Guides & Research
Plain-language answers on microplastics, materials, and what certification claims mean.
Guides and research
Plain-language explanations of the questions we get most, from shoppers deciding what to buy and from brands deciding whether to certify. Where we cite research, we link it.
What does microplastic-free actually mean?
The term has no legal definition. How certification programmes define it, and how to tell a meaningful claim from a marketing phrase.
Is silicone microplastic-free?
Silicone is a polymer but not a conventional plastic. Why the backbone chemistry matters and why the grade matters more.
Are bioplastics microplastic-free?
Bio-based and biodegradable are different properties, and neither one makes a plastic surface acceptable during use.
Microplastics and baby bottles
What the Nature Food research on polypropylene bottles found, what it does not establish, and the alternatives.
Testing vs documentation
Why we review materials rather than lab-testing finished units, and where the two approaches disagree.
Substantiating microplastic-free claims
How the FTC Green Guides treat free-of claims, and where third-party certification fits.
Start here
If you are a shopper: begin with For Consumers, which explains what the seal does and does not promise, then Why It Matters for background on microplastics.
If you are a brand: begin with the standard to see whether your product qualifies, then how certification works.