Glad Wrap alternatives: easy swaps for Aussie kitchens

Want to stop using plastic cling wrap without changing how your kitchen runs? The easiest swap is the one that works the same way: a roll that stretches, clings and tears off cleanly. Everything you need. And nothing you don't.

Here's how to cover every job, starting with the like-for-like swap.

1. Swap the roll: cling wrap made from bioplastic

If you reach for a roll most days, just swap the roll. ZERO Cling Wrap is made from bioplastic: mainly PLA made from sugarcane (bagasse), with about 20% PBAT added for stretch. It's certified home compostable (DIN CERTCO and TÜV Austria OK compost HOME), so when you're done with it, it can go in your home compost, where it breaks down fully to CO2, water and biomass. Conventional plastic film doesn't do that. It sticks around.

It's strong, too. So strong that a standard metal cutter strip either bent the box or pulled away from it, which is why our box has a detachable blade instead. Pop the blade off before the box and film go in the compost. Here's why the blade exists.

Use it for: covering bowls with awkward rims, wrapping half an avocado or a wedge of cheese, sealing a sandwich, covering cut melon. For anything involving heat, follow the usage guide on the pack.

It comes in 30 m and 60 m rolls, from $6.99.

2. Use a bag where a bag does it better

A lot of cling wrap gets used for jobs a bag handles more easily: sandwiches, cut veg, snacks and freezer portions. ZERO Resealable Food Storage Bags come in snack, sandwich and storage sizes, from $4.99. They're made from PBAT, corn starch and calcium carbonate, tested for food contact, freezer-friendly and certified home compostable (TÜV Austria OK compost HOME). No wrestling with the roll, no sticky edges.

More ideas in our guide to zip-lock bag alternatives.

3. Use what's already in the cupboard

Some jobs don't need a wrap at all:

• A plate on a bowl covers leftovers in the fridge overnight. It won't seal, but it costs nothing.
• Jars and lidded containers suit sauces, soups and that half an onion nobody wants smelling up the fridge.
• A clean tea towel covers dough proving on the bench or a bowl of salad at a barbecue.

You'll also see wax wraps, silicone stretch lids and fabric bowl covers around. Each has its own care routine, so check the maker's instructions if you use them.

Which swap for which job?

What to check on any "eco" cling wrap

• A named material. "Plant-based" on its own tells you very little. Look for what the film is actually made from.
• A named certification. In Australia, AS 5810 is the home compostable standard and AS 4736 the industrial one. International schemes include TÜV Austria OK compost HOME and DIN CERTCO. Our explainer on AS 4736 vs AS 5810 covers the difference.
• Home or industrial? Home compostable means it can go in your backyard compost. Industrial compostable needs a commercial facility.
• Clear disposal instructions on the pack, so you know exactly where it goes when you're done.

Bioplastic isn't conventional plastic

PLA and PBAT are bioplastics. There's no dedicated regulatory category for bioplastics, so they often get lumped in with plastics. The difference that matters is what happens afterwards. PLA can fragment while it breaks down, but in compost it keeps going all the way to CO2, water and biomass, so it doesn't persist like conventional polymers do.

We'll be straight with you: PBAT is fossil-based. That's why our longer-term goal is to move completely away from petroleum-based polymers through our own materials R&D.

Start small

You don't need to overhaul your kitchen in a weekend. Put a roll of ZERO Cling Wrap where the old one lived. Drop a box of sandwich bags in the lunchbox drawer. That covers most of what plastic cling wrap was doing, and the habit takes care of itself.

FAQ

Can I compost ZERO Cling Wrap at home?

Yes. It's certified home compostable (DIN CERTCO and TÜV Austria OK compost HOME). Remove the detachable blade first, then the film and box can go in your home compost.

Can I microwave it?

Follow the usage guide on the pack for anything involving heat.

Is it plastic free?

It's made from bioplastic (PLA and PBAT) rather than conventional plastic, and it's certified home compostable. PBAT is fossil-based, which is why we describe it as bioplastic rather than plastic free.

What sizes does it come in?

30 m and 60 m rolls, from $6.99.