Punk Powder from Muc Off makes much needed dent in cycling industry's single use plastic pile

Muc-Off has banished plastic bottles from bike cleaning, launching a new powder sachet that can be mixed with water to create the famous pink fluid. 

‘Punk Powder’ comes in 30g pouches, to be mixed with 1 litre of water, therefore requiring 92 per cent less packaging than the equivalent 2 litre bottles. 

The dissolvable powder approach is something seen across other industries, including household cleaning, via brands such as Ocean Saver. 

In the case of Muc-Off’s formula, 75 percent of the ingredients used to create the powder are plant based and the sachets which deliver the powder are compostable, arriving in a recycled cardboard box. The inks used for printing are vegetable based, too - and the packaging is made from 50 per cent renewable raw materials. 

Muc-Off says that Punk Powder has been three years in the making, with 20 variants tested to find the winning formula. 

Users can either use an old bike cleaner bottle to mix the formula, or, purchase an aluminium ‘Bottle for Life’, tap water works, but so does rain water. 

The brand’s focus on sustainability was pulled into question in 2020, when it was required to make a donation to a marine conservation charity, for failing to comply to recycling requirements set out by the Environment Agency, the £7,669 payment followed errors made between 2012 and 2016. 

However, at the time, it launched ‘Project Green’, initially planning to cut down on over 30 tonnes of plastic by 2023, a goal it’s now boosted to 200 tonnes. Punk Powder  should save 61 tonnes a year, the Dorset brand says.

Punk Powder is one of multiple steps Muc Off has made to cut waste.

CEO Alex Trimnell commented: "This has been a real passion project for us as we continue our mission to reduce single-use plastic. Punk Powder embodies everything Muc-Off stands for, a marriage of high performance and sustainability. It had to be just as good as our other bike cleaners, but in a more environmentally focused and convenient format. The team have done an epic job producing something truly game-changing and totally plastic-free. We can’t wait to get more riders shredding then cleaning their bikes with Punk Powder – it’ll help us all do our bit for Mother Nature!"

The launch was accompanied by a very Netflix-inspired 'Making Rad' video project.

Muc Off's contribution comes as many clothing brands begin to ship their kit in compostable bags, with the cycling industry - as per most industries - becoming painfully aware of its own responsibility to cut waste.

There's still plenty more work to be done, with not-for-profit movement Shift Cycling Culture working with several brands - Muc Off included - to help them reduce their impact upon the environment.

Punk Powder is priced at £14.99 for two 30g sachets, while the Bottle For Life bundle is priced at £29.99.