear resins are not grown on deforested farmland, and the paper-outer films we use for our EconicKraft and EconicSnow packaging are derived from sustainably-produced wood-pulp, sourced from forests certified as sustainably-managed.

Yes, we do. We are always working to develop new green packaging options and currently have a range of sustainable films available, offering a range of functions and features. These options include a high clarity moisture-resistant compostable film called EcoClear™, which is ideal for packing short shelf-life salad greens and produce. You can read more about EcoClear packaging here. You can view our other compostable packaging options here.

Yes. We have two eight-colour printing presses that can print your graphics to optimise your branding – with guaranteed good results. Our high quality flexographic printing has won us 17 gold medals in the prestigious New Zealand printing industry Pride in Print Awards and numerous silver and highly commended awards in both New Zealand and Australia.

There is also the option of small-batch digital printing on the paper-outer layers of our ready-made EconicKraft and EconicSnow bags through our authorised wholesaler. Please contact us for more information here

Flexographic Printing: The minimum order for custom-printed bags is 3,000 lineal metres, which is equivalent to approximately 10,000 -15,000 bags, but that can vary depending on the size of the bag and how many variants you are printing. We will work with you to find the most cost-effective solution possible, while still delivering the multiple award-winning high quality print that our company is widely recognised for. You can make an enquiry here. 

Digital Printing: Small-batch digital printing is available on order as low as 100 bags in EconicKraft or EconicSnow via our authorised wholesaler. Please contact us for more information here. 

Yes. We can print small quantities of different varieties within a total order and can advise you how to adapt your design to minimise the number of printing plates needed if you want to limit your costs. Our in-house prepress department specialises in making our printing as high quality and cost-effective as possible. You can make an enquiry here. 

 Flexographic printing: The lead time for custom-printed bags is approximately ten weeks plus shipping once the artwork is finalised, subject to us having the materials available. You can make an enquiry here.

Digital printing: If you are using the small-batch digital printing option for EconicKraft or EconicSnow bags via our authorised wholesaler, the lead-time is typically five business days plus shipping time. Find out more here