Waste not want not: Germany-based Kaffeeform creates sustainable coffee cups from used grounds

13 Dec 2019 --- Coffee is deeply rooted in many cultures and holds the status of the most popular drink worldwide. The more coffee we drink, the more grounds we discard – but what purpose might coffee waste serve post-usage? German company Kaffeeform tasked itself with creating a sustainable beverage container out of waste, experimenting with coffee grounds, and from this the Kaffeeform cup was born. PackagingInsights speaks with Anika Paulus, Head of Communications for Kaffeeform, about the cups’ creation, durability and sustainability mission.

Consisting of 40 percent coffee grounds, Kaffeeform is a composite material made from biopolymers, starch, cellulose, wood, natural resins, waxes and oils. The material is free from binding agents with a crude oil base, such as melamine resin.

The cups are smooth, yet highly durable.“We use the leftover coffee grounds from Espressos, as they are ground finer and are thus better suited for processing and compressing with their particular structure and characteristics,” Paulus explains.

The coffee cups may have a faint coffee scent, but the taste is not affected, Paulus notes. “Of course, coffee is the most symbolic beverage to drink and closing the coffee loop creates a very clear and strong image. But you can drink tea or any other hot or cold beverage from Kaffeeform cups.” 

Already on board the plant-based material bandwagon, the company’s manufacturing process is free from animal products, and is therefore, vegan and cruelty-free. The cups are also dishwasher safe and break-proof up to a drop height of 1.5 meters.

The company offers sustainable coffee cups for 60 ml espressos, 190 ml cappuccinos, 290 ml lattes and 300 ml on-the-go portables, called “Weducer Cup.” Kaffeeform sells its cups online on its webshop and offline through a network of retailers and coffee shops across Europe. 

The right bean
A bicycle courier collective gathers used coffee grounds from selected cafes and roasteries in Berlin and then brings them to a social workshop. There, the used grounds are dried and preserved. At small plants in Germany, the material is then compounded and shaped into coffee cups. Once back in the social workshop in Berlin, the cups receive their final polish and are packaged and sent to cafes, shops and end consumers.

The coffee mugs are made with 40 percent coffee grounds.“We have a close network with specialty coffee shops and roasters. Since our founder Julian Lechner has always been a coffee lover and interested in coffee culture, it was important to choose the right partners.” The company sources its grounds from farmers who are paid above fairtrade prices, sold from coffee shops from specialty coffee roasters.

Recyclable yes, but non-compostable for a good reason
Beyond the creation of the Kaffeeform cups, the company also took the post-usage lifecycle into consideration. Kaffeeform material is fully recyclable and the company is able to take the cups back and shred them down into small parts to create new cups.

“In case you want to dispose of your Kaffeeform cup, either do it through household waste or send it back to us for recycling. We will also set up a return system with our partners in the future,” Paulus explains. 

Although the Kaffeeform cups are made from recyclable and renewable sources, Paulus maintains that the sustainability keyword “compostable” does not apply to the cups, as they are not intended to disintegrate and compose.

“The cups are designed with the goal of being long-lasting and durable with a long lifespan. This excludes compostability almost naturally, as a compostable product by definition starts to decompose sooner rather than later. This is exactly what we don’t want: our products are designed for long-term use.” 

Kaffeeform's portfolio consists of four different cups, with more ideas in the pipeline.Moreover, Paulus asserts that all cups are tested against high heat and water pressure to guarantee high performance in domestic use or in coffee shops. If the cups are used for a long time, or intensively, and put in the dishwasher regularly, the natural material will become rough and slightly fade in color. However, this has no impact on the functionality and no harmful parts can be extracted, she says.

“Our material formula combines recycled and renewable resources that are compressed with biopolymers based on a natural basis. Everything is sealed in and none of the parts come off. This is how the cups get their desired durability,” Paulus affirms.

Every cup is “one of a kind”
As the material is a compound material of natural components, including coffee grounds, beech chippings and cellulose fibers, each cup has a different design and is “one of a kind.”

Kaffeeform’s core team currently consists of six people based in Berlin, with an extended partner network for logistics, production and fulfillment in Berlin and in other parts of Germany. While the company does not have plans to expand to other sites or locations at the moment, it is currently brewing ideas for further novel products and material applications. 

By Anni Schleicher