We get asked a lot: what’s the most environmentally friendly coffee cup option? The reality is that there’s no simple answer and few angles to consider when weighing up what makes a truly eco cup.
From our perspective at EcoBarista, when looking at the sustainability properties of a product, it goes beyond labelling it as “green” or “biodegradable.” It’s about looking at the entirety of a product from a circularity perspective, considering its entire lifecycle from production to disposal. Here are the key aspects that define a truly eco cup:
- Material matters: The choice of material is paramount in determining the eco-friendliness of a coffee cup and avoiding non-recyclable single-use plastics is important. Opting for renewable, compostable, or recycled materials such as bamboo, cornstarch, or paper sourced from sustainable forests are all good decisions when it comes to choosing more environmentally friendly packaging.
- End-of-life: The fate of a coffee cup after its use is equally important. A truly eco cup is designed for easy recycling or composting, ensuring that it doesn’t end up in landfills or oceans. Compostable cups should break down into non-toxic components without leaving behind harmful residues, while recyclable cups should be made from materials easily recovered by existing recycling infrastructure. You’ll want to ask these questions of your packaging supplier!
- Durability and reusability: Reusable is always better than single use — every single time. We get that it’s not always possible and cafes need to provide solutions for customers who won’t bring their Keep Cups in for their daily takeaway coffee but encouraging consumers to bring their own cups or offering incentives for using reusable options can significantly reduce the environmental impact of coffee consumption.
Here are some products made by us at EcoBarista worth checking out:
- Home compostable aqueous coffee cups
- Commercial compostable coffee cups
- Home compostable sugarcane bagasse lids
Want to talk about your packaging needs and how you can align them with your sustainability goals as a business? Book a call with us!
