Disposable coffee cups are a staple in coffee shops across the country. They’re lightweight and convenient, reducing the need to buy, store, and wash ceramic mugs. They also have great heat retention properties, allowing you to enjoy a hot beverage longer.
Disposable coffee cups are most often made of layers of paper. This paper board is then lined with a thin coating of plastic or wax to make it resistant to liquids. Compostable coffee cups are made of a special type of plastic polymer that will biodegrade over time.
At Disposable Design, we are proud to offer the highest quality single-use coffee cups, plastic cups, paper bags, and other promotional products. All of our products can be custom-printed with your company’s name and logo. Reach out today to talk to a member of our branding team about how we can help you expand your marketing efforts for pennies on the dollar.
How Disposable Coffee Cups Are Made
Since styrofoam cups have fallen out of favor, disposable coffee cups are most often made from wood pulp. Specifically, these cups are made from wood and bark chips that are pulverized into a pulp.
Many manufacturers also make compostable coffee cups. These cups are made from PLA plastic, which is a plastic polymer that is produced from fermented plant starch (usually from corn, sugar beet pulp, cassava, sugarcane, or maize). These cups will naturally break down over time, making them an environmentally-friendly choice.
Converting Wood To Paperboard
For standard disposable coffee cups made with wood pulp, the process begins with pulp creation. This wood pulp may be made from virgin paper board materials or recycled paper products. The pulp may also be bleached for white disposable coffee cups. This pulp is then shaped into a paperboard.
This paperboard is often referred to as “cup board.” The board is made from several layers of paper, which helps to keep it strong. The cup board is pliable so that it can be rolled into the shape of a cup once it is cut.
Disposable coffee cups are made with a double wall to provide heat retention while protecting your hands from getting burned. They also include a “mouth roll,” or a rolled edge around the rim. The mouth roll is more comfortable for drinking and also helps to keep the cup in the proper shape.
Applying The Coated Lining
Paper cups start as a large roll of cup board. One side of the board is lined with a plastic or wax coating. This coating is what prevents your coffee cup from disintegrating when hot liquid is added to it. The lining also ensures food hygiene by preventing cup materials from ending up in your drink.
The lining may be made from polyethylene, a plastic that retains heat and repels liquids. The lining makes up approximately 5% of the composition of the coffee cup.
Printing & Cup Assembly
The cup board will be printed with any logos, designs, or colors before being cut into the proper shape. The cups are then heat sealed, with circles of paper heat sealed onto the bottom.
Benefits of Using Disposable Coffee Cups
Paper coffee cups are not always recyclable. Unfortunately, local recycling centers don’t always have the technology to separate the plastic coating from the paper cup. As such, it may not be possible to recycle your disposable coffee cup depending on where you live. Nevertheless, there are still benefits of using disposable coffee cups for your business, even if your local recycling center doesn’t accept cups with a PE lining.
Allows For Expansion To Takeout
First, it is often a practical necessity. As much as we would like the world to be different, most of us simply don’t have the time to sit down and enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee at home or at the local cafe before going to work or getting the kids off to school. Our hectic lives often mean that we grab a cup of joe on the run.
If you run a business that sells coffee, you will almost certainly need to offer disposable cups for customers. You can still make more environmentally-friendly choices when it comes to your cups. This may include choosing a paper coffee cup over styrofoam, or a compostable coffee cup instead of a lined paper cup.
Can Be More Eco-Friendly Than Reusable Cups
Second, while there is an environmental impact to using disposable products, the environmental impact of using reusable cups can be greater. These cups still have to be manufactured, shipped, and stored. There is also the question of the water and energy required to clean and sanitize the cups between uses.
A study conducted CIRAIG found that it could take up to 1,000 uses before a reusable cup becomes more eco-friendly than a single-use cup. Consumers will often forget to take their reusable cups home or bring them back for future drink orders. In these cases, cups are getting far less than 1,000 uses, which would be contributing to a greater environmental impact.
More Hygienic
This brings up a third point: hygiene. Restaurants must take steps to prevent the spread of germs, including by washing any reusable items (such as cups and spoons) at a high temperature. Disposable coffee cups eliminate this need, as customers have the peace of mind in knowing that their cup is brand new – which is particularly reassuring in post-pandemic times when many people are rightfully concerned about the sharing of viruses and bacteria.
Ultimately, coffee shops and other food service businesses use disposable coffee cups because of customer demand and the convenience of these products. While the tide may turn in the future – just as many people now use reusable water bottles rather than buying water in disposable plastic bottles – the current reality is that consumers most often want their coffee available to go. If you decide to use disposable coffee cups for your business, we can help you do so with high-quality, eco-friendly products.
Reach Out to Disposable Design for Custom Coffee Cups
Disposable paper or compostable plastic coffee cups are a necessity for any restaurant or cafe that sells coffee and other hot beverages. These cups can often be recycled, and may even be biodegradable. Best of all, they can be custom-printed with your business name and logo to further your branding efforts.
Disposable Design sells an array of top quality promotional products for small to medium-sized restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, and food trucks who don’t necessarily have the option of ordering millions of cups at once. If you need custom coffee cups, custom coffee sleeves, or custom clear plastic cups, we can help. All of our promotional products are sold at fair prices and in smaller quantities to make it easier for independently owned businesses to take advantage of the marketing benefits of these products.
To learn more about our plastic cups or to speak to a member of our branding team, fill out our online contact form or hit the live chat button at the bottom of the screen.
