Home composting runs at lower and less consistent temperatures than a managed industrial facility. That is why an industrial-compostability claim cannot simply be relabelled “home compostable.” The buyer’s task is to match the finished item and its consumer instructions to the exact certification scope and to a realistic end-of-life route.
What OK compost HOME does — and does not — tell you
| It can support | It does not automatically prove |
|---|---|
| A home-compostability claim for a product within the current certified scope. | That every colour, gauge, printed design or accessory sold under the same brand is covered. |
| Use of the scheme’s mark under its licence and artwork rules. | Food-contact compliance, suitability for the packaged product or performance in use. |
| Assessment against the scheme’s home-composting requirements. | That the item belongs in recycling, a commercial compost collection or the natural environment. |
| A defined certificate holder and product family. | That a resin certificate alone covers the converted bag, ink, label and closure. |
Ten product formats to evaluate for a home-compostable program
This is a sourcing shortlist, not a claim that every Esinle SKU in each category already holds OK compost HOME certification. Request the current file for the exact product before describing it as certified.
| Format | Why buyers consider it | Evidence or performance check |
|---|---|---|
| Dog-waste bags | Consumer use, compact roll formats and strong demand for clear disposal instructions. | Finished bag, print, perforation and gauge scope; local pet-waste disposal rules. |
| Small food-waste caddy liners | Designed around short collection cycles and organic-waste handling. | Bag dimensions, wet strength, collection frequency and program acceptance. |
| Kitchen bin liners | Private-label home ranges often ask for a home-compostable tier. | Load, puncture, storage time and whether the intended waste belongs in home compost. |
| Produce bags | Lightweight format with potential reuse for organic scraps. | Food-contact declaration, print scope, gauge and market-specific bag law. |
| Food-storage bags | Direct consumer value when use conditions and disposal instructions are clear. | Food type, temperature, contact time, closure and separate food-contact evidence. |
| Cling-film rolls | High-visibility consumer format where material and disposal wording influence trust. | Cling, temperature, food contact, dispenser components and the film’s exact certified scope. |
| Pet-bag refill rolls | Designed for dispensers and repeat private-label programs. | Core, sleeve, sticker, ink and refill dimensions; every component may not share one route. |
| Small garden-waste bags | End use can be closer to a composting context than mixed household waste. | Local collection rules, branch puncture resistance and product-size eligibility. |
| Garment or protective sleeves | Brands may seek a lower-waste temporary protection format. | Whether the item will realistically reach home compost and whether labels or adhesives are covered. |
| Custom thin-film components | Converters may build a product family around a certified formulation. | Certification-body review of the final dimensions, gauge, additives, print and intended mark. |
How to verify an OK compost HOME claim in five steps
- Find the current public record. Search the scheme owner’s directory using the licence or certificate details.
- Match the holder. Confirm the legal entity shown in the record and its relationship to the converter or supplier.
- Match the finished item. Check product family, formulation, maximum thickness, colour and any printed or assembled components.
- Review validity and mark use. Record the status and confirm the exact artwork, licence number and permitted wording.
- Test the commercial specification. Certification addresses end-of-life criteria; it does not replace seal, leak, puncture, shelf-life or food-contact validation.
Home compostable vs industrial compostable
“Home” and “industrial” describe different controlled assessment environments. An industrial route uses managed conditions; a home-composting route accounts for lower-temperature garden-compost conditions. Neither term means the item should be littered, put in recycling or assumed acceptable in every organics program.
For a mixed international program, create a market matrix rather than printing every mark on one universal artwork. List country or state, product use, intended collection route, required certificate, mark, licence number, disposal sentence and approval owner. This prevents a valid certificate in one market from becoming an unsupported claim in another.
What to send in an RFQ
- Exact product format, dimensions, gauge, closure, roll or pack count and expected annual volume.
- Destination markets, sales channel and intended home-compostability wording.
- Colour, ink coverage, label, adhesive, core, dispenser and retail pack components.
- Performance requirements: load, puncture, leak, seal, temperature and shelf-life.
- Required certificate, current listing, food-contact file and artwork approval timing.
Start with the home versus industrial selector, browse relevant dog-waste bag formats and request the current SKU evidence through the Esinle evidence centre.
Primary reference
TÜV AUSTRIA / OK certification — OK compost HOME scheme information. Verify the current scheme and public product record at the time of approval.
Editorial review: 14 September 2026. Certification scope and product listings change; request the current file for the exact finished product.