by
Marion Vigot
Cofounder, Compostable alt.
• Marion Vigot “Our Mission: Make Regenerative Packaging Designed To Be Composted”
At Compostable Alt., we’re passionate about demystifying compostable packaging - not just talking the talk, but walking the compostable walk. That’s why we were thrilled when Michael Mobbs from Coolseats, and an inspiration behind our off-grid mobile lifestyle, offered to run a real-world home composting trial of our certified home compostable coffee cups.
The results? Our cups turned into soil-ready compost in just seven weeks. Not in a lab. Not in a tightly controlled industrial facility. But in a regular backyard compost bin - the same kind many Aussies already use or could easily start using.
This isn’t just a feel-good result for us. It’s a proof point for how our packaging performs in the real world. And it’s one more step towards making composting the norm, not the exception, in Australia’s takeaway coffee scene.
Our Compostable Alt. mission is simple but urgent:
We want to help Aussie cafe owners reduce waste through sustainable packaging that actually breaks down.
Too many products are labelled as “green” or “eco,” but end up in landfill, either because:
they’re wrongly marketed, leading people to think they’ll compost anywhere
they require specialised infrastructure to break down
there is no bin available to dispose of them properly (especially in public area)
That’s where greenwashing thrives, and where we come in.
Our vision is a world where composting is second nature, where what’s taken from the earth is returned to it safely and quickly. Whether it’s a coffee cup, a sandwich wrapper or a lid, we want people to feel empowered knowing they can compost their packaging at home, grow food with it, and close the loop - without needing to decode complicated disposal instructions or worry about what is and isn’t accepted in their green bin.
Our Story: Born From Manufacturing Australia’s First (And Last) Rye Straw
Compostable Alternatives was born in Adelaide, South Australia, when Alexis and I moved there in 2019 under a pilot Visa Supporting Innovation in South Australia. We initially set out to launch a natural alternative to single-use plastic straws using a byproduct of the local grain harvest.
• L to R: Tractor, me, Alexis, straw harvester, straw
Back then we were looking to certify our rye stalk as naturally compostable and quickly discovered there were two types of compostable packaging on the market:
commercially compostable - requiring specific industrial conditions to break down and, unfortunately, representing the majority of compostable products on the market
home compostable - able to decompose in natural, backyard compost environments
We also quickly realised the disconnect between marketing claims, the lack of clear disposal instructions, and the very limited availability of industrial composting facilities. Aussies were being misled into thinking compostable alternatives would magically break down - and that they were a true replacement for plastic.
We got tired of the confusion - and the deception - around so-called compostable packaging and big ‘eco’ brands with endless sustainability marketing budgets. As two entrepreneurs wanting to make a real impact, we couldn’t stand watching cafes try to “do the right thing,” only to find out their cups required commercial composting - infrastructure that, in most places, simply doesn’t exist.
* Compostable Alt. compostable coffee cups
So we set out to do things differently and widen our horizons. We created a range of certified home compostable coffee cups and lids - designed to break down quickly in backyard compost systems, available to most in various shapes and sizes. And we made it our mission to educate the coffee community about the difference between products that are technically compostable and those that are genuinely compostable at home.
In 2024 we took our mission on the road and converted a 1998 school bus into a tiny home and office on wheels to meet our customers, composting professionals and live a life that aligns with our values. The Compost Revolution features the great work they do, educates and empowers like-minded cafes to make sustainability accessible and fun!
• School bus that’s a tiny home, office and ‘go to’ customers vehicle
How Our Cups Are Made
• Alexis, me and boxes of our compostable products
All of our products are made from FSC certified paper pulp using an aqueous barrier technology. They do not contain a plastic or bioplastic lining, are delivered in paper sleeves (not plastic) and are ban compliant in all Australian states.
We’ve also designed them slightly thicker than traditional single wall cups so they can handle both hot and iced drinks, making them a great and affordable alternative to the PLA-lined (commercially compostable) clear cold cups, another incomprehension on the market from a sustainability perspective.
We manufacture our cups both in China and Australia, and also specialise in 15+ other compostable take away drink and food packaging products for cafes. Every single product we release is certified to the Australian Standard AS 5810 for home compostability.
Officially that means:
At least 90% of the material disintegrates into tiny pieces (<2mm) within 6 months in a home compost.
At least 90% of the material biodegrades within 12 months at ambient home composting temperatures (20–30°C).
Our cups contain no toxic elements, are non-harmful to earthworms or plants, and contain no hazardous substances above allowable levels.
We didn’t just stop at certification. We’ve run multiple compost trials in our own home systems to ensure our products hold up in different conditions and climates. But when others - like Back then we were looking to certify our rye stalk as naturally compostable and quickly discovered there were two types of compostable packaging on the market:
commercially compostable - requiring specific industrial conditions to break down and, unfortunately, representing the majority of compostable products on the market
home compostable - able to decompose in natural, backyard compost environments
We also quickly realised the disconnect between marketing claims, the lack of clear disposal instructions, and the very limited availability of industrial composting facilities. Aussies were being misled into thinking compostable alternatives would magically break down - and that they were a true replacement for plastic.
