Say no to single-use coffee cups and plastic bottles, and get yourself one of these cool reusable cups and bottles instead.
Since the inception of its mass production in the early 1950s, 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic has been produced. About 60% of that plastic has ended up in either landfill or the natural environment.
Although many of us are conscious about recycling, the reality is that the majority of the world’s plastics do not get recycled. In fact, only 9% of all plastic waste ever produced has been recycled. Instead we have plastic waste choking our waterways, piling up in landfills, polluting our soil as chemicals leach from the plastics, killing marine wildlife, and ending up in our food as microplastics. A mind-blowing 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the world’s oceans every year.
According to statistics from the United Nations if current levels of pollution continue there will be more plastic than fish in the seas by 2050. And single-use plastics— that’s bottles, cups, cutlery, straws, plastic bags and wrappers—are a huge contributor to this.
The world’s population consumes 1 million plastic bottles every minute, of which only 1 in 5 is recycled. Of the further 500 billion disposable cups that are produced every year, less than 2% are recycled at the end of their life. But, they're paper you say. Well, not really. Most of these single-use “paper” cups contain a polyurethane coating, making recycling difficult and rare. Used for just a few moments, these plastic items take hundreds of years to finally decompose.
Our plastic problem isn't one we don’t know the solution to. We need to wean ourselves off our plastic dependence and find better, more sustainable options. Recycling isn’t the solution—reducing our consumption of plastic is. And while bringing your own bottle or cup won't save the planet, it does help reduce your plastic consumption and waste.
Here are eight of our favourite reusable bottle and cup brands. Get yourself one of these instead of relying on toxic and polluting single-use cups and bottles. These bottles and cups are so stylish you’ll probably drink more water too.
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S'WELL bottles come in a vast array of colours and designs— from metallic, matte, to patterns inspired by nature like stone or wood, and even wallpaper. They’re triple walled (so there’s no condensation on the outside of your bottle), they keep your hot drinks hot and your water cold, and are made from vacuum insulated high grade stainless steel. The bottles come in three sizes and there is even a barware and tumblers range. Best of all, you can personalise your bottles and tumblers online. S’well is also certified B Corp, meeting the highest standards of social and environmental impact, and it has partnered with UNICEF and numerous other charities.
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The Huskee cup is a sleek cup made from using coffee husk leftover from coffee production. With sustainability and durability in mind, Huskee has designed this BPA-free cup for you to take on the go. It keeps your coffee hotter for longer, is comfortable to hold, dishwasher friendly and easy to clean. The fins offer extra insulation without burning your hands, the lid acts as a tight seal to avoid spills and there are drain slots on the base to remove excess water. Best of all it's vegan and cruelty-free, made with less impact on our planet.
3
Melbourne-based B Corp certified company, Memo Bottle, has designed this flat hip flask-shaped bottle to fit in your bag, alongside your iPad, books and laptop. Bottles come in several sizes and you can customise them with different coloured silicone sleeves and lids. Packaging is made from rice, potatoes and corn derivatives, and is blended with a copolymer. Every bottle sold provides one person with two months access to clean water through international non-profit organisation water.org.
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Made from natural fibre, corn starch and resin, ECoffee Cups are BPA, BPS and phthalate-free, and are available in a wide range of colours and fashionable patterns. The lid and sleeve are made using matte, food-grade silicone that is latex-free, designed especially with hot liquids in mind. Plus, ECoffee cups feature a resealable no-drip lid, perfect for your latte on the go, and the whole product – cup, lid and sleeve – is dishwasher-safe.
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Stojo coffee cups and bottles are great for carrying around everyday. The cups and bottles collapse into a disk smaller than 2 inches in height which means you can fit your Stojo cup or bottle in your pocket, backpack, purse or luggage, guaranteeing ultra-portability. They're made from recyclable materials such as food grade silicone that exclude phthalates, glues and BPA. Most importantly, they're leak proof.
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Made of hand-blown glass in Australia and wrapped in a thermal silicone sleeve for grip, Sol cups and bottles are an