Bonbon Fusion’s Move to PHA - a Compostable Plastic

At Bonbon Fusion, our mission has always been to bring people together through exceptional bonbons, while making thoughtful, sustainable choices wherever possible.

That’s why we’re excited to share an important change we’ve been working on behind the scenes! As of 2026, our interactive game pieces will be 3D printed with PHA, a home-compostable biopolymer that provides a much more sustainable alternative to traditional plastics.

PHA is a material that’s only just starting to gain traction and we’re proud to be among a small number of companies worldwide using this innovative material and, as far as we know, the first in Australia to commercially 3D print with it!

All the fun, with a more thoughtful finish

Our custom-designed components are what make Bonbon Fusion bonbons so much more than a traditional cracker. They become clues, puzzles, mechanisms and miniature objects that bring each adventure and mystery to life.

Moving to PHA means we can continue designing and printing the same detailed and interactive pieces - while choosing a material with a sustainable lifecycle.

Once you’re ready to part with the pieces, simply place them in a home compost bin. Natural microorganisms will gradually break the material down into rich, organic soil.

What exactly is PHA?

PHA stands for polyhydroxyalkanoate, which is a family of materials created through a natural fermentation process involving microorganisms. One of the things we love most about PHA is its beautifully simple material loop: microorganisms help produce it and, at the end of its useful life, microorganisms break it down again.

We chose genPHA®, from ecogenesis biopolymers, LLC., as our material supplier partner, due to their formula adherence to TUV Austria’s Standard for Marine Biodegradability and compliance with US ASTM 6691 for marine biodegradability.

Unlike conventional plastics, which may simply fragment into smaller and smaller pieces, genPHA® parts biodegrade through microbial activity. PHA has also demonstrated biodegradation across a wider range of environments than many other bioplastics, including soil, compost and aquatic environments.

Just as important as where a material can biodegrade is what it leaves behind. genPHA® incorporates natural colorants and fillers and biodegrades without leaving any toxic residue (this is a fundamental requirement of the aforementioned standards).

Of course, this doesn’t mean PHA should ever be deliberately littered. Composting remains the best option, and keeping waste out of our waterways is absolutely essential. Its ability to biodegrade in natural environments simply means that if a piece accidentally ends up where it shouldn't, it will leave a much smaller environmental footprint.

How should I dispose of the pieces?

After you’ve finished playing - and once you’re certain you don’t want to keep the pieces for another adventure - these are the best options:

Home compost: Place the PHA pieces in an active home compost system
Council compost collection: If available in your area, place the pieces in your council's compost collection*
Regular rubbish: If composting isn't an option, place the pieces in your regular rubbish. They will gradually biodegrade over time, depending on landfill conditions.

If you home compost, your PHA pieces will break down naturally over time. Environmental conditions like temperature, moisture and bioactivity will affect how quickly this happens, and breaking larger pieces into smaller sections may help speed up the process.

We tested this ourselves in the Glass House Mountains in South-East Queensland. After about four months, our PHA sample had broken down to the point where we could no longer find or retrieve it. Although it hadn’t necessarily fully biodegraded, it had clearly decomposed into much smaller pieces.

And if you happen to spot a few pieces of PHA when you spread your compost, don’t be concerned! They’re much like small pieces of wood or bark and will continue to break down naturally in your garden bed, without leaving persistent plastic behind.

*Check with your local council before using a green waste or FOGO bin, as not all facilities accept compostable bioplastics. Please don't place PHA pieces in household recycling unless your local service specifically accepts them.

A small piece of a bigger journey

There is no single material or manufacturing change that makes a product perfectly sustainable. For us, sustainability is an ongoing process of looking closely at every part of what we create and choosing better options wherever we can.

Our move to PHA allows us to keep creating the detailed puzzles and magical mechanisms that make Bonbon Fusion special, while reducing our reliance on conventional plastics and helping create less persistent waste after Christmas.

Same imaginative bonbons. Same puzzles, surprises and family fun. Just a more thoughtful material behind them - and that’s something we’re incredibly excited to celebrate!