Frequently Asked Questions

Minimums are per product line, starting at 1,000 units for bagasse plates and bowls. Compartment trays and cups start at 2,000 units, cutlery at 5,000, areca plates and bowls at 2,000, areca platters at 3,000. Private-label and custom-mould orders start at 10,000 units. The full per-line table, with carton packs and lead times, is on the Products page.

Production lead times run from 2 weeks to 10 weeks from a confirmed order, depending on the line: bagasse plates and bowls 2–3 weeks, trays and cups 3–4 weeks, cutlery 2–4 weeks, areca plates and bowls 3–5 weeks, areca platters 4–6 weeks. Private-label bagasse is 5–8 weeks and custom areca shapes 6–10 weeks. Sea freight to UK and EU ports adds roughly 25–35 days on top.

Sample packs are free; the buyer covers courier costs. We send up to 10 pieces per SKU, to a maximum of 50 pieces per request, to registered businesses. Samples are picked from current stock and dispatched within 5 business days, and courier charges are quoted before dispatch. Allow 7–10 days in transit to the UK and EU.

Three options: 30% advance against proforma invoice with the 70% balance against a scanned bill of lading; an irrevocable letter of credit at sight, confirmed by a UK or EU bank; or open account terms, which we consider after three completed shipments.

We quote in GBP and EUR for UK and European buyers. Prices are confirmed on quote against your specification, volume and Incoterm, and are held for 30 days.

We are an export partner, not a factory owner. Production runs through vetted manufacturing partners in India whose facilities we audit, with consolidated quality control and a single documentation point for the buyer. In practice that means capacity flexibility across multiple plants, one point of contact for specifications and paperwork, and consistent QC applied across every partner. We are happy to arrange partner-facility audits for buyers who require them.

Indicative tiers are: 1,000–9,999 units at list price; 10,000–49,999 units up to 15% off; 50,000+ units up to 30% off, with private-label and custom moulds included at that level. Final pricing is confirmed on quote.

Use the enquiry form on the Products page or on any product detail page. Include the SKU or size, target quantity, destination port or delivery address, and the Incoterm you work on. We respond within 24–48 hours on business days with pricing, lead time and a documentation list.

Bagasse products have a 24-month shelf life in dry storage. Areca products have 18 months in cool, dry storage. Both absorb moisture, so keep pallets off concrete floors, away from external walls, and below 65% relative humidity.

Certified industrially compostable to EN 13432 - typically breaking down within 90 days in commercial composting facilities. Certificates are supplied with every shipment.

No, and we do not claim it. Home composting requires separate certification (TÜV Austria OK compost HOME) which this range does not hold. Our products are certified for industrial composting only, to EN 13432.

Yes. The range is food-contact compliant under EU Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 and UK retained food-contact materials law, supported by migration test reports from accredited laboratories covering direct hot and cold food contact. The range is also compliant with FDA food-contact requirements for North American buyers - note that the FDA does not "approve" tableware, so no supplier can accurately claim FDA approval.

Yes. No per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are intentionally added, and there is no plastic lining on the bagasse or areca ranges. Lab test reports are available on request.

Bagasse is rated -20°C to 95°C and is microwave and freezer safe. Areca is rated -10°C to 65°C and suits ambient and cool food service - it is not microwave safe and is not intended for hot liquids.

EN 13432 is the European standard for compostable packaging: 90% biodegradation within six months and disintegration within three. It is the credential UK and EU buyers screen on, alongside OK compost INDUSTRIAL from TÜV Austria and the DIN CERTCO Seedling mark. BPI and ASTM D6400 are the equivalent American frameworks; we hold them, but they carry little weight in European procurement.

Yes. The pack covers the EN 13432 certificate, food-contact migration test reports, the PFAS test report, certificate of origin and, for areca, the shipment phytosanitary certificate. Request it from the Export Documentation Hub on the Products page or email support@floradine.com.

The range is compostable to EN 13432 and free of intentionally added PFAS, which addresses the two provisions most relevant to moulded fibre foodware. PPWR obligations fall largely on the party placing packaging on the EU market, so your EPR registration and reporting remain your responsibility - we supply the material and certification data you need for it.

No. Our products are made from agricultural by-products - sugarcane bagasse from juice extraction and naturally shed areca sheaths - which is a factual sourcing statement, not an offset-based claim. We do not publish carbon-neutrality claims, in line with the UK CMA Green Claims Code and EU Directive 2024/825, which restricts offset-based neutrality claims from September 2026.