We got tired of the confusion - and the deception - around so-called compostable packaging and big ‘eco’ brands with endless sustainability marketing budgets. As two entrepreneurs wanting to make a real impact, we couldn’t stand watching cafes try to “do the right thing,” only to find out their cups required commercial composting - infrastructure that, in most places, simply doesn’t exist.
So we set out to do things differently and widen our horizons. We created a range of certified home compostable coffee cups and lids - designed to break down quickly in backyard compost systems, available to most in various shapes and sizes. And we made it our mission to educate the coffee community about the difference between products that are technically compostable and those that are genuinely compostable at home.
In 2024 we took our mission on the road and converted a 1998 school bus into a tiny home and office on wheels to meet our customers, composting professionals and live a life that aligns with our values. The Compost Revolution features the great work they do, educates and empowers like-minded cafes to make sustainability accessible and fun!
How Our Cups Are Made
All of our products are made from FSC certified paper pulp using an aqueous barrier technology. They do not contain a plastic or bioplastic lining, are delivered in paper sleeves (not plastic) and are ban compliant in all Australian states.
We’ve also designed them slightly thicker than traditional single wall cups so they can handle both hot and iced drinks, making them a great and affordable alternative to the PLA-lined (commercially compostable) clear cold cups, another incomprehension on the market from a sustainability perspective.
We manufacture our cups both in China and Australia, and also specialise in 15+ other compostable take away drink and food packaging products for cafes. Every single product we release is certified to the Australian Standard AS 5810 for home compostability.
Officially that means:
At least 90% of the material disintegrates into tiny pieces (<2mm) within 6 months in a home compost.
At least 90% of the material biodegrades within 12 months at ambient home composting temperatures (20–30°C).
Our cups contain no toxic elements, are non-harmful to earthworms or plants, and contain no hazardous substances above allowable levels.
We didn’t just stop at certification. We’ve run multiple compost trials in our own home systems to ensure our products hold up in different conditions and climates. But when others - like Coolseats - run their own tests and come to the same conclusions - that’s the ultimate validation. - run their own tests and come to the same conclusions - that’s the ultimate validation.
The Coolseats Compost Trial: What Happened
Michael Mobbs, sustainability advocate, off-grid living mentor and founder of Coolseats, recently ran a composting trial using both our home compostable coffee cups and lids. His team tossed them into one of his Coolseats on the corner of Myrtle and Shepherd Street in Chippendale, NSW — the kind of setup you could imagine outside thousands of cafes and homes across Australia.
After just seven weeks, the cups and lids were gone. Broken down into soil, indistinguishable from the fruit peels and veggie scraps it was composting alongside.
Why does this matter?
Because most compostable coffee cups on the market are NOT home compostable. They’re commercially compostable — a big difference that gets glossed over way too often.
The Home vs Commercial Compost Confusion
Here’s the short version:
Home compostable = breaks down in your backyard bin.
Commercial compostable = only breaks down in an industrial facility that maintains high heat (55–70°C), moisture, and airflow.
But here is the problem: most Aussies - and most Australian cafes - don’t have access to commercial composting.
Only 43 councils (out of 562) accept compostable packaging in their residential compost collections or FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics).That’s only about 8% of Australians with access to the infrastructure needed to properly process these materials.
Worse, In NSW, the EPA has banned compostable packaging from going into FOGO organic bins altogether - even if it’s certified. That means commercially compostable cups now have no path to recovery - They’re often recommended as an alternative to plastic-lined cups - yet cannot actually be composted. That’s nonsense and as a result most “compostable” coffee cups also end up in landfill.
That’s why we only offer AS 5810 certified home compostable products. Because the only composting that’s truly scalable in Australia right now is the kind that happens in your backyard, behind the cafe or via a Coolseat!
What This Means for Cafes Owners
If you’re a cafe owner trying to reduce your waste, the trial with Coolseats sends a clear message:
You don’t need to wait for infrastructure to catch up. You can act now.
Our cups have been independently proven to break down quickly in a standard compost bin. That means you can:
Set up a compost bin behind your cafe.
Encourage your customers to take compostable packaging home.
Avoid sending so-called “eco” cups to landfill.
Actually close the loop.
Composting Is Nature’s Recycling
We believe composting is nature’s recycling — a beautiful, messy, efficient system that turns yesterday’s waste into tomorrow’s food. Our cups aren’t just better for the planet. They’re part of a bigger solution to rethink waste entirely.
We’re proud to work with passionate cafe owners, sustainability champions like Michael, and composters across Australia to keep building momentum.
Because it’s not just about cups. It’s about creating a system where nothing is wasted — and everything is revalued.
Want to try our cups in your cafe?
Get a sample pack to trial our cups here.
Already convinced? Join the Compost Revolution and use the code ‘Coolseats’ to get 10% OFF your first order via the Compostable Alt. website.
Interested in sustainability education and our Composting RoadShow across Australia? Follow us on Instagram
Let’s turn your takeaway waste into something worth growing.
May the compost be with all of us,
Megan