Silicone vs Plastic: What’s the Difference?
When it comes to choosing the right materials for our reusable food storage bags, we always do our research. We are determined to ensure that you will get the safest, most environmentally-friendly options for you and your family.
That is why, when creating Forester Reusable Silicone Bags, we decided to go for food-grade silicone over plastic. Keep reading to find out the main differences between silicone vs plastic and what makes silicone a safer choice.
Food-Grade Silicone vs Plastic
Silicone materials have become increasingly popular in recent years and are commonly used as safe replacements for traditional single-used plastic. While traditional plastic contributes to ocean pollution and can take over 500 years to break down, silicone presents a durable, more eco-friendly alternative.
Is Silicone a Plastic?
The plastics industry considers silicone to be a form of plastic, and, in a nutshell, it is. Silicone is something in between plastic and rubber. It is often treated as plastic, as it has a number of plastic-like properties, such as its flexibility, temperature and water resistance, and clarity.
Similar to plastic, silicone can be shaped into practically any form. However, silicone is a truly unique form of plastic, as it is much more durable and temperature resistant as compared to other plastics. In addition, it reacts less with chemicals. Silicone is also non-stick, non-staining, and easy-to-clean, which makes food-grade silicone ideal for food storage and other kitchen applications.
Silicone as an Alternative to Plastic
There is a reason why silicone vs plastic has become so widespread in recent years:
- Silicone is highly durable and resistant to degradation from extreme temperatures
- Silicone can be molded into various shapes
- It is lightweight, easy to transport, and saves space
- Doesn’t crack, peel, harden, dry out, crumble, or become brittle over time
- It may be recycled at select locations
- Silicone is non-toxic and odorless and doesn’t contain BPA, phthalates, lead, or latex
In fact, silicone is so popular that you can find it in products used for medical, textile, and aviation industries, among multiple others.
One of the most popular places to use silicone products is the kitchen. Food-grade silicone is a type of silicon that doesn’t contain any by-products or chemical fillers, which makes it non-toxic and safe to use with food.
For example, you can use Forester Reusable Silicone Bags to store food in the freezer, pack your lunches or leftovers, or even cook sous-vide. They are dishwasher and microwave safe, which makes them irreplaceable for all of your kitchen needs.
Why You Should Avoid Plastic Products
Plastic that doesn’t go into landfills often ends up in the oceans, from where it can enter the food chain and become a big concern for human and animal health. Plastics often contain harsh chemicals that could lead to infertility, cancer, immune disorders and more. Some of these chemicals include:
- BPS
- BPA
- PVC
- Phthalates
Luckily, food-grade silicone offers a healthier option. It is sustainable, flexible, and safer to use as compared to plastic. With easy-to-use silicone bags from Forester, you now have a better, healthier alternative to single-use plastic zip bags.
Silicone FAQ
Is Silicone Safe for Food?
Food-grade silicone is created without any petroleum-based chemicals, BPS, BPA, or fillers. This makes it a great food storage option, which is safe to put in the microwave, oven, freezer, and dishwasher. It won’t break, leak, or degrade over time.
Is Silicone Safe to Cook With?
Yes, Forester food-grade silicone can be used for a variety of applications around the kitchen: you can microwave it, bake in the oven up to 400 degrees, and even use it to cook sous-vide. You can also freeze your Forester bags and throw them in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.
Is Silicone Recyclable?
Yes, silicone can be recycled multiple times. Even though you can’t leave it for curbside pick up, you can send your silicone to a specialized recycling company, where it will be downcycled into an oil that can be later used as playground mulch, industrial lubricant, or another product.
Another benefit of silicone bags over single-use plastic bags is that Forester food storage bags can be reused multiple times. They are easy to wash in the dishwasher or by hand, which means that you can use them again and again, without contributing to plastic pollution.
Is Silicone Biodegradable?
Similar to plastic, silicone isn’t biodegradable. However, the lack of biodegradability can be alleviated through good recycling practices. We recommend searching for a silicone recycling facility in your area to dispose of any unused silicone products.
Some of the common household items made of silicone include silicone cookware, muffin molds, cake pans, and silicone bake mats.
Is Silicone Toxic?
Food-grade silicone is non-toxic. It does not have any chemical fillers and is considered to be chemically stable when heated up to 400 degrees. Therefore, it won’t produce any hazardous fumes and won’t have any negative health effects when used with food.
Is Silicone Better Than Plastic?
Silicone has a different chemical composition as compared to plastic, but it can offer many benefits that make it a better option to use for kitchen applications. When it comes to comparing silicone vs plastic, silicone is flexible, easy-to-clean, heat-resistant, and safe to use with food.
If you want to go plastic-free, it is a great idea to replace your plastics with reusable silicone wherever possible.
Discover the Benefits of Food-Grade Silicone with Forester Silicone Bags
While there are a number of plastic food storage bags on the market, freezing or reheating food in plastic can release toxic chemicals and cause potential health issues.
Reusable silicone bags from Forester are a healthier choice. They are non-toxic, tasteless, non-allergenic, and won’t react with food. Make the right choice of silicone vs plastic and shop our reusable bags today!