Since October 2023 England has banned the supply of single-use plastic plates, bowls, trays, cutlery and expanded polystyrene food and drink containers to end users. Scotland and Wales have their own comparable bans. Moulded bagasse and pressed areca tableware are outside the scope of those bans and are the standard replacement format for bakery, takeaway and event service.

Felixstowe, London Gateway and Southampton, sailing from Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Chennai or Mundra. Typical port-to-port transit is 25–35 days. We also quote DAP and DDP to inland UK addresses.

A GB EORI number, a customs declaration (usually filed by your broker), and payment of import VAT at 20% - postponed VAT accounting is available to most UK VAT-registered importers. Areca consignments additionally require a GB phytosanitary certificate and a pre-notification on IPAFFS as plant-based goods. We issue the phytosanitary certificate at origin with every areca shipment.

Moulded bagasse tableware is normally entered under HS 4823.70, areca palm leaf tableware under HS 4602.19, and moulded cutlery under HS 3924.10. The 8- and 10-digit suffixes vary by destination - always confirm the full commodity code with your customs agent before the entry is filed.

Yes. UK buyers are quoted in GBP, on FOB, CIF, DAP or DDP terms as preferred. Freight, duty and import VAT are itemised separately so you can see the landed cost.

Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg are our standard EU discharge ports, sailing from Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Chennai or Mundra, with typical transit of 25–35 days. Other ports can be quoted on request.

EXW, FOB, CIF, CFR, DAP and DDP, under Incoterms® 2020. FOB and CIF are the most common for container loads; DAP and DDP suit buyers who would rather we carry the freight and formalities.

Goods ship in corrugated export cartons with moisture barriers, stacked on ISPM 15 heat-treated and stamped pallets. Methyl bromide fumigation is banned in the EU as an ozone-depleting substance and is never used on our consignments. Carton dimensions and units per carton are printed on the label and listed on each spec sheet.

Indicatively, a 40ft high-cube takes around 420 cartons of bagasse plates (~210,000 units), 400 cartons of compartment trays (~160,000 units) or 420 cartons of areca plates (~168,000 units). Exact loadability depends on the size mix - each spec sheet carries the figure for that line.

Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, the EN 13432 compostability certificate and food-contact test reports. Areca shipments also carry a phytosanitary certificate, issued per consignment rather than per product. Your EORI number and any EPR registration remain your side of the transaction.

On DDP terms, yes - we arrange clearance and pay duty and import VAT, and bill it through. On FOB, CIF and DAP terms your broker files the entry; we supply the complete document set they need to do it without a hold.

Yes. We produce private-label ranges for distributors, retailers and hospitality groups, from logo embossing or print to fully custom moulds and sizes. Private-label and custom-mould orders start at 10,000 units, with a one-off tooling charge and a signed-off sample before the production run. Tell us what you need and we will quote it.

You send artwork or a specification, we quote tooling and unit cost, then produce a physical sample for sign-off before the production run starts. Tooling is a one-off charge and the mould is reserved for your orders. Allow roughly 10 additional days on the first run for sampling and approval.

Yes, though a branded sample is not a free stock sample: it needs tooling or a print setup, so lead time is longer and a sample or tooling fee applies. That fee is credited against the first production order.

Usually. Send the dimensions in millimetres, a photo and, if possible, a physical sample. We will confirm whether it can be matched from an existing mould or needs new tooling, and quote both routes.

Our core ranges today are bagasse (sugarcane fibre) and areca palm leaf tableware, include plates, bowls, trays, clamshells and cutlery across various sizes. Both ranges are sourced from our vetted manufacturer network across India and are ready for bulk export with full certification and documentation.

Yes. Alongside BAGASSE and ARECA, we're building out our supply chain to include other sustainable Indian made materials. Such as bamboo utensils, wheat straw tableware, kraft paper packaging and terracotta/earthenware products. These are at various stages of vetting and supplier onboarding, so availability, MOQ and lead time differ by material. Book a SHORT DISCOVERY CALL to check current status on any of these.

Possibly. We work with a wide network of manufacturers across India, so even if a specific material isn't part of our current or upcoming ranges, we're open to exploring it based on your requirement and order volume. Share your specification with us and we'll confirm feasibility and timeline.

We're expanding our range to include biodegradable cutlery across different plant-based materials, edible plates and cutlery, and bamboo-based tissue paper. These are in development and supplier onboarding, so specifications, MOQ and launch timelines are confirmed closer to release. Book a SHORT DISCOVERY CALL to stay updated on what's coming and align it with your planning.