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Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I choose to re-use?
Each year over 300 billion single-use coffee cups are manufactured globally. Due to their plastic content, less than 2% will ever be recycled. As takeaway drink consumption grows, so does the problem of waste.
Each time you choose to re-use, even just once a week, you will be helping in the fight against single-use waste. Imagine the massive difference we could make if everyone did the same. If two million people choose to re-use just once a week, we would stop 104,000,000 single-use cups going to landfill each year.
Follow us @ecoffeecup.official and share your #choosetoreuse journey.
Can I re-use my Ecoffee Cup at my local coffee shop?
| Chain | Reuse | Discount |
|---|---|---|
| Pret a Manger | Yes | £0.50p |
| Café Nero | Yes | Two stamps per coffee on your loyalty card |
| Costa Coffee | Yes | Two “bean” stamps per coffee on your loyalty card |
| Starbucks | Yes | £0.25p |
| Roadchef “Fresh Food Cafe” | Yes | £0.25p |
| Greggs | Yes | £0.20p |
| Benugo | Yes | £0.45p |
What is my Ecoffee Cup product made from?
Our online Ecoffee Cup range is made from plants – 100% natural Polylactic Acid, a biopolymer derived from sugar beet, sugarcane or corn. Compared with petroleum-based materials, PLA can achieve carbon “break even” – through its natural growing phase. It is also commercially biodegradable/or recyclable at end-of-life, via Terracycle. Our PLA Ecoffee Cup products are odour and flavour-taint-free, making them the perfect material for hot beverages.
Lids & Sleeves
Our lids and sleeves are made from pure, food-grade silicone, using oxygen and silica (sand) as their base material. They are suitable for high-temperature usage up to +120°C. They’re not made with natural latex rubber.
Should you have further questions, please email us at hello@ecoffeecup.com.
What are the recommended temperatures for daily usage?
Is my Ecoffee Cup product microwave-safe?
From July 2019, Ecoffee Cup products sold in black boxes (see photo) can be used in microwaves.
You should only reheat at a maximum of 800W for no longer than 40-second intervals.
As a precaution, remove the lid but attach the silicone sleeve prior to microwave use.
Caution: Your Ecoffee Cup product will be hot upon removal from the microwave.
Original Ecoffee Cup products are sold in kraft boxes and some limited edition collections are not suitable for microwave usage.
If you are uncertain, please check the bottom of your Ecoffee Cup product for usage instructions.
Original Ecoffee Cup sold in kraft boxes and limited edition collections, are not suitable for microwave usage.
How does Ecoffee Cup test its products to ensure that they are safe?
Our products are tested regularly in Europe by independent test houses, Intertek and TUV Rheinland, to comply with EU (LFGB) Food Contact regulations (EC) No. 1935/2004 and (EC) No.10/ 2011. We also test over-and-above the regulations to ensure Ecoffee Cup products are suitable for regular usage at +100˚C. Ecoffee Cup also complies with US FDA and Japan Food Contact regulations. We are happy to share these results with our customers upon request.
Why have you changed the formulation in your most recent Ecoffee Cup?
We constantly look to improve Ecoffee Cup products. Our latest version can be used in the microwave* and is significantly stronger, which makes it more durable for longer everyday use.
*Subject to usage guidelines.
Is my Ecoffee Cup product environmentally friendly?
Yes. However, we choose not to use this term in any of our communication because it is open to significant interpretation. Our mission is to provide beautiful, practical and affordable products that make a significant contribution towards the reduction of single-use items. Since we started in 2014, our customers and partners have prevented more than 250 million single-use cups from entering the waste stream and subsequent landfill.
Is my Ecoffee Cup product biodegradable?
In order to make a claim of biodegradability and comply with EU standard EN 13432, a product must biodegrade 90% within six months. For consumer durable products such as Ecoffee Cup products, this is simply not achievable. Despite what some of our less-than-transparent competitors may claim, without exception, there is no reusable cup on the market that currently meets this standard.
How do I dispose of Ecoffee Cup product when I am finished with it?
We believe in taking responsibility for everything we create, that’s why we have closed the loop with Terracycle to ensure none of our product components end up as part of the consumer waste culture that we set out to help tackle. You can return all elements of our product (packaging, broken cup or silicone components) to us to be commercially recycled or re-purposed into a new Ecoffee Cup product.
United Kingdom
Using minimal but suitably secure packaging, simply return the component you want to dispose of to the following address:
Ecoffee Cup FREEPOST BN23 6NY
This is a free service so you do not need to add stamps or a postcode. Please use ALL CAPITALS in the address – and for broken or split cups, pack them in such a way as to prevent sharp edges from piercing or protruding from packaging.
Rest of Europe
Click here to download your FREE post-paid label.
Please email hello@ecoffeecup.com if you would like us to email you the label or post it to you.
