How to compost our paper and compostable film packaging

Topflite aims to be part of the consumer packaging solution; not the problem. That’s why we’ve set the ambitious goal of packaging all our products in recyclable or compostable materials by 2025 – and we’re on track to achieve it.

So far we’ve shifted to paper sacks, sugarcane trays and compostable film on nearly all of our Wild Bird products with just a few more swaps to come. We also utilise multi-walled paper bags for our 20kg sacks of Scratch & Lay. While we're working on it, here are some suggestions for composting your Wild Bird packaging.

Which Topflite Wild Bird packets can I compost?

As of June 2023, all our Wild Bird food products except our Energy Coconuts and Nectar (for now!) are packaged in compostable films, plastics and paper products after we make them. That includes the sugar cane-derived trays that our Energy Truffles and Energy Logs sit on and the film used to wrap them. The Energy Cake wrappers can be composted, as can the paper sacks now used for Wild Bird Seed Mix, Scratch & Lay and Lucky Duck. While these will all eventually break down in the compost unaided, there are some easy ways to help the process along.

How do I start a compost heap?

First up, hats off to you for taking the first step! Far too much organic material goes to landfill each year in New Zealand – that means it decomposes without oxygen and creates methane in the process, a harmful greenhouse gas. By composting organic waste instead, you can put all that good nutrition back into the soil.

We recommend this simple overview by Wellingtonian Elien Lewis from her book Homegrown Happiness, or this guide by Love Food, Hate Waste. For the intermediate composters out there looking for tips or inspiration, check out Dr Compost.

What to do with compostable film

Made from renewable resources, the film used to package our Energy Cakes and Truffles is certified as compostable in both industrial and home composting environments, and is also suitable for bokashi bins. It’s not a good idea to put large volumes of the film into the compost but in small quantities, it will break down quickly with the right blend of other organic material.

NB: Our film is NatureFlex, produced by Futamura, and is suitable for use for 6 months from the date of delivery – so it’s best not to sit on your stocks for too long. Get feeding!

Tear, rip, cut and shred

Before taking it out to the compost, help the process along by making organic materials small enough to be broken down easily. Cut the film into smaller pieces before adding into your compost pile. This will help expose more of the surface area to those hard-working microorganisms and help it break down faster. Good aeration, layering your browns and greens and keeping an eye on moisture content will help things ticking along.

Don’t forget your browns – they’re gold for compost piles!

Paper bags and boxes actually make valuable carbon material for a compost system – just like straw, hay, twigs and brown leaves. Informally, this carbon material is called ‘browns’ as opposed to ‘greens’ which is fresh, nitrogen-rich organic material like lawn clippings, green scraps and fruit and vege waste for example). A good rule of thumb for a hard-working compost heap is two parts brown to one part green.

Shred our Scratch & Lay or Wild Bird Seed paper sack and cardboard boxes or cut them into smaller strips before adding to your compost pile. Blended with a balance of greens, they will quickly be broken down as the soil organisms get to work.