Single-use clay cup start-up GaeaStar raises US$6.5M for US expansion

12 Apr 2023 --- GaeaStar, a single-use clay vessel start-up, is gearing up to introduce its products to the US via a trial with Californian coffee chain Verve. Based out of San Francisco, US, and Berlin, Germany, GaeaStar uses clay, water and salt to create single-use cups and bowls that have “no impact on the environment.”

The start-up has raised US$6.5 million in seed funding from investors after piloting the disposable clay cups and bowls in Germany. The company has developed a 3D printer that can churn out a cup or bowl within 30 seconds. 

GaeaStar’s founder Sanjeev Mankotia believes there are no environmentally sustainable solutions for single-use products on the market. The company states the product can be crashed on the ground since it is made from earth, without a need for recycling. 

Mankotia says the single-use clay meets people “where they are” rather than making people adopt new recycling habits. 

Geo-neutral vs. biodegradable vs. compostable 
The products are made from geo-neutral materials and the clay is sourced locally in California. The vessels can be created based on individual demand, which the company calls a micro-factory model. 

 GaeaStar founder Sanjeev Mankotia (Image credit: Gaeastar).The company states that there are notable differences between biodegradable, compostable and geo-neutral materials. It explains a biodegradable item will break down under certain conditions with the help of bacteria or other living organisms. A compostable item is biodegradable organic matter that can completely break down to make nutrient-rich compost, while a material that is geo-neutral will have no impact on the environment. 

The cups and bowls are made from clay, water, salt and “a bit of energy,” with two options. The first is the dry and semisolid range. The solutions come in three different sizes in terracotta color.  The company says it is “good for ice cream, fruit, salads and tapas.” GaeaStar also offers its range to be branded.

The other option is the liquid range which is made from the same ingredients but is in the shape of a taller cup as opposed to a bowl-like shape. This design is suitable for hot and cold beverages. 

Manufacture on demand 
GaeaStar technology combines traditional techniques with additive manufacturing technology. 

The company says that additive manufacturing is efficient and environmentally sustainable by design as it only uses material where needed, producing zero waste, manufacturing on demand and decentralized.

The single-use products can be manufactured on demand using a 3D printer. The company says its products are built to “drastically reduce waste and pollution while enhancing the user experience and reducing the true cost.”

GaeaStar conducted an internal analysis and estimates that it uses significantly less water and energy when compared to paper or plastic incumbents.

The original single-use cup
The clay cup idea came into existence when Sanjeev traveled in India and noticed that street vendors would sell tea in crudely handmade terracotta cups, commonly known as “Kulhars.”

Patrons in the area drink the tea and then throw it away. It is estimated that Kulhars may have been used in the region for the past 5,000 years since the Indus Valley Civilization. 

GaeaStar’s founder believes that recycling doesn’t work and that its vessels can go in the trash “guilt-free.”

To keep up its commitment to environmental sustainability, the company delivers its vessels using e-bikes in Germany. In the future, it hopes to offer a tabletop printer to restaurants so they can print the cups on demand at the point of sale.

By Sabine Waldeck