At DRWakefield, we believe sustainability is a series of thoughtful decisions . Sometimes, the most meaningful changes come in the smallest of packages.
As part of our wider commitment to reducing environmental impact, we have redesigned our coffee sample bags. While relatively small in nature, they play a big role in our daily operations and interactions with customers around the world.
We worked with Grounded Packaging, a fellow B Corp committed to sustainability and innovation. Their transparent approach to measuring impact, including Material Circularity Indicators (MCI) and lifecycle data aligned perfectly with our goals.
Why We Changed Our Bags
Traditionally, coffee packaging relies heavily on virgin fossil fuel-based plastics, which are energy-intensive to produce and hard to recycle.
Our new bags are different. They are made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) LDPE, a single-type (mono-material) plastic designed for recycling and made from recycled materials. This shift reduces the reliance on virgin fossil fuels and creates demand for recycled content, helping to build momentum in the circular economy.
We previously used biodegradable bags but found that the infrastructure needed to break them down properly, typically industrial composting, was not accessible in practice. Too often, they end up in landfill, where they behave like conventional plastics. We wanted a solution that worked with the systems people have access to.
Each bag now produces 0.027 kg CO₂-eq, factoring in raw material, manufacturing, logistics, and end-of-life disposal. That’s around 30% lower emissions than a typical virgin plastic equivalent.
This is part of our broader carbon footprint measurement project, where we track emissions across our business activities. Our internal Sustainability Committee meets regularly to identify and action opportunities to reduce our impact and his bag is just one example of many changes we’re working on.
Recycling Guidelines
We have made recycling straightforward:
In the UK:
- Rinse the bag (just a quick shake and rinse will do).
- Recycle via local soft plastics collections – available at most major supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Co-op and others). You can find your nearest soft plastics recycling point here.
- If unsure, check with your local council or drop it at a Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC).
Outside the UK:
- Check local recycling guidelines for LDPE 4 soft plastics, increasingly accepted globally.
Still unsure? Contact us! We’re happy to help clarify.
From June onwards, when you order tasty samples from our trade team, they should arrive in our fresh new bags! Thank you for being part of our journey towards a lower-impact, more transparent coffee supply chain.
Enjoy the coffee ☕
