Bamboo is very fast-growing and can be cultivated without pesticides, they are a great an eco-friendly option when it comes to reusable coffee cups. However, it’s also worth thinking about how truly “green” a product is if they are transported so far, to combat this we don’t air-freight and do all our cup branding in house within the UK.
Printed Bamboo Coffee Cups Material
Printed Bamboo Coffee Cups are made with naturally sustainable bamboo fiber, combined with corn starch to form a paste (80%) which is then mixed with a resin. This helps ensure the bamboo cups are both durable and suitable for the high temperatures required of them with coffee and tea. Printed Bamboo Coffee Cups are BPA free as well as free from phthalates and petrochemical plastics. The resin contains melamine in accordance with EU regulations.
Bamboo, not just for Panda’s after all!
Can you re-cycle Bamboo Coffee Cups?
The silicone band on the cup is fully recyclable allowing the lids and grips to be reused. The Printed Bamboo Coffee Cups themselves are fully compostable with the bamboo material biodegrading. When harvested, it re-shoots from its extensive root system and does not require replanting, in addition its the fastest growing plant in the world! A world record winner.
Bamboo has other uses. It can be used as food, substrate, shelter and is so strong that it is often used as scaffolding. It is sustainable and cost-effective yielding far more tons per hectare than any tree or a plant such as cotton with very little maintenance required.
Bamboo also helps reduce CO2 in the air by 4 times more than an equivalent area of trees whilst also generating 35% more oxygen!
How many Single Use Coffee Cups are wasted?
The number of take-away cups that are disposed is huge, about 2.5 billion takeaway coffee cups are thrown out each year in Britain. A reusable cup does cost more than a single use cheap one but it quickly pays for itself, particularly with the discounts on offer in most high street coffee store chains.
As well as being practical the bamboo cups also look good. They are light in weight meaning they don’t weigh your bag down.
How robust are Bamboo Coffee Cups
The printed bamboo cups have recently been tested for quality and durability and came through with flying colours. The printed bamboo coffee cups can withstand small falls but can break depending on the height, surface dropped against and angle of impact but will last for years if treated well. They are not microwave friendly. The printing technique used is done to last with the ink applied that is especially designed for silicone material and also used on silicone swimming hats.
Pesticides and fertilizers used in growing Bamboo
Growing Bamboo plants helps reduce CO2 and can generate up to 35% more oxygen than the equivalent use of trees. One hectare of bamboo sequesters 62 tons of carbon dioxide per year while one hectare of young forest only sequesters 15 tons of carbon dioxide per year. Bamboo allows a natural eco-system of insects, birds and small animals to exist in harmony. A great benefit of using bamboo as the base for products is that there are no need for pesticides or fertilizers when growing bamboo.
Bamboo Coffee Cups production process:
- Harvest bamboo
- Grind and refine stalk and husk
- Creation of fibrous pulp
- Addition of corn starch resin
- Creation of soft dough
- Dough placed in heat press mould
- Decal added reheated in press
- Sanded, polished, coated
- Bespoke artwork printed onto the cups so they are branded
- Finished product delivered in quantities as small as 36 units
Bamboo cup Silicone Lids and Sleeves
Bamboo Cup lids and sleeves are made with highest food grade quality silicone, which is BPA and phthalate-free. Designed for temperatures above 120 degrees Celsius and can be recycled after a lifetime of use.
- Free-from BPA or phthalates
- Top shelf Dishwasher-safe.
- Natural bamboo fiber, corn starch and resin binder
- Pesticide-free
- Naturally sterile, with no plastic after-taste
- Natural, matte, tactile surface: not “plasticky”.
- Durable, but can break if crushed purposefully or treated roughly
- Tight-seal ‘no-drip’ food grade silicone lid
- Rapid-growing and renewable plant.
Conclusion
So the printed bamboo coffee cups are excellent for their overall life cycle carbon footprint, particularly when compared with any single use or compostable cups, as well as ensure a stylish and user-friendly end product so we strongly recommend them for all coffee drinkers.
However, they do come at a price, so perhaps for a more affordable you may consider UK manufactured Americano Cups found here. These are made from a different material but are still an eco-alternative to a take-away cup.
Printing the cups ensures that they really stand out with a professional look to increase your organisations’ brand awareness.
If you are looking to buy Printed Coffee Cups?
We can custom print your coffee cups. These make an ideal gift for your staff, customers and clients alike.
