Disposable Tableware Customization: What Materials Are Spoons Made From?

A Complete Guide to Spoon Materials in Disposable Cutlery Kits: Guangzhou Gorlando Customization As a professional manufacturer specializing in disposable tableware customization, Guangzhou Gorlando understands that spoon materials not only affect user experience but also relate to a brand’s environmental image and cost control. Many clients are confused when customizing: which material to choose for different scenarios? Which material meets both environmental requirements and cost-effectiveness? Today, we will detail the common spoon materials in disposable cutlery kits to help you accurately match your customization needs.

I. Detailed Explanation of Mainstream Spoon Materials

1. Plastic Materials (Cost-Effective Choice)

Plastic materials are the first choice for fast-food restaurants and food delivery platforms due to their light weight, easy molding, and low cost. They are mainly divided into three categories:

• PP (Polypropylene)：The most widely used material currently, which can stably withstand high temperatures of 100℃-145℃ (latest heat resistance test data in 2025). It will not deform or release harmful substances when holding hot soup or hot noodles. With strong chemical stability and resistance to acid and alkali corrosion, it will not react chemically with either Chinese spicy soup or Western salad dressing. The appearance is mostly translucent or milky white, and can be customized in various colors, suitable for mass customization of 3-in-1 cutlery kits. The current market customization unit price is about 0.08-0.12 RMB/piece.
• PS (Polystyrene)：An aesthetic material with high transparency and bright surface, which can create exquisite dessert spoon shapes. However, its heat resistance is weak, only able to withstand 65℃-85℃; it will easily soften and deform if the temperature exceeds this range. Therefore, it is more suitable for holding cold foods such as ice cream, pudding, and room-temperature salads. Due to its brittle texture, it is necessary to thicken the edges during customization to avoid breakage during transportation.
• PLA (Polylactic Acid)：The mainstream environmental material in 2025, made from renewable resources such as corn starch and sugarcane bagasse. It can be completely degraded into carbon dioxide and water in the natural environment within 180-240 days and has passed the EU CE environmental certification. Its heat resistance is close to that of PP (95℃-130℃), which can be used for hot food, and it has moderate hardness, suitable for customizing combined cutlery with integrated spoon and fork. Currently, the customization cost is about 30% higher than that of PP, but it meets the environmental positioning of high-end coffee shops and organic restaurants.

2. Stainless Steel Materials (High-End and Durable Choice)

• 304/316 Stainless Steel：The core choice for high-end scenarios. 304 stainless steel has strong corrosion resistance and will not rust when in contact with acidic foods (such as tomato soup and vinegar-flavored dishes); 316 stainless steel adds molybdenum on the basis of 304, which has better salt spray resistance, suitable for coastal areas or seafood takeaways. Spoons conduct heat quickly, so during customization, the handle will be wrapped with food-grade silica gel or PP heat insulation layer to avoid scalding. It can be cleaned and disinfected repeatedly, with a service life of 2-3 years, and is often used in high-speed rail, aviation cutlery kits and recyclable tableware customization for high-end restaurants. The unit set customization price is about 1.5-3 RMB.

3. Wooden Materials (Choice for Featured Scenarios)

• Natural Solid Wood/Bamboo：Focusing on a “natural and simple” style, birch wood spoons are soft in texture and will not scratch ceramic bowls or users’ mouths; bamboo spoons have natural antibacterial components (bamboo quinone). The 2025 test shows that their antibacterial rate is over 92%, and the growth cycle of bamboo is only 3-5 years, which is more environmentally friendly than solid wood. It has excellent heat insulation, and the handle will not be hot when holding hot soup. However, it should be noted that long-term soaking will cause deformation and mildew. Therefore, it is recommended to add a waterproof wax layer during customization, which is suitable for cutlery kits of featured restaurants such as farm food and Japanese cuisine. The customization unit price is about 0.3-0.5 RMB/piece.

II. Comparison Table of Disposable Spoon Materials (Latest Data 2025)

III. 3 Common Material Customization Questions from Clients

Q1: How to balance environmental protection and cost when customizing disposable spoons?

A: For large-batch customization (more than 100,000 pieces at a time) by food delivery platforms and chain fast-food restaurants, it is recommended to prioritize PP material for its low cost and recyclability; if the client is a brand focusing on “green environmental protection” (such as organic food stores and Internet-famous coffee shops), small-batch customization of PLA material can be done, with “degradable” promotional labels to enhance the brand image; for high-end scenarios (such as in-flight meals and takeaways from star hotels), 304 stainless steel is directly selected to highlight “quality and sustainability”.

Q2: Can PLA spoons be heated in the microwave?

A: Not recommended. Although PLA can withstand heat up to 95℃-130℃, the local temperature may exceed 150℃ during microwave heating, causing the spoon to soften and release trace substances. During customization, we will clearly mark “Not for Microwave” on the PLA tableware packaging. If the client has heating needs, we can recommend PP material or stainless steel spoons with heat insulation layers.

Q3: Can logos be printed on wooden spoons during customization?

A: Yes. Logos can be printed on the surface of bamboo or birch spoons through laser engraving or food-grade ink printing. The engraving process is more wear-resistant, suitable for featured tableware used for a long time; ink printing has richer colors and lower cost, suitable for disposable promotional tableware. However, it should be noted that the printing area should not be too large to avoid covering the part of the spoon that contacts food, ensuring compliance with food contact safety standards.

Conclusion

Choosing the right spoon material is a key step in the success of disposable tableware customization. Guangzhou Gorlando can provide a full-process customization service from material recommendation to appearance design according to the client’s scenario needs, budget, and environmental requirements, helping the brand create a differentiated tableware image. If you have disposable tableware customization needs, please feel free to contact us to get an exclusive material plan and quotation!