Take-away food packaging made of rice straw, which can replace plastic food packaging, is being pioneered by Thailand company, Fang Thai Factory

Fang Thai Factory, located in Lampang Province in Thailand has developed the technology to produce paper from the rice straw, a residue of the rice crop.

The company provides one of the most environment-friendly options of packaging products in the market. Its paper is not only biodegradable but also water, oil and grease resistant with a non-chemical coating solution that is made from rice.

In cooperation with the University of Chiang Mai, Fang Thai Factory created a type of coating made from rice starch that makes its products impervious to liquids for several hours, and therefore a sustainable alternative to plastic and polystyrene packaging.

In Lampang province, leftover straw from the harvest was often burned. Fang Thai Factory’s founder and entrepreneur Jaruwan Khammuang, who grew up in the province, saw an opportunity to put an end to the process of burning rice straw, which is damaging to the environment, to create green products from the waste.

For the local community where Fang Thai is located, in has generated new sources of income for the farmers and also reduced the burning of crop residues and consequently air pollution.

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She writes about lifestyle including sustainable and green living. She also offers content services to businesses and individuals at Rosamedea.com