We’ve been on the lookout for a new travel cup after an old University freebie finally gave up the ghost. There are thousands of different models out there but after a bit of research we thought we’d try out the ‘Circular&Co. Reusable Coffee Cup’ (formerly 'rCUP'). Costing ~£12-15, it's available from www.circular&co.com and many high street shops.
Firstly, a bit about us: we’re clumsy. We spill stuff. We ruin things. We’ve learned first-hand that people with nice cars don’t take it well if you spill coffee on their seats... Twice. We like being out and about and think it’s important to be environmentally friendly. Bearing this in mind, our old travel cup really wasn’t ideal. It wasn’t leakproof, it had a tiny drinking hole in the lid that you could ‘plug’ with a fiddly little rubber tab, and it didn’t keep our coffee hot for long but still managed to burn our hands if we used it without a silicone sleeve.
However, worst of all: it was non-recyclable. It might have been better than a disposable - the thin plastic lining that makes these cups waterproof also means they can’t be processed by most paper recycling mills - but it’ll still end up in landfill and that’s no good to anyone. In fact, the only reason we persevered with it until it did finally break was because we didn’t want it to throw it away unnecessarily!
So, why the Circular&Co. Reusable Coffee Cup? Well, the first clue is in the name: it’s reusable. According to research, only around 5% of UK coffee shop sales are poured into reusable cups and we allegedly use around 10,000 disposable coffee cups every two minutes! Many high street coffee shops have also started to offer discounts if you bring your own cup (e.g. Pret, Paul, Costa, etc.). Enough said.
To add to its green credentials, it’s also 100% recyclable. Each Reusable Coffee Cup is made from single use paper cups and is designed to last for 10-years (after which you can recycle it). This is a massive selling point for us and has seen Circular&Co. recognised for its sustainability with features in the media (e.g. the Telegraph and Mashable). Circular&Co. are a UK company and manufacture each cup in Cornwall, helping support local jobs and reduce their carbon footprint.
Practically speaking, the cups are 100% leakproof (phew!) They’re fully insulated, won’t burn your hands and will keep your drink warm for a decent amount of time. They also have a ‘push open push close’ lid that allows you to drink or completely seal the cup with a light push. This can be completed with one hand, meaning you can easily drink on the go. An additional benefit of this design is that it offers 360-degree drinking (i.e. after pushing down the lid, its entire circumference can be used to drink, rather than a specific hole). Each cup is also dishwasher safe.
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