care and use symbol decoder

Take a look at those little red squares you see in the description of every product page. That’s right, those are the Care And Use Symbols. But what do they mean? Even hovering over the picture might not give you the full story. Luckily, you can take the guesswork out of those esoteric cryptograms with this easy-to-use symbol decoder:

BPA Free: This symbol means that the product contains no bisphenol A. BPA is an industrial chemical used in plastics, but it may have harmful effects on health. This symbol should look pretty familiar, because Zak Designs is committed to food safety and that means every Zak product is completely BPA free.

Biodegradable: Here’s one for the environmentally friendly: This symbol means that the product is biodegradable, made of a material that will eventually break down instead of sitting in a landfill. (Of course, that’s assuming you’d ever throw it away in the first place.)

Dishwasher Safe: We know you worked hard cooking dinner, so we’re trying to make the after-dinner-clean-up as simple as possible. This symbol means that the product is dishwasher safe, but make sure to check the Care & Dimensions tab to see if it needs to be placed in the top rack.

Microwave Safe: Is this dish microwave safe? If you see this symbol on the product page, then yes, it is! You can relax because the product has been tested extensively and approved by the FDA. There will be no melting, no warping, and no leaching chemicals under reasonable use conditions.

Recycled: This symbol means that the product is made of recycled materials. It reduces waste just by existing, which makes it eco-friendly and the complete opposite of garbage.

And there you have it: all the tools you need to read and understand the mysterious Care And Use Symbols! You may now return to your regularly scheduled shopping, and please remember to use this knowledge responsibly.