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BioFoam® is a plant-based alternative to expanded polystyrene. It looks similar, but is made from vegetable materials rather than petroleum based plastic. This means that it is derived from a renewable resource, has an organic base and is biodegradable.

Most beanbags are filled with polystyrene (referred to as EPS: expanded polystyrene, or styrofoam). This is a petroleum-based plastic created through a chemical process. The harmful effects of polystyrene on people’s health and the environment are well documented: from health issues to environmental impact and pollution from the polystyrene itself as well as from the manufacturing process.

Polystyrene is a non-renewable resource and once created, it can last for hundreds of years. As a non-biodegradable substance, it is very difficult to recycle or repurpose. It is commonly disposed of through landfill, where it breaks down into tiny particles. It is also a major contributor to plastic pollution in our marine environments, where it can enter the food chain, harming wildlife and ultimately being consumed. 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enters our oceans every year.

At The Big Beanbag Company, we are committed to never using EPS in our products, our manufacturing and supply chain or our working environment.

BioFoam® has a one of the lowest CO2 production levels of comparable materials, and our manufacturer is currently finalising the certification of the world’s first particle foam to receive a Carbon Neutrality verification in compliance with the PAS 2060 standard.

Our products are handmade in Cornwall and we take every step we can to ensure our products have a minimal effect on the environment.

BioFoam® can be reused multiple times without loss of quality or any reduction in the properties that make it so useful. It’s a perfect filling for our bean bags, as it is lightweight and keeps its shape, it provides great insulation and shock absorption, is hygienic and durable. It can also be reshaped and moulded, and is on track to become an eco-friendly alternative to polystyrene packaging.

Our products are handmade in Cornwall and we take every step we can to ensure our products have a minimal effect on the environment.

Polystyrene is a non-renewable resource and once created, it can last for hundreds of years. As a non-biodegradable substance, it is very difficult to recycle or repurpose. It is commonly disposed of through landfill, where it breaks down into tiny particles. It is also a major contributor to plastic pollution in our marine environments, where it can enter the food chain, harming wildlife and ultimately being consumed. 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enters our oceans every year.

At The Big Beanbag Company, we are committed to never using EPS in our products, our manufacturing and supply chain or our working environment.

BioFoam® is produced in many different weights and colours. Sometimes there are different colour beads mixed in when batches are changed over. Rest assured, the product and composability properties are exactly the same.

Sometimes we do use different colour beads when there is a shortage of our usual colour which is green / white. Again, this does not affect the properties and performance of the product and is still manufactured in the same way.

BioFoam® is biodegradable and can be composted through an industrial composting process or through a hot composter. Hot composters are becoming increasingly popular for domestic use, as they don’t take up much space and are a great alternative to plastic waste bins or open cold compost bins that create odour while attracting flies and vermin.

A hot composter is an insulated container that retains the heat generated by composting materials, speeding up the composting process. It has several advantages to traditional (cold) composting methods as compost decomposes all year round, it is odour free and the use of a container means there’s no risk of wildlife being attracted to the decomposing materials. Hot composters generally take less space than traditional compost bins, and harmful bacteria or fungi are killed off by the heat generated.

A hot composter produces nutrient-rich compost from food and garden waste all year round, in a fraction of the time, making it a really great alternative to sending waste to landfill or collecting domestic waste in plastic bins that create odour while attracting flies and vermin.

For more information we recommend visiting https://hotbincomposting.com/

BioFoam® itself is a child and pet friendly substance. If ingested, BioFoam® is harmless as it is an organically derived product. In addition, our products have two lockable safety zips. This prevents a child from accessing the harmless filling, while allowing you to remove the outer cover for cleaning.

Our products meet all applicable British safety standards, including fire safety. We are tested to BS 7176:2007 Low Hazard standard for domestic household use. Our outer cover fabrics are all made from natural cotton and tested to cover schedule 4 cigarette test, with a tested schedule 3 barrier interliner. Our BioFoam® itself has been tested to schedule 2 for non-foam fillings and fibres.

To make our products to a higher standard as possible they are also tested to BS 5852:2006, Section 11 for non-domestic environments. This test covers all composites used on all our products. For structure and durability our bean products have been tested to EN 16139 Test level 1 for general non-domestic environments.

We are determined to keep the environmental impact of our products to a minimum. We are environmentally ethical in all areas of production, with processes that use the least amount of energy and create minimal waste. This includes the materials we use and our manufacturing process, as well as our approach to how we run our business.

The materials in our products can be reused, recycled or disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. We’re always keen to help our customers with this – for example, if a customer wants a new cover for one of our products, they can return the old one to us (we’ll repurpose and reuse the fabric) and we’ll give them a discount on a new cover.

We are always looking for new ways to improve what we do, and we’re keen to hear from companies or potential partners who have the same approach and want to work with us to do more for the environment.

Email us at [email protected]

Other raw materials are sourced from companies who are committed to reducing their carbon footprint. We have used U.K. textile mills where possible to reduce our carbon foot print even further whilst supporting U.K. industries.

Our products are handmade to order in Devon. We pride ourselves with care and attention to detail that you’d expect from a company committed to creating luxury products that provide comfort and style without damaging the environment.

Throughout our research, cotton has stood out as the best alternative to the polyester-based fabrics that are currently available and widely used in bean bags. In the long term, we hope that there will an environmentally friendly fabric that will replace cotton and we’re committed to sourcing and using alternatives in the future, as soon as these options become viable choices for our products.

The thread we use is created through a specialised process created by one of the world’s largest thread supplier, Gütermann. Based in Germany, Gütermann is at the cutting edge of this complex process, and they create a thread that is durable, strong and lightweight. It’s a great eco-friendly to the alternative threads commonly used in product manufacturing.

If you feel you can help with our business going forward and want to get in touch, please email us at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

There are no chemicals used on the outer bag. It is important to us that no chemicals come in contact with the skin.

The only chemicals used on our product are on the fire retardant barrier interline which by law we have to use according to health and safety standards. The chemicals used on the inner bag as given to us by our suppliers are as follows:

“Composition/Data on Components: Chemical Characterisation: Flame retardant based on inorganic phosphorous and nitrogen compounds. Hazard Identification: None”

Our standard shipping covers the UK, Ireland and the majority of European countries and can be purchased directly from our website. If you require shipping to countries not listed please contact [email protected] with your shipping address and intended purchase and we can obtain a live shipping quote for you.

All of our products are made by hand, by our staff in our warehouse. It takes approximately one week for products to be manufactured from date of order. Shipping can take a further 5 working days. At busy times, these lead times are likely to be extended. Biofoam refills are usually dispatched between 3-5 working days.