Why are you using a plastic cup?

Whether we like it or not, every time we use a single-use paper cup, we are enjoying our beverage in plastic. That’s because most paper cups have a petroleum-based liner.

When we began the development of our reuse system, we briefly considered using other materials. However, we learned that the environmental break-even point for more durable materials (e.g. stainless steel) is as high as 800 uses. Sadly, no open reuse system achieves a return rate that will allow a cup to be in circulation that long.

In the end, we opted for cups made by the good people at Preserve, which upcycles polypropylene to make all kinds of reusable products. Because this matrial is heat and stain-resistant, it’s an ideal material for hot beverage cups. Because it’s BPA- and melamine-free, it’s an ideal material for people. And because its environmental benefits accrue after just a few uses, it’s an ideal material for our planet.

How do customers get their deposit back?

We suspect most customers will bring back their empty cups when they purchase their next coffee. The cafe will give them a credit for the returned cup while collecting a deposit for the new cup.

We will work with each business to determine the most convenient way to return deposits in situations where the customer does not borrow a new cup. In Germany, where deposits are a fact of everyday life, businesses often accept returned cups between orders (“while the cash register is open”).

How are the cups washed?

Other reuse systems distribute and collect cups in large trucks and drive them to a sanitation facility. We don’t think that’s very sustainable. For this reason, we work with cafes that have the ability to wash our cups on-site.

Do you sell branded cups?

No. Because CupCycle wishes to maximize the environmental benefits of our reusable cup system, our cups are shared between participating restaurants. That way, we don’t end up with multiple reuse systems, operating in parallel, each with its own pool of coffee cups. This is also more convenient for customers, because they can return a cup at any number of locations.