Better coffee cups (and lids) made from plants, not plastic.
Made from plants
Here at GREEN HOME, all our takeaway coffee cups are lined with plant-based PLA bioplastic to make them watertight.
Conventional takeaway paper cups are lined with petroleum-based plastic.
Here are some important advantages to lining our coffee cups with PLA:
- PLA has a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional plastic.
- PLA can be composted after use. The thin layer of PLA on our Hot Cups will biodegrade in well-managed home compost piles, as well as larger composting facilities.
- PLA is plant-based and widely, annually renewable.
- By using plant materials, we avoid the drilling, fracking and mining required to extract fossil fuels for plastic production (along with the other negative impacts of plastic production).
What is PLA?
PLA stands for polylactic acid. It is a compostable bioplastic made from fermented plant starch, typically corn and sugar beets.
Incidentally, lactic acid is found abundantly in nature, including in the human body. Polylactic acid is essentially polymerised lactic acid.
PLA has similar properties to petroleum-based plastic. It is clear and lightweight with a high barrier to liquids, fats and oxygen.
The lids are compostable too
PLA also comes in another form called CPLA. This is a form crystallised PLA that is opaque. Our CPLA Hot Cup Lids are made from CPLA, and come in stylish black and white. (CPLA is also used to make great plant-based cutlery.)
Like PLA, CPLA is also compostable and comes with the same positive environmental benefits.
What about the paper?
Of course, the paper that coffee cups are made from needs to be as eco-friendly as possible too.
Our hot cups are made from paper sourced from sustainably managed plantations. The paper is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and / or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), to ensure healthy forests for future generations.