| Paper | Sugarcane/Bagasse | PLA/CPLA/PHA | Palm leaf | |
| Material | Wood fibres | Sugarcane pulp | Synthesized from corn or potato starch | Dried palm leaf |
| Production | Physical and chemical treatment of sawdust | By-product of sugar cane production. Similar to paper production | Made from lactic acid molecules | Drying, pressing and cutting of naturally fallen Areca palm leaves |
| Other Uses | Countless | Insulation material, Chemical industry, heating media | Similar to conventional plastics: foils, composites, 3D printing | None |
| Formability | Formability | Formability | Formability | Restricted due to its natural shape |
| Aesthetic | Classic disposable feeling | Neutral, white-beige, similar to paper. Classic disposable feeling | Similar to conventional plastic | Attractive, woody with grains |
| Environmental footprint | Critical (wood and water intensive, often coated with plastic or PLA) | Average, as use of an agricultural by-product but very water intensive (similar to paper production) | Critical (Intensive farming, intensive usage of agricultural area) | Minimal, as it is agricultural waste |
| Co2 balance | No reliable data available (according to online comparison approx. 676 kg CO2 per ton) | No reliable data available as variable depending on context | No reliable data available as variable depending on context (according to manufacturer approx. 500 kg CO2 per ton) | Minimal to neutral depending on disposal, because even when burned, only the CO2 that was in the leaf is released |
| Regionality | Partially | Origin: tropics and subtropics, processing mainly in China | Origin of raw materials usually USA, processing mainly in China | origin:tropical |
| Heat resistance | Limited, depending on material thickness | Until 120°C | PLA until 40°C/CPLA until 85°C | Until 180°C (30 Minutes) |
| Fluid resistance | Depending on coating & material thickness | Depending on coating & material thickness | Permanent | Many hours |
| Compostability | Depending on coating | Naturally compostable | Naturally compostable | Naturally compostable |
