What is Food Grade Silicone and Why is it Better Than Single-Use Plastic?

Single-use plastics were made for convenience, but there’s no question plastic is one of the world’s biggest environmental hazards. Plastic starts polluting the environment as it’s produced using fossil fuels, and it doesn’t stop there — 91% of plastic isn’t recycled and the vast majority ends up in landfills and waterways, where it takes nearly 400 years to break down. Meanwhile, we’re faced with the dire prediction that by mid-century the oceans will contain more plastic waste than fish, ton for ton.

The good news? Our quest to stop single-use plastic from polluting oceans and landfills has exploded into a global movement that’s replacing billions of plastic bags and containers. Our radically functional, durable products are designed to inspire everyone to join the reusables movement. 

Why choose platinum, food-grade silicone for the ultimate reusable? Because it’s better for you and the environment. Silicone is highly durable yet lightweight, and holds up from freezer to microwave, oven, and dishwasher without leaching chemicals. Let’s break it all down . . .

Benefits of food-grade silicone:

• Highly resistant to damage and degradation from extreme temperatures.
• If cared for properly, it won’t harden, crack, peel, crumble, dry out, rot or become brittle over time.
• Lightweight, saves space, easy to transport.
• Food safe and odorless — contains no BPA, latex, lead, or phthalates.
• Stasher bags are recyclable through our partnership with TerraCycle®.

What is plastic made of? 

Plastic that doesn’t end up in a landfill often ends up in the ocean and enters the food chain, which is a big concern for human health — trust us, you don’t want to be ingesting microplastics.

Fortunately, you now have a better alternative. Food-grade silicone, the material we use for all Stasher bags and bowls, is a more versatile, durable, and safe alternative to single-use plastic. Unique by design, Stasher was created as an easy-to-use and endlessly reusable alternative to single-use plastic.

What is food-grade silicone?

Our Stasher bags are made from platinum, food-grade silicone that meets FDA and EU requirements for food contact and safety. Silicone is made from alternating silica and oxygen molecules. The silicone that makes up our Stasher bags is made from these foundational elements and combined with carbon to create a raw silicone product. This material is then cured under heat and pressure to create the silicone parts that are sturdy, inert and versatile.

While mason jars and other glass containers are great for plastic-free storage, they can break, take up a lot of space, and are inconvenient for taking on the go. Stasher bags make it easy to store your food at home or on-the-go while keeping what you’re eating away from plastic.

Is silicone recyclable? 

Yes. Check your local recycling center for information on silicone recycling options. Better yet, if your Stasher bag is damaged or has reached the end of its life you can recycle it by sending it back to us! We’ve partnered with TerraCycle to recycle our damaged Stasher bags into an entirely new and useful product such as playground or track surfaces.

Is silicone safe for food? 

Yep! Our silicone sous vide Stasher bags are safe to store food, put in the microwave, freezer, oven, and dishwasher. You can even cook right in your Stasher bag. It won’t leak, break down, or degrade over time.

Is silicone BPA free? 

Food-grade silicone, the material we use to make Stasher bags, is free of chemicals like BPA, BPS, and other phthalates. 

Is silicone better than single-use plastic? 

We think so, and the FDA even stated that raw materials which go into making silicone are safe for food grade applications. But let’s be honest: While silicone replacements alone won’t fix our global single-use plastic problems, swapping single-use items for reusables is a step in the right direction. 

To date, our Stasher Squad has prevented more than 5.5 billion single-use plastic bags from entering our ocean.

Is silicone safe to cook with? 

Yes. Stasher bag’s food-grade silicone can be used throughout your kitchen: microwaved, baked in the oven up to 425°F, and even thrown in your dishwasher for easy cleaning with the rest of your dishes. You can freeze them, and hey — your silicone Stasher bags can be safely used to sous vide!

Ready to join the Stasher Squad? Check out our full product line and follow us on Instagram for more info and inspo from our growing community!