How plastic houseware and melamine are made
Food containers, lunch boxes, storage boxes, bins, buckets, colanders and bathroom ware are injection moulded, mostly from polypropylene. Molten plastic is pushed into a steel mould, cooled and ejected; lids and bases come from separate moulds and must fit every time. Colour comes from a masterbatch mixed with natural resin at the machine. Lids with silicone seals or clip locks are assembled by hand.
Melamine tableware is different. A powder of melamine-formaldehyde resin filled with cellulose is pressed in a hot mould and cured. Decorated pieces get a printed paper foil placed in the mould and sealed under a clear glaze layer of melamine. The cure matters: under-cured melamine can release more melamine and formaldehyde into food. Plastic tableware and kitchenware (HS 3924) were US$250.3 million of exports in FY2025-26 (TradeStat, provisional), a heading that covers many household articles.
What we check on plastic houseware
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Material traceability | Resin and masterbatch grades in store and on invoices compared with the declaration of compliance and test report | Different resin grade or masterbatch supplier from the tested one; undeclared regrind |
| Part weight | Sampled bases and lids weighed against the approved sample | Lighter parts (thinner walls) or heavier parts (filled compound) |
| Lid fit and leak | Lid closed and opened repeatedly; container filled with water, closed, inverted and shaken for a set time | Lid too tight or loose, clips cracking, water leaking |
| Drop | Filled or empty container dropped from an agreed height onto a hard floor | Cracks at corners or hinges, clips breaking |
| Moulding quality | Each sampled part examined, especially rims, sealing faces and gates | Flash on sealing faces, short shots, sink marks, warpage, black specks |
| Melamine surface | Glaze, decal edges and foot ring examined under good light | Decal bubbles or wrinkles, pinholes, dull or rough glaze, chips |
| Claims and symbols | Glass-and-fork symbol, "BPA free", dishwasher, microwave and freezer claims against evidence | Claim without test evidence; "microwave safe" on melamine |
| Labels and packs | Barcodes scanned, set contents counted, sleeves and inserts checked | Wrong barcode, missing lids, wrong colour mix in sets |
Common plastic houseware and melamine defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Typical cause | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Food-contact item made from a resin not covered by the test report | Cheaper grade or new supplier used without telling the buyer | Critical |
| Melamine filled with bamboo or other plant powder for the EU | "Eco" product made to an old specification | Critical |
| Lid leaking | Flash on the sealing face, warped lid, seal missing | Major |
| Cracks after drop test | Wrong grade, too much regrind, thin corners | Major |
| Misleading claim on the pack | Old artwork, claim copied from another product | Major |
| Decal bubbles or misplaced decal | Foil placed badly, trapped air | Major or minor by size |
| Black specks, flow lines | Contaminated hopper, degraded material | Minor |
| Lid and base slightly different shade | Different masterbatch lots | Minor |
Your defect list decides the final class.
Market rules for plastic houseware
- EU plastics rules. Plastic food-contact articles must meet Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 and Plastics Regulation (EU) 10/2011: only substances on the Union list, overall and specific migration limits, and a written declaration of compliance. See EU 1935/2004 and LFGB.
- Bamboo and plant fillers. Ground bamboo and similar plant materials are not authorised additives under 10/2011. EU food safety authorities treat plastic tableware containing them, often sold as "bamboo melamine", as non-compliant when placed on the EU market. A plant filler can only be used once it has been individually assessed and authorised.
- Bisphenol A. Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 bans BPA in food-contact materials. The main transition periods ended on 20 July 2026, so polycarbonate tumblers or bottles for the EU need a documented BPA-free material.
- US. FDA rules in 21 CFR Part 177 name the polymers allowed for food contact, such as olefin polymers (177.1520) and melamine-formaldehyde moulded articles (177.1460). Ask for a statement that the resin meets the named section. See FDA food contact.
- California. BPA and several phthalates are Prop 65 listed chemicals. See Prop 65.
Packing, transit and your purchase order
Plastic houseware is light and bulky, so it is often over-stacked. Nested containers can stick together, and lids stored on bases for weeks in a hot godown deform. Melamine plates chip at the rim if they move in the carton, so they need dividers or paper between pieces. In a container in summer, temperatures are high enough to warp thin polypropylene lids, which is a reason to keep lids packed flat and separate if the design allows. The inspector checks pack-outs, carton strength and that every set has the right lids.
Put these in your purchase order:
- Resin type and grade for each part, masterbatch supplier and whether regrind is allowed.
- Part weights and critical dimensions with tolerances.
- Leak test method (fill level, time, inverted or shaken) and drop height.
- Claims allowed on the product and pack, with the test report behind each.
- For melamine: filler type, no plant-based fillers for the EU, decal artwork and glaze finish.
- Declarations of compliance and migration test reports, dated and naming the same materials.
Metal and ceramic tableware are covered under kitchenware and tableware inspection. Book an inspection anywhere in India.
Sources
- Department of Commerce, TradeStat: commodity-wise exports (HS 3924, FY2025-26 provisional)
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic food contact materials
- Food Safety Authority of Ireland: plastic food contact materials containing bamboo
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 on bisphenol A in food contact materials
- 21 CFR 177.1460, Melamine-formaldehyde resins in molded articles (eCFR)