Frequently Asked Questions

More about our products

Washing Instructions

Lost & replacement parts

Green Promotional Products

Fulfillment and Returns

It Takes A Village...

More about our products

All of the stainless steel used in our lunchboxes and snack containers is high quality, food safe, corrosion resistant and independently tested to meet Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act standards. Additionally, the steel is lead free and BPA free.

The ECOlunchbox > Oval and yogurt cup (with BPA-free #4 LDPE lid) are made of high-quality, food-grade 304 stainless steel.

All other ECOlunchbox stainless steel bentos are made with high-quality, food-grade stainless steel 205.

Stainless steel is available with various metallic compositions. In order to be considered food safe by NSF International, a food safety testing lab authorized by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, the percentage of chromium must be 17% or more and lead-free. The stainless steel used by ECOlunchbox meets these food-safety standards.


Are ECOlunchboxes and ECOlunchbags insulated?

Our ECOlunchboxes are made with the traditional single layer of stainless steel and do not function as a thermos. Our stainless steel lunchboxes are ideal for food served at room temperature, such as sandwiches, cut fruit, crackers and cheese, peanut butter and apples and the many other traditionally to-go foods we pack for school and work.

Our ECOlunchbags & ECOlunchettes have three layers of 100% artisan cotton. The middle layer is thick to help insulate your lunch, but keep in mind cotton breathes and will not keep foods warm or cold for long periods of time.

How long will my food stay cold or hot?

ECOlunchboxes will keep food warm for about an hour. Remember the stainless steel container will take on the temperature of your food, so if you put hot scrambled eggs in, your ECOlunchbox will become hot as well!

Food will keep cool in an ECOlunchbox tucked inside an ECOlunchbag. Here are a couple of strategies to keeping food cold – pack a stainless steel water bottle with ice and top off with water to use as an icepack inside your lunchbag. Alternately, we suggest wrapping an icepack in one of our ECOnapkins and adding it to your lunch! This will keep the container cool and catch any condensation from the icepack.

Are your products made in China?

No, ECOlunchbox products are made in Thailand and India.

Our stainless steel ECOlunchbox > Oval is manufactured in Thailand. Our ECOlunchbox > Three in One, ECOlunchbox > Solo Cube, ECOlunchbox > Solo Rectangle, ECOlunchpod, ECOdipper and ECOlunchtrays are manufactured by a family-owned factory in India. Our textiles are purchased fair trade from block-printing artisans who we met thanks to a friend who lived in India on a Fulbright Scholarship to study traditional textiles.

Do you offer water-proof lunchbags or snack sacks?

Our lunchbags, napkins and block-printed accessories are made from 100% cotton. We intentionally don't use polyester, nylons or any other plastic-coated fabrics for health and environmental reasons.

Can I warm food in ECOlunchboxes?

Yes – stainless steel is oven safe and foods can be warmed in our ECOlunchboxes up to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. A toaster oven also works great! Use over a camp stove is also acceptable.

WARNING: Stainless steel is not for use in the microwave.

How do I make clips tigher? Or looser?

We recommend pushing open the clips of our stainless steel food containers with your thumb. Learning to open/close a Tupperware container may take a bit of practice and, in the case of small children, some basic instruction. The same is true with our ECOlunchboxes. Typically, children and adults fumble a bit with the clips the first two or three times and then the opening/closing becomes very intuitive and easy!

The ECOlunchbox > Three-in-One rectangular food container has clips that are adjustable using a pair of flat- nosed pliers. Keep in mind that over time the clips will gradually loosen up, but for very young children it can be helpful to slightly loosen the clips. To do so, squeeze a pair of needle-nose pliers across the top of the clip and gently open the clip about 1/16" so that it rolls more easily on and off the raised lip on the box's lid.

We do NOT recommend adjusting the clips of the ECOlunchbox < Oval. The clips are very rigid and trying to bend them could break the weld.

How do I adjust the backpack-style ECOlunchbag?

Our ECOlunchbag has a very unique design that can be adjusted to carry in various ways.

How do you want to carry your lunch to work or school? As a hands-free hip bag? As stylish over-the-shoulder messenger bag? As a purse with two straps over your shoulder? As backpack so you can ride your bike to school or work?

The flexible strap system of the ECOlunchbag is designed for easy adjustments. Children and adults will be able to carry the bag in a variety of different ways, depending on their preferences and height.

The strap, which feeds through eight metal D-rings, has a buttonhole that can be attached to a wooden button at the bottom of the bag, thereby easily converting the bag to a backpack or an over-the-shoulder sling bag.

Adults taller than 5-foot-7 will probably find the strap a bit too tight for comfortable wearing as a backpack. We recommend that these taller adults carry their ECOlunchbag as a shoulder handbag, messenger bag or single- strap hip bag.

Small children, ages 3 to 5, can easily carry the bag purse-style on their shoulder or the strap length can be reduced by double-buttoning the strap on the wooden button. There are three button holes on the strap so it can be adjusted to fit and easily lengthened as the child grows.

Fun Fact! Our ECOlunchbags come with a wooden button inside making your bag completely REVERSABLE!

Can I write on my stainless steel lunchboxes?

