The term starts with carbon origin
When a material is described as bio-based, the claim is about where its carbon atoms came from: biological sources (plants, algae, agricultural residues) rather than fossil sources (petroleum, natural gas). That is the only thing the bio-based label tells you on its own. It says nothing about whether the material is biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, non-toxic, or better for the environment in any particular way.
This matters because these properties are often conflated. A bio-based plastic can be fully non-biodegradable. A petroleum-derived plastic can be recyclable. The terms are not synonymous.
How bio-based content is actually measured
The standard method for measuring bio-based content in materials is ASTM D6866. It works by detecting the ratio of carbon-14 (radiocarbon) to carbon-12 in a sample. Living plants continuously absorb carbon-14 from the atmosphere; once biological material dies or is processed, the carbon-14 begins to decay. Fossil materials have essentially no detectable carbon-14 left, having been buried for millions of years.
A laboratory measures this ratio in the sample and compares it to a known modern standard. The result is expressed as a percentage: 93% bio-based content means 93% of the total carbon in the material comes from biological sources. The remaining 7% may come from additives, binders, or processing agents with fossil-derived carbon.
ASTM D6866 does not measure biodegradability or recyclability. It measures one thing only: whether the carbon in a material came from a biological source or a fossil source.
TÜV SÜD operates a certification program for bio-based content verified by this method. An independent laboratory performs the radiocarbon analysis; TÜV SÜD issues the certificate. Agropak's bio-composite material was tested under this program (certificate TÜV SÜD Frankfurt, May 2026), returning a result of 93% bio-based content.
What "plant-derived" and "natural" mean in practice
Plant-derived describes the source of the raw materials. A material made from sugarcane, corn starch, bamboo, or coconut shell is plant-derived. This overlaps substantially with bio-based but is not identical: a plant-derived material has high bio-based content by definition, but the bio-based percentage depends on what additives or processing agents were introduced.
Natural is less precise. It has no standard definition in packaging contexts. Brands use it to describe materials that feel or appear non-synthetic. Wood-grain laminates, textured plastics, matte finishes, and genuine bio-composite materials have all been marketed as natural. When evaluating a supplier claim, ask for the specific test method and result rather than accepting the label.
What bio-based does not mean
Biodegradable: a bio-based material does not automatically break down in the environment. Breakdown depends on material structure, additives, temperature, moisture, microbial presence, and time. Some bio-based plastics (PLA, for example) are only certified compostable under industrial conditions, not in home compost or landfill.
Recyclable: bio-based content has no direct relationship with recyclability. A 93% bio-based material that cannot be sorted into an existing recycling stream is not recyclable in practice, regardless of its carbon origin.
Zero environmental impact: the full environmental profile of any material requires a life cycle assessment covering extraction, processing, transport, use, and end-of-life. Bio-based content is one input into that assessment, not a proxy for the whole outcome.
Why the distinction matters for packaging claims
Consumer protection regulations in several markets increasingly require that sustainability claims be substantiated with specific evidence. Describing packaging as natural, eco-friendly, or sustainable without supporting data carries growing regulatory risk in the EU and UK. The bio-based content standard (ASTM D6866 / EN 16785) and third-party certification programs give brands a specific, auditable claim: "X% bio-based content, verified by independent laboratory testing to ASTM D6866."
That kind of claim is both defensible and meaningful. The label natural, on its own, is neither.
How Agropak's material is positioned
Agropak describes its bio-composite jar as 93% bio-based, citing the TÜV SÜD certificate. The company does not describe the material as biodegradable, compostable, or zero-waste. It describes what is documented: the carbon origin of the material, as measured by an independent laboratory using ASTM D6866, and the mechanical performance, as tested by CIPET. Where further assessments are ongoing (UV resistance, humidity shelf life, independent formulation certification), those are described as assessments in progress rather than completed certifications.