Single-use coffee cups are out, reusables are in. We love a reusable cup here at Sprudge. While there are more and more good single-use compostable options on the market, there’s no guarantee they will be disposed of properly and won’t just end up in a landfill, where their decomposition time exponentially increases.
The obvious alternative then is reusables, but many of those are made of plastic, which is fine though not ideal. We live in a world of polymer, so limiting our plastic consumption wherever possible, even for things that we use repeatably, is always the goal. And there’s a new option on the market for those looking for a non-plastic-based reusable coffee cup: the Aromacup. It’s an “all-natural, reusable coffee cup” that is “home-compostable and biodegradable,” and it’s on Kickstarter now.
Created by London-based Earthmade, the Aromacup is food-grade material certified, made of a mix of bamboo fiber and plant starch derived from wheat, corn, and potato residue. The 300ml vessel is touted as being dishwasher-safe and temperature-tolerant between -10°C and 100°C (14°F and 212°F), meaning it’s built for the wear and tear of everyday use.
The expected lifespan of an Aromacup is two years, and after that, it’s ready to return to the earth. Biodegradable and suitable for home compost bins, the Aromacup can simply be buried in the ground or put in the compost, where it will take around 18 months to decompose. Admittedly, this is a long time for those who use the compost they create. Maybe give the cup a little smash to break it down into smaller pieces before throwing it in the bin, which sounds like fun anyway.
The Aromacup cups in five different color options: marine, aqua, moss, sand, and coral. Having already doubled its campaign goal with just under four weeks left to go, but there are still rewards aplenty. Retailing at $19 per cup, there are backer reward discounts ranging from 10% to 24%, depending upon the quantity purchased. Deliveries are scheduled to start going out in March of 2025.
The Aromacup is just the first of Earthmade’s compostable line of coffee products. Still in the works is Aromabox, a resuable, compostable coffee packaging solution that will come in both 250g and 500g size options.
For more information or to back the campaign, visit the Aromacup Kickstarter page.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
