This was probably the topic that took up most of our energy when we started: finding the right packaging for our specialty coffees. Naturally, like any new brand, we wanted beautiful packaging to highlight the high quality of the beans, while also having strong environmental considerations. Indeed, one of the essential conditions for choosing our packaging was its recyclability.
And, believe us, it's not that simple for coffee, because you need a bag that offers an excellent barrier to oxygen, light, and humidity, while also complying with the recycling constraints of the country where it's sold. We're going to tell you about our journey in choosing this packaging:
Material - n.
Kraft : First, we considered kraft, an excellent and widely recycled material, with a pleasing natural appearance to our eyes. We quickly realized that to preserve coffee, it had to be lined with plastic, and very often with aluminum. From a recyclability standpoint, this is far from ideal, because while all these materials are generally recyclable individually, this triple layer is much less so.
Plant-based plastic : We explored the various material options promoted by packaging manufacturers. Plant-based plastic, mainly PLA (polylactic acid), is often discussed. This comes from sugar cane, cornstarch, or even algae, and is often hidden behind terms like "bio-based plastic" or "bioplastic." Contrary to what one might think, a plant origin does not guarantee easier recycling; in fact, it has the opposite effect: currently in France, we are unable to recycle this plastic, and it acts as a recycling disruptor. Furthermore, crops dedicated to these plant-based plastics can compete with human food, or be subject to intensive farming, which moves us away from the virtues sought by choosing this alternative. "Bio-based" plastic also does not mean it will be biodegradable, quite the opposite.
Biodegradable plastic : Certainly one of the biggest disappointments in our research, the promise was nevertheless enticing. When you dig a little deeper, the European standard EN13432, which defines the biodegradable nature of plastic packaging, stipulates "90% of the dry mass degraded in less than 6 months in an industrial environment," in other words, a full semester between 50 and 70 degrees, which are rather rare conditions in a natural environment despite a commendable effort from global warming in recent years. Furthermore, even if degradation occurred, the constituents could, according to Anses (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety), present potential dangers for human health and the environment. Thus, the national agency recommends "prohibiting any allusion, or even incitement, to bad habits and establishing a single standard integrating an evaluation of biodegradability in all environmental media, with more stringent criteria on their composition."
Compostable plastic : This is an improved version of biodegradable plastic. All compostable plastic is biodegradable; the reverse is not necessarily true. European standard EN13432 differentiates the concept of compostable by the duration of degradation under the same conditions: 3 months instead of 6 months to degrade 90% of the dry mass. However, the same issues as for biodegradable plastic arise, so we decided not to select this packaging.
Recyclable plastic : Some research was needed on this topic, as most coffee bag suppliers are not familiar with recycling structures in France, and may mistakenly indicate that packaging is recyclable when it will end up incinerated or landfilled. Furthermore, the industry is evolving quite rapidly, as are the instructions. So we consulted the recommendations of COTREP (Technical Committee for the Recycling of Plastic Packaging) to get a clearer picture. It turns out that in 2022, when our packaging was chosen, LDPE (or low-density polyethylene) was announced as recyclable, provided it was not mixed with other plastics, papers, or aluminum. Our choice therefore fell on this material.
Recycled plastic: frequently found in beverage manufacturers (water and sodas) in the form of recycled PET, we personally have not yet found the equivalent for coffee bags, as these are generally made of PE. The advantage of recycled plastic is that it requires little or no virgin plastic (and therefore petroleum) because it is already at least on its second life, thus reducing its carbon impact. The solution is not perfect either, because the recycling process consumes energy, and the loop is not infinite: a significant portion of the plastic will not be recycled because it is of lower quality and therefore cannot be part of an equivalent packaging again.
Bags - n.
Our current 250-gram and 1-kilogram bags consist of a compact bag made of 100% low-density polyethylene with a polyethylene valve, to which a paper label with non-washable ink is glued. This is the best solution we have found to date, from a "least harm" perspective. It is plastic, therefore petroleum-derived, but there is no better solution to date for our operations.
It seems that recycled plastic, mentioned earlier, is starting to spread in the coffee bag market, which would be another step in this "least harm" approach.
Printing - n.
To remain recyclable, it's ideal not to print anything on the bag, but laser printing or non-washable ink is tolerated. This is what we chose. One clarification, however: hot stamping is a widespread process in printing, often with a successful result, but our design agency advised us against it for environmental reasons: the process wastes a significant amount of material and can disrupt the recycling of LDPE in sorting centers.
Dimensions - n.
You may have noticed that our bags are compact and folded over themselves. We've even sometimes received comments about the capacity compared to other bags of the same advertised weight. But we want to reassure you: we really do put 250 grams in them, no cheating! We chose this format because it optimizes space in shipping boxes: this means less cardboard used per box, and we really strive to make each shipment "compact."
Valve - n.
Our coffee bags contain a valve, made of PE, a material tolerated for recycling in this case according to COTREP. However, we are not sure we will keep this valve at Celsius in our next packaging orders, because essentially we would only need to let the coffee rest for a few days before systematic bagging to avoid swelling.
Because, even if the bag is still recyclable, the valve adds extra plastic to our bags, and the best waste is the one that is not produced. This solution will be subject to a study by us in the coming months.
Labels - n.
According to the COTREP website, for our LDPE packaging to remain recyclable, it must not have just any label. The ideal is a label made of the same material that is detachable during washing, but paper labels are also accepted, provided they are still detachable during washing. This is the solution we chose: two paper labels with adhesive, detachable by washing.
Boxes - n.
In 2024, we decided to add an extra layer of packaging to our coffees, to differentiate them from traditional bags, give them better stability, and make them stackable. This is non-essential packaging, so we tried to minimize its impact as much as possible. We therefore opted for cardboard boxes made from sustainably managed forests, manufactured in Nantua in the Ain department.
Bottles - n.
In 2025, we released our first micro-lots, which for us meant coffees that we purchased for more than €20 (excluding tax) per kg of green coffee, mainly dedicated to filter coffee. Putting ourselves in the shoes of compulsive coffee buyers, which we still are, we realized that we sometimes preferred a little less of one coffee to be able to switch often, and reduce the upfront purchase price. Indeed, a 250g filter bag can take quite a long time to finish. So we decided to offer you a smaller 150g format. After searching for a plastic bag of this format for a long time, we finally stumbled upon the 500ml bottle format by chance, which easily holds 150 grams of coffee, and has the merit of being perfectly in line with our DNA, in addition to perfectly preserving the coffee. We opted for 2 different bottle models: glass with a cork stopper, and plastic with an aluminum stopper.
Glass was the preferred choice, although more expensive, heavier, and more fragile, it is a container that encourages reuse due to its aesthetics, which compensates for the heavier impact of its manufacturing in our eyes. Cork is also a material we are fond of, for its low environmental impact and its nod to the world of wine.
Plastic, on the other hand, proved indispensable for shipping. It has the merit of being almost unbreakable and weighing much less than a glass bottle. It is PET, one of the best-recycled plastics.
We therefore now offer 150g glass coffee bottles for sale in Celsius stores, and plastic bottles in the online store or at our partner coffee shops.
Buckets - n.
Since setting up in the heart of Lyon, we've been delighted to offer most of our professional clients in Lyon a deposit system. We deliver coffee in 2 or 4kg buckets by cargo bike, and we collect the empty containers with each new delivery. The label of the coffee in question is stuck to the bucket lid, and only the date is manually updated when it's the same coffee. This method is reserved for clients with a minimum monthly volume, as the buckets don't preserve coffee as well as bags. We financially encourage this system by offering "returnable" coffees at a discount.
Bulk - n.
At the shop, if you bring your own container, we can fill it for you, which will give you a 10% discount on your coffee. Whether it's an old bag, an Airscape container, or even your pockets, anything goes to enjoy our bulk offer. We want to clarify that this is not a "self-service" offer as you sometimes see in large transparent tubes. We store our roasted coffees in numbered barrels dedicated to this, which best preserve the coffee. This is more relevant for traceability, preservation, and even hygiene.