No Ordinary Cups.
16 billion paper cups are used for coffee each year (source: Greenmatch). That’s the equivalent of each UK resident using 235 paper cups per year for their favourite coffee-based beverages.
That’s a lot of cups.
And sadly, a large proportion of those cups will end up in landfill after being utilised for 15 minutes or less, due to being unrecyclable.
It's a looming crisis in the coffee industry, which is why we’ve decided to do something about it now.
We’ve chosen to do the right thing when using takeaway cups by championing recyclable and compostable cups. Whilst using reusable ‘keep’ cups and ceramic mugs is the most sustainable option and a solution we welcome with open arms, our revolutionary paper cups are the next best thing- especially when you forget to bring your keep cup, and you’d like 15 caffeinated minutes of blissful drinking. (We totally get it. We love coffee as much as you do).
Our takeaway cups are no ordinary cups.
Our takeaway paper cups may look, feel, and act like other cups found on the high street, but they’re different. They have a sustainable secret.
Traditional single-use cups have a lining of PE-based plastic on the inside which makes them watertight and ideal for holding a cup of coffee. The downside of these cups is that they cannot be recycled due to this plastic-based coating. This is why Local Authorities and Councils don't recommend putting takeaway paper cups in your mixed recycling.
However, our cups are different being both recyclable and compostable.
The lining in our takeaway paper cups is water-based, plastic-free and made from natural fibres. This means that the cup can act like a cup BUT be recycled, composted, and biodegraded.
Recyclable. Compostable. Sustainable.
Not only can our takeaway paper cups be recycled with paper or mixed recycling, but they can also be composted at home. Simply pop one into your home-compost bin and in a few weeks the cup will harmlessly biodegrade. Our cups, which are made from sustainably sourced cardboard, biodegrade at roughly the same rate as a sheet of paper. They're an excellent addition to your compost bin, helping to soak up excess moisture and aiding aeration.
But wait a minute, can’t all paper cups do the same thing?
No, unfortunately not all paper cups are created equal. This is why billions of paper cups go to landfill each year because almost all other paper cups, used by many corporate coffee chains, have a plastic lining. It’s this plastic lining which causes all manner of problems when recycling, unlike our TOAST cups which are recycled, or composed, very easily.
Our hope is that our decision, our paper cups, are seen as a beacon of what is right when using disposable and that in the near future, others choose to move away from the unrecyclable (and nasty!) plastic-lined cups.
The hardest decision is often the right one, and here at TOAST we’ve decided to use and champion takeaway cups that are recyclable, compostable, and sustainable.
