Still storing your leftovers in those super old, plastic containers that are slathered in toxins? With sustainability and eco-living on the rise, it's time to switch to an option that is convenient to use and simply more gentle to the planet. Yes, we are talking about compostable ziplock bags and some reasons why you should be making the right switch. So, if you are here to find out a better storage option out there, here's a detailed comparison between our compostable resealable bags and traditional plastic ziplock bags. Material Composition: Plastic vs Compostable Zipper Bags While compostable resealable bags may look exactly like plastic zip locks, they are made from two different materials. Traditional zipper bags or resealable bags are made from plastic, which is extracted by synthesizing petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Compostable ziplock bags are made from PLA, or polylactic acid. Simply put, polylactic acid is a biodegradable, recyclable substance that is extracted from natural resources like sugar, corn, or beets. In short, PLA, in our case, is extracted from corn starch, making these PLA-based compostable snack bags plant-based and plastic-free. So, while they might look like plastic, these bags are plastic-free and are made from only non-renewable resources. Moreover, while plastic bags are highly resource-intensive when it comes to the manufacturing process, PLA bags consume limited energy and other resources during the manufacturing process. Food Contact Safety: Plastic vs Compostable Zipper Bags Ziplocks come with a variety of use cases. You can use them to store your leftovers in the fridge, carry snacks to school, or carry your lunch sandwiches in quart-size ziplock bags. However, plastic-made resealable bags are usually slathered in toxins. Because these bags are made of synthesized petroleum, storing your food in literal chemicals might not be the best choice. On the other hand, our compostable sandwich bags are chemical or toxin-free. Made from just plants, these chemical-free bags are safe to help you store your food or munchies without ever worrying about food contamination. Convenient Disposal: Plastic vs Compostable Resealable Bags Here's a thing about plastic- it never really goes away. In short, once you dispose of these plastic ziplock bags, they take around 1,000 years to break down in a landfill. These plastic bags come with either of the fates. They are either disposed of in our oceans where they choke on marine life, causing death, or end up in landfills, where they stick around for a pretty long period of time. Either way, when these plastic bags start to degrade, these bags release harmful gases into our ecosystem and enter our food chain through marine life or terrestrial animals who ingest these tiny bits of microplastics from landfills. In fact, an average human consumes a credit card worth of plastic every week. However, things are way cleaner with compostable zipper bags. Made from plants and certified industrial compostable, these bags take only 90-180 days to break down into mineral-rich compost. The compost can, then, be added to crops and is often used as manure to offer important nutrients to the soil. Environmental Impact: Plastic vs Compostable Resealable Bags For starters, plastic resealable bags are made from non-renewable resources, need a lot of energy to be manufactured and do not easily get away. They also leave a long trail of microplastics behind, allowing plastic to enter our food chain. These tiny bits of plastic are now found in sea turtles, jellyfish, and other animals. Compostable snack bags or resealable bags are made from renewable resources like plants and come with a back-to-nature promise. They are also toxin-free and do not release any harmful gasses into our ecosystem when they break down. Summing It Up: Responsible Disposal of Compostable Ziplock Bags While compostable zipper bags are way better than traditional plastic zip locks, responsible disposal is mandatory. Our compostable resealable bags are certified industrial compostable. You can dispose of them safely in a compost bin. Once the bin is all full, you can contact your local services to explore where industrial composting happens. We, at EcoSoul, offer resealable bags in different sizes. You can use our quart-size zip lock bags to store trail mix or small munchies, while snack bags can be used to fill some chips or leftovers. Our sandwich bags can be used to carry classic-old PBJs to school, without them contaminating your food.