PLEASE NOTE: We accept no liability and cannot be held responsible for damage or injury caused by improperly packed returns.
How do I prevent odours?
Unlike many PP or PET-based products, your Ecoffee Cup product should never emit odours or retain taste. We suggest you wash your cup thoroughly before use and avoid leaving liquid remains inside for prolonged periods.
Our lids are made from silicone which is a chemically inert substance. This means that unlike some petrochemical plastics, (PET, PP) it should never emit odour. However, it can absorb some odours. We always recommend washing lids and sleeves in the dishwasher (top shelf, removed from your Ecoffee Cup product). Ensure you avoid storing or washing with metal or conventional polypropylene plastic items, such as storage containers or other plastic cups.
Quick tips to remove odours
- The top shelf of your dishwasher is always best; avoid washing or storing with conventional plastic or metal items.
- Mix a paste of baking soda and spread over the inside and around the rim of the lid; leave overnight and then wash clean.
- Store near a small dish of vanilla, lemon or other pleasant-smelling material until the unpleasant odour has disappeared.
- Avoid heavily fragranced dishwashing tablets or liquids. We recommend Ecover, Splosh or other fragrance-free options)
How do I remove stains from my Ecoffee Cup?
Discolouration
With frequent use, especially with some teas or black coffee, your Ecoffee Cup product may discolour inside. This will not impact the taste profile or suitability of the product for everyday use – this is not a product fault. For those who dislike the appearance, we suggest our Reusable Cup Cleaner which is effective in removing most coffee and tea stains. One sachet contains enough cleaning powder for two cleans and should last six months. This product is coming soon.
Lipstick can stick
Even dishwashers can struggle to remove certain types of lipstick from our silicone lid – or the rim of your Ecoffee Cup product itself. This is not a product fault. To prevent permanent damage to your Ecoffee Cup product, we always recommend that, prior to placing it in a dishwasher (or hand washing), you remove all visible lipstick from the drinking hole or cup rim with a tissue, napkin or dry cloth. Replacement lids are available in our accessories section on our website.
In addition, we do not recommend Ecoffee Cup for use with the following lipstick brands:
- Revlon® Colorstay Suede Ink Lipstick
- Fenty® Beauty Fenty Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick
- MAC® Cosmetics Locked Kiss Ink
- Huda® Beauty Lip + Cheek Stain
- NARS® Powermatte Lip Pigment.
- Maybelline® SuperStay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipstick.
Why do you use individual packaging?
We keep our packaging to a minimum, however, it is vital to ensure your Ecoffee Cup product arrives unscathed. Without packaging comes breakages, and with breakages comes waste. We avoid single-use plastics, shrink wrapping, over-size boxes and unnecessary padding – and, wherever possible, re-use bubble wrap and boxes to avoid them going to waste. We have also introduced fully recyclable paper protection wrap for all UK orders.
How do I operate my lid?
Does my Ecoffee Cup product keep my drink hot?
Ecoffee Cup products are not designed as a thermos, but more as a replacement for single-use to-go cups. With that in mind, with its lid closed, it will keep your drink warm for up to 40 minutes.
Authenticity
We helped pioneer the use of natural fibre composite material in reusable cups in the UK and Europe. Since 2014 we have developed a forensic understanding of our material composition, provenance, production process and required global safety testing.
Since then, a number of imitation products have entered the market, with varying levels of quality and legitimacy. While some of these come from reputable production facilities, many do not. Poor quality, false and misleading claims and a lack of transparency relating to compliance with global food contact regulations have drawn an unprecedented amount of scrutiny upon our products.
While we choose not to speak for the entire industry, we do speak for ourselves. What we can say about the vast majority of products that may look vaguely like ours, whether they are made from wheat, rice husk, bamboo or other “natural” materials:
- They can contain up to 60% melamine, even some that claim to be melamine-free. We have tested many competitor products There is nothing here that we don’t know.
- They make misleading statements about biodegradability. For the record, there is not one reusable Cup that is biodegradable to European standards.
- They overplay the “eco-friendliness” of their products without knowing what they actually made from.
Since late 2018, as an industry-setting standard, we removed 90% of melamine from our product (from 25% to less than 3%). This has been independently verified in Europe by Intertek UK. These tests are available upon request.
How to determine if you have an authentic Ecoffee Cup?
Ecoffee Cup products have a matte lid with a stopper. Embossed are the words No Excuse For Single-Use or Choose To Re-use. It should be comparatively stiff, not soft and floppy
Ecoffee Cup products have a pressed base or printed back stamp.
Our sleeves are heavyweight, with an embossed Ecoffee Cup logo in a roundel.
If you believe you have paid for an Ecoffee Cup product that you suspect might be a fake, please email us at hello@ecoffeecup.com with details.