When will Earthlings launch?

We're in production now. We'll contact Founding Families directly when the first run is confirmed and ready to ship. We'd rather tell you when we're certain than give you a date we can't keep.

What does being a Founding Family mean?

Founding Families are the first people to access the Earthlings Everyday Adventure System when the first production run is ready. You'll receive an email 48 hours before we open to the public, with £10 off any bundle included — no code, no time limit. No newsletter you didn't ask for.

What exactly are the products made from?

The lunch boxes, snack pots, dip pot, and bottle are made from 304 food-grade stainless steel (18/8) — no coatings, no inks, no liners. The logos are laser-etched directly into the metal. The seals are food-grade silicone, removable without tools. The spork is titanium.

Can I put my adventure system in the dishwasher?

Yes. All Earthlings lunchboxes, snack pots, bottles and cutlery including their cases are dishwasher safe.

Stainless steel is durable, non-reactive, and completely food safe — designed to last years, not seasons. It won't stain, absorb odours, or need replacing every couple of years the way plastic containers often do. 304 food-grade stainless steel — the grade used in Earthlings products — is the same material used in professional kitchen equipment. It's independently tested for heavy metal migration, REACH SVHC compliant, and dishwasher safe for daily use. Unlike many plastic containers, it doesn't degrade with heat, won't absorb food smells over time, and doesn't need replacing when it discolours.

Is a stainless steel lunchbox better than plastic?

For everyday school use, stainless steel outperforms plastic on durability, hygiene and longevity. Plastic containers crack, stain, warp in the dishwasher and absorb food odours over time. A well-made stainless steel lunchbox won't do any of those things. The more useful question for most families is total cost over time. A plastic lunchbox replaced twice a year costs more over three years than a stainless steel system bought once. It also produces more waste. Earthlings systems are independently tested for food safety, dishwasher safe, and designed to be used daily for years.

Why stainless steel is better than plastic

April 14, 2026

Safer food contact, longer life, and fewer replacements for everyday family adventures.

Plastic lunch containers often seem like the easiest choice at first. They are lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to find. But for products used every single day by growing families, the real question is not what feels cheapest today — it is what still works after hundreds of school mornings, dishwasher cycles, park picnics, and beach snacks.

At Earthlings, we believe the best family products should reduce friction, reduce waste, and last through the repeated moments that shape childhood. That is why we choose food-grade stainless steel over plastic wherever possible.

1) Built to last years, not school terms

The biggest weakness of plastic lunch gear is not usually day one. It is what happens after daily use.

clips weaken
lids warp in the dishwasher
corners crack in backpacks
surfaces stain
food smells linger

Stainless steel is different. It is naturally strong, rust-resistant, and able to withstand repeated drops, daily washing, and life on the move. For school lunches, nursery snacks, family hikes, and travel days, it simply lasts longer.

If you are comparing full lunch systems rather than just materials, our guide to stainless steel vs plastic lunchboxes for children breaks down the practical differences in daily family use.

2) A better choice for repeated food contact

Many families are now looking for fewer plastic food-contact moments in their daily routines. Lunches and snacks are one of the most repeated of those moments.

Food-grade 304 stainless steel offers a durable, non-toxic alternative that does not rely on painted coatings, fragile linings, or materials that degrade over time. It keeps the food-contact surface simple, stable, and easy to trust.

3) No staining, odour retention, or cupboard chaos

Plastic containers often absorb the history of every lunch packed inside them. Tomato pasta stains, yoghurt smells, curry residue, and discoloured lids all quietly shorten the useful life of the product.

Stainless steel resists staining and odour retention far better, helping lunch systems stay fresh-feeling and easy to reuse day after day.

4) Better long-term value for families

A cheap plastic lunchbox can feel like the lower-cost option, but replacing broken containers every term quickly adds up.

Over several years, families often rebuy:

lunchboxes
snack tubs
replacement lids
disposable snack bags
extra containers for weekends and travel

A durable stainless steel system reduces those repeat purchases by staying useful across school, weekends, holidays, and sibling hand-me-downs.

It also helps to read our article on the hidden cost of replacing cheap lunchboxes if you are weighing upfront cost against long-term value.

5) Better for real family life outdoors

Plastic products are often designed around the kitchen cupboard. Earthlings is designed for everyday adventures.

From classroom tables to coastal rocks, stainless steel is better suited to:

school bags
park picnics
beach days
woodland walks
campervan trips
family travel

Its strength and longevity make it ideal for products that need to move effortlessly between home, school, and outdoor life.

6) A lower-waste choice over time

Sustainability is not only about the material itself. It is also about how often the product needs replacing.

A lunch system that lasts for years naturally creates less waste than one that is replaced every few months. Fewer replacements mean fewer products manufactured, fewer items thrown away, and fewer disposable workarounds like cling film and single-use snack bags.

This is why durability is one of the most powerful sustainability decisions a family can make.

For a deeper look at why longevity matters environmentally, see our guide to why durability is sustainable.

The Earthlings philosophy

We do not believe in fast kit.

We believe in products designed to move through childhood with your family — from nursery snacks to school lunches, beach picnics to sibling hand-me-downs.

One lunch system. Years of adventures.

Explore the Everyday Adventure System

If you are ready to move beyond short-life plastic lunch gear, explore our durable stainless steel food systems designed for school days, family outings, and everything in between.

Read the Plastic-Free Lunch Systems Guide

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