Yes. You can use a colored marker to write your child's name on the bottom – or even personalize your lunchbox with an illustration! Hot soap and water with a sponge will usually wash off the markings – unless you use permanent marker that will last longer. Children also enjoy adding stickers to their ECOlunchboxes.

Washing Instructions

Are the stainless bentos dishwasher safe?

Yes – our steel boxes are not painted and are dishwasher safe – even in commercial dishwashers. They will not chip or rust. Hand washing in hot soapy water is OK, too.

How to I wash the bags and napkins?

ECOlunchbags are 100% cotton. Machine wash cold. Tumble dry medium. Hand washing and air drying are OK, too.

For best results with the ECOlunchbag and ECOlunchette, pull the lining of the bag loose from the inside of the bag to expose any food-stained areas. The lining will then wash more effectively and dry more quickly.

With the backpack-style ECOlunchbag specifically, unbutton the strap from the wooden button to avoid pulling on the button or damaging to the button during machine washing. Finger press the strap when just removed from the drier to flatten, if needed.

Dyes are color fast. However, repeated washing will gradually soften the colors.

NOTE: The lining of the bag pulls loose from the inside of the bag. In case of small stains, the bag can be spot cleaned easily at the sink with a damp dish towel and air dried overnight.

How do I wash bamboo utensils?

Wash in hot soapy water. Towel dry. Bamboo is not dishwasher safe.

Lost & replacement parts

Can I purchase a replacement lid for my yogurt cup?

Yes! You can find extra lids for sale under accessories. The plastic lids are sold in 2 packs for $3.00 with flat rate First Class Mail shipping for $2 within the USA. (Hint: scroll down...)

How to I wash the bags and napkins?

ECOlunchbags are 100% cotton. Machine wash cold. Tumble dry medium. Hand washing and air drying are OK, too.

I've lost a part. Can you help me?

Maybe – email us (with a picture, if possible) at info@ecolunchboxes.com and let us know what part you're missing. If we can find a replacement part, we'd love to help you keep your ECOlunchbox up and running for a very long time! No promises, but we will definitely try to help.

Can I buy the yogurt cups separately?

ECOlunchbox specializes in 100% plastic-free products. The BPA-free lid on the yogurt cup is our only item containing plastic – and we want to keep it that way! We do not want to bring more plastic into the environment or your lunch, so we do not sell our yogurt cup a la carte.

Right now, our yogurt cup only comes in a set with our ECOlunchbox > Oval. Because we wanted to offer as few items with plastic (even though it is BPA-Free), we feel our dipper and pod would be a great choice for you instead!

http://www.ecolunchboxes.com/product_dipper.html
http://www.ecolunchboxes.com/product_lunchpod.html

If lost, return to...

Our ECOlunchbags' garment tags are a great place to add your name in permanent marker in case it's ever misplaced. Our logo is on one side of the tag and the other side has been left blank for you to write your name.

The stainless steel ECOlunchboxes can be labeled with your name on the bottom with permanent marker.

Green Promotional Products

Can our school green team work with ECOlunchbox to fund raise?

Yes, we offer a fundraising program for schools in the U.S. and Canada. Please click here for more information. To learn more about this opportunity, please see: http://www.ecolunchboxes.com/greenpromo/index.html or email us at info@ecolunchboxes.com

Can you etch logos on the lids?

YES! ECOlunchboxes and ECOlunchbags make great green promotional products. We can etch the logo of your company, school or organization on the top for sustainable corporate gifting, green team fundraising or other special events. To learn more about this opportunity, please see: http://www.ecolunchboxes.com/greenpromo/index.html or email us at info@ecolunchboxes.com

I'm a blogger, how can I work with you?

Please read our Blogger FAQ.

Fulfillment and Returns

I just placed my order, when will my items ship?

Your order will ship with 3 business days

Can I return my ECOlunchbox if I don't like it?

Yes we accept returns. If you're not happy with your ECOlunchbox, please click here to see our return policy for items sold through our Web store www.ecolunchboxes.com.

If you purchased your ECOlunchbox from another retailer, such as Amazon.com, please return the item to that retailer.

It Takes a Village...

Why was ECOlunchbox founded?

ECOlunchbox was started by eco mom Sandra Ann Harris, who lives in Lafayette, Calif. with her husband and two school-age children. Sandra wanted to make available lunchware for families that would help them reduce their dependence on plastics for health and environmental benefits. Plastic is a petroleum-based material that leaches chemicals in our food, our bodies and the environment.

For the full story, watch our video on who we are and what we do. Sandra also tells her founding story on our website and has been profiled in numerous articles.

How can I submit new product ideas to ECOlunchbox?

ECOlunchbox strives to make available everyday "tools" for the green family. We believe that by going green at lunchtime and using our no-waste, no-plastic products families can save their health, the environment & their pocketbook! Our ECOlunchbox lunch waste study shows that a typical family using conventional throw-aways generates approximately 4,320 pieces of trash annually and the disposable packaging costs more than $400 annually!

If you have a new product idea that dovetails with our mission to help families reduce their dependence on plastics, especially at lunchtime, we'd love to hear from you. Please email us at customerservice@ecolunchboxes.com.