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Looking for the best reusable, eco friendly coffee cups?
It’s estimated 300 billion disposable coffee cups end up in landfill each year, where they can take up to 30 years to decompose.
And despite the fact hundreds of thousands of us make the effort to put our takeaway coffee cups into a recycling bin, many (if not most) are not recyclable.
Despite looking like they’re recyclable, most disposable paper cups actually contain a thin plastic lining, which makes them almost impossible to recycle in a standard recycling mill (which is where most end up). Paper cups are also resource heavy to manufacture, which is another reason they’re not eco friendly.
Did You Know?
- Coffee cups are estimated to be the second-largest contributor to litter waste after plastic bottles.
- Research suggests you may be consuming harmful micro plastic particles as you sip your hot drink, due to the plastic lining in paper cups that makes them waterproof.
Are Compostable Cups Eco Friendly?
Compostable paper cups are now much more common & instead of petroleum based plastic linings, they contain a bio-based plastic lining derived from renewable plants. So they’re definitely an improvement on most standard takeaway cups.
However, according to this article, there’s little point using a compostable or biodegradable paper cup unless it’s going to a composting facility. And commercial composting facilities aren’t currently widely available. Home composting won’t help either, as it won’t get hot enough to break the cups down.
So the greenest approach to your takeaway coffee is to take your own reusable, eco friendly coffee cup. You’ll often find a coffee shop will also give you a discount if you bring your own reusable cup.
7 Reusable Eco Friendly Coffee Cups
Here are 5 of the best eco friendly coffee cups that are reusable, to help you enjoy your favourite takeaway latte, or flat white, without using a takeaway cup.
1 – KeepCup
Made from: Glass, cork & plastic
Capacity: 8, 12 or 16 oz
Best for: Barista standard reusable cup
Founded in 2007 as a solution to single use coffee cups, KeepCup was the first barista standard reusable cup. Made from toughened glass, with a cork sleeve & PP plastic lid (considered food safe), you’ve got a range of sizes & colours to choose from. If you’re a coffee connoisseur, glass is non porous & won’t taint the flavour of your coffee plus the cup is designed for use with coffee machines. Easy to clean & use, 1% of all sales revenue is given to help protect the environment.
2 – JOCO Coffee cup
Made from: Glass & silicone
Capacity: 8, 12 or 16 oz
Best For: 100% plastic free
If you’re looking to ditch plastic completely from your daily brew, check out the JOCO reusable coffee cup – it’s 100% plastic free. Made from artisan blown high-grade borosilicate glass, the cup is stain & odour resistant, whilst the silicone sleeve & lid provide grip & protection & help keep drinks hot. Ergonomically designed, this eco friendly coffee cup is etch & shock resistant, as well as microwave safe. A good choice if you want to avoid single use waste and plastic.
3 – Stojo Collapsible Coffee Cup
Made from: Food grade silicone & #5 recyclable plastic
Capacity: 12 or 16 oz
Best For: Collapsible cup
If a glass coffee cup weighs too much or stainless steel feels too bulky, try a reusable collapsible cup from Stojo. Started by 3 eco conscious Brooklyn dads, these coffee cups collapse to just 2 inches high. Made from food grade silicone, with a plastic lid & temperature resistant sleeve, these eco friendly coffee cups are leak proof & dish washer safe. Bringing your own reusable cup has never been much easier than this.
4 – Contigo Autoseal Travel Mug
Made from: Stainless steel & plastic
Capacity: 10, 14, 16, 20 or 24 oz
Best For: Long haul drinks/handle option
If you like a coffee in the car, or when travelling, the Contigo travel mug will help your drink stay hot for up to 5 hours. An autoseal means the cup is leak & spill proof, plus the cup is easy to handle with one hand via a push button. Also suitable for cold drinks, this is a very popular travel cup due to the wide range of sizes, vacuum insulation & ease of use. You’ve also got lots of designs to choose from, plus the option of a handle.
5 – bioGo Eco Friendly Coffee Cup
Made from: Rice husk fibre bioplastic
Capacity: 16oz
Best for: Biodegradability/lightweight
If it’s sustainability you’re after, bioGO take rice husks (a waste product from the agricultural industry) & transform them into eco friendly cups! Suitable for hot or cold drinks, the cups are leak proof & anti-scald. So there’s no need for a protective sleeve. Perfect for the office, gym or travelling, the reusable cup is lightweight & will biodegrade in around 6 – 24 months, once it’s worked its way through up to 4000 uses. bioGRO also donate part of their profits to sustainable causes.
6 – Yeti Rambler
Made from: Stainless steel & plastic
Capacity: 20oz
Best for: Travel/larger capacity drinks
Made from durable stainless steel, the reusable Yeti Rambler uses a magnetic sliding lid to keep your favourite coffee, or drink of choice, secure. Double wall insulated, this eco friendly coffee cup will keep your drink hot (or cold) for longer, plus its shatter-resistant design should sustain any hard knocks. Dish washer safe, you’ve also got lots of colour options to choose from. Another popular choice for cars & larger capacity drinks.
7 – Bodum Travel Press
Made from: Stainless steel & plastic
Capacity: 15 oz
Best For: Freshly pressed coffee/tea
Prefer to brew your own coffee? Then you may fall in love with the reusable Bodum Travel Press. Easy to use, you simply add freshly ground coffee grounds (or tea) & hot water, seal the lid, then press down the plunger after 4 minutes. Made from vacuum sealed stainless steel (lid & plunger are plastic), the cup is spill proof & a non slip silicone sleeve makes for easy handling. Probably the closest thing you’ll get to a French coffee press in a cup.
The Best Eco Friendly Coffee Cups: Conclusion
The amount of disposable coffee cups we throw away each year is eye watering. Most of these cups are also not recyclable or end up in landfill, where they take years to decompose.
And whilst the term compostable may sound good, the nature of how compostable coffee cups actually get broken down isn’t quite as straightforward as it may at first seem.
So if you love a latte on the way to work, but want to lose the takeaway paper cup, investing in an eco friendly coffee cup is an affordable & sustainable solution to single use plastic waste. It’s not only better for the environment it’s also likely healthier for you too.
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