We do not sell plain PLA cutlery, and the reason is simple: it softens at around 140°F. That is below the temperature of a hot meal, which means a fork that starts firm and gives up halfway through a curry.

CPLA is the same plant-based material put through a crystallisation step, which raises its heat tolerance to roughly 185°F and gives it the matte, slightly weighted feel closer to real cutlery. It costs more to make. It is the only version worth selling for hot food, so it is the only version we stock.

About the polystyrene range

One heavy-duty PS cutlery line sits in this category, and we label it for what it is. It is rigid, it is the lowest cost per piece at volume, and it carries recycling code #6, which many kerbside programmes do not accept, so check locally before assuming.

We keep it because some operations genuinely cannot absorb the cost of anything else, and we would rather sell them an honest option than lose them to a supplier who calls the same product sustainable. If the budget stretches, birchwood is the upgrade, same rigidity, home compostable, and guests notice it.