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 We Avoid Single-Use Plastics

October 28, 2025

Why We Avoid Single-Use Plastics

Single-use plastics are designed for one use then disposal. They drive waste, emissions, and environmental harm. At Earthlings, we build durable, repairable products and packaging that fit a circular economy, not a throwaway one.

The scale of single-use plastic waste in the UK

UK households discard an estimated 1.7 billion pieces of plastic packaging every week—around 90–100 billion pieces a year. That is the core of the single-use problem. Reference Surfers Against Sewage: https://www.sas.org.uk/plastic-pollution/plastic-pollution-facts-figures

Across materials, the UK recycled about 64% of packaging waste in 2024, leaving a large share still landfilled or incinerated. Reference GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-waste-data/uk-statistics-on-waste

Why single-use plastics cause harm

Persistent pollution: Globally only about 9% of plastic waste is recycled; about half goes to landfill and 22% leaks or is openly burned, adding to long-term pollution. Reference OECD: https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/support-materials/2022/02/global-plastics-outlook_a653d1c9/Global%20Plastics%20Outlook%20I.pdf
Microplastics and ecosystem risks: Microplastics harm aquatic species and can move through food webs, with documented biological effects. Reference GOV.UK: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a8237b5e5274a2e8ab581cc/Future_of_the_sea_-_plastic_pollution_final.pdf
Systemic leakage: Mismanaged plastic waste is the main source of macroplastic leakage to the environment. Reference OECD: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2022/02/global-plastics-outlook_a653d1c9.html

How Earthlings designs without single-use plastics

Durability and repairability: We design products to be used for years, with parts that can be maintained or replaced.
Mono-material choices: We prefer pure or recycled materials to enable effective end-of-life recovery.
No single-use plastic packaging: We use recyclable or compostable alternatives aligned with UK systems.
Transparent end-of-life guidance: We share care, repair, and recycling info so materials stay in use.

Why this matters for families

Avoiding single-use plastics reduces waste at home, cuts demand for virgin materials, and teaches children to value what they own. Choosing long-lasting, repairable items lowers lifetime impact and supports cleaner oceans and communities. Reference Our World in Data: https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution

Take the next step

Choose products and packaging that are made to last, be repaired, and be recycled.

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image attribution:Plastic Packaging Stock photos by Vecteezy

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Why We Avoid Single-Use Plastics

The scale of single-use plastic waste in the UK

Why single-use plastics cause harm

How Earthlings designs without single-use plastics

Why this matters for families

Take the next step

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