KeepCup Story - Barista standard reusable cup and less environmental footprint
The popular coffee to go leaves huge piles of rubbish behind in this country and in the world, because the hot drink is often drunk from a disposable cup. As owners of a café business in Melbourne, Australia, Abigail and Jamie Forsyth saw a need and responsibility in reducing disposable packaging waste, both to reduce environmental impacts and costs. With a great deal of help from design professionals, the KeepCup was born, the world's first Barista standard reusable cup. From espresso to latte macchiato and cappuccino to Thai tea – for any drink, there are the matching cup sizes that fit under the group head of commercial espresso machines. So the correct mixing ratio of milk and coffee is possible. In short, KeepCup – a reusable coffee cup aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of the takeaway coffee market.
Recyclable, durable and food safe
The reusable cup is made of recyclable components: consisting Polyethylene (PE) lid, Polypropylene (PP) cup, Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) plug, and silicone ring. At the end of its use, the KeepCup can be recycled because the single-component plastic can be easily disassembled and separated. Of course, the Australian reusable cup is BPA-free, food safe and suitable for the dishwasher and microwave.
The colourful take away coffee cups appeal to consumers as well as restaurants, cafes, catering companies, coffee sellers and retailers because they are lightweight, handy, stackable and dishwasher-safe. The cup’s components are available in many subtle and bright colours, so that numerous combinations are possible. The innovative design can be personalized so that each customer can design its own individual KeepCup.
Change disposable cups for reusable cups
In a case study using the Australian Impact Method, (including Life Cycle Assessment, LCA and the Australian Life Cycle Inventory, LCI), the figures indicate Keepcup would drastically reduce environmental impacts of consumers in drinking coffee if they would change disposable cups for the reusable cup. Compared to disposable paper cups, KeepCup's production consumes less water, reduces waste as well as global warming.
On average, one assumes a four-year lifespan, the coffee cup can be used up to 1000 times. This makes the KeepCup a long-lasting companion on the way to work, to office and university.
KeepCup users save several hundred million disposable cups every year. Even large café chains are now catching up: those who bring their own reusable cups often receive a discount on the coffee.
Social shift: escape with KeepCup from 'take away convenience’
Although KeepCup purchased in Europe is most likely not going to be recycled in the Australian context, the shift from disposable to reusable adds environmental credibility, significantly reduces waste, cuts the economics down to size, and enables a social shift, a welcome change for a society now used to throwaway culture. Incidentally, production on the 5th continent contributes to the job rention in Australia. Act local, think global!
Australians Abigail and Jamie argue that although disposable cups are a low margin, the wider impacts of the daily 'take away coffee set' seemed one problem that did not justify the convenience. Greenpicks likes to support this attitude. That's why you will find the reusable cup KeepCup on our online marketplace in the assortment of cups and mugs – because many small acts will make a phenomenal difference!