Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the world need compostable floral foam?

Every year, an estimated 15,000 metric tonnes (33 million lbs) of non-degradable, petroleum-based floral foam is used in the EU alone. That’s 250 million bricks of foam destined for the landfill every year. Phoam Labs is on a mission to provide the everyday florist with a better solution – floral foam with a responsible end-of-life strategy that doesn’t sacrifice performance.

How well do flowers stay hydrated in Phoam?

The flowers stay hydrated as they do in traditional floral foam. We recommend topping up a container with water for longer lasting designs. The soaking process is slightly different. Simply submerge the foam underwater and hold for approximately 40 - 60 seconds.

How long do flowers last in Phoam?

As florists know, this is highly dependent on flower quality, type of flower, outside temperatures, humidity, and other factors. Our foams have been designed to last for three days without additional water but you can expect most flowers in our foam to last 5-7 days in a container with water. Phoam is re-wettable unlike most current foam and foam-alternative products, so you can always add additional water.

Can I cut Phoam?

Yes. Phoam Labs Floral Foam cuts easily with any bread or serrated knife.

Can I use Phoam as a dry foam?

Yes, Phoam Labs floral foam works as a dry foam too. Please make sure to dispose of our foam properly in compost bins after removing any non-compostable contaminants (such as floral tape, plastic flowers, or chicken wire).

What is the Phoam made of?

The primary ingredient in our floral foam is polylactic acid (PLA). Polylactic acid is made by fermenting sugars from fast-growing plants that are renewable within a 12-month cycle – typically corn or sugar cane. We include several food-grade ingredients that help with the foaming process and final properties of our product. Our mission is to give florists a safe, nontoxic choice to move away from fossil-fuel-based foams and other high-carbon cost alternatives while maintaining the performance they need to make floral arrangements.

Is Phoam non-toxic?

Phoam Labs' floral foam is non-toxic, from renewable resources, and compostable (but it is not edible). It is made from plant-based and food-contact grade materials. Also, our manufacturing process does not include any "forever" chemicals like fluorocarbons, commonly referred to as "PFAS," which never degrade and have been linked to human health problems. Phoam Labs is committed to manufacturing products that lessen our dependence on fossil fuels while maintaining the health of our employees, customers, partners, and the environment.

Is the Phoam compostable?

Our foam is bio-based, industrially compostable, and break down completely into environmentally friendly components. Our product has been certified by TÜV AUSTRIA.

What are microplastics and does Phoam contribute microplastics to the environment?

Microplastics are pieces of plastic that are less than 5 millimetres in size. In many cases they are persistent in the environment and have been linked to negative health, ecological and environmental consequences. The main material used in our product is PLA, which is completely different from traditional petroleum-based plastics. While PLA does break down into smaller pieces as it degrades, a new meta-study conducted by HYDRA Marine Sciences on PLA in the environment found that in contrast to non-biodegradable polymers, PLA will eventually fully hydrolyse and biodegrade, meaning no persistent particles should remain and accumulate in the environment.

It's worth noting that this latest research covers PLA broadly, and products made from PLA span both open-cell and closed-cell structures — for example, closed-cell products include PLA cups, cartons and rigid packaging, while open-cell products include foams like Phoam. Phoam's open-cell structure combined with the fact that stems are inserted and the product is often soaked makes it a strong candidate for biodegradation, offering pathways for microbes to penetrate the material, with water speeding up hydrolysis.

Read the latest research.

Does the Phoam break down in the landfill?

The short answer is our foam would break down in landfill, but it could take a long time and release methane, just like food waste. The exact timeframe depends on environmental factors such as weather conditions and how waste is distributed, though methane release itself tends to happen over a shorter window.

We have designed Phoam with industrial composting in mind, and disposed of that way, it degrades completely. If industrial composting isn't available, landfill still presents a better option than traditional petrochemical foams.

Until now, florists have only had one option for disposing of floral foam: landfill. Traditional floral foam does not degrade over a lifetime, cannot be composted and cannot be recycled. Phoam gives florists the choice to be kinder to the planet and avoid landfill altogether.

But we still need you to do your part. Please make sure to dispose of our foam properly in compost bins, after removing any non-compostable contaminants (such as floral tape, plastic flowers or chicken wire).

Where is the Phoam made?

We're currently producing Phoam at our US R&D facility, while scaling up production with our manufacturing partner in Europe for our UK launch.

We're actively securing global manufacturing partnerships to build capacity as we expand into new territories and demand grows.

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If you have any questions not answered above in our FAQs, please contact us directly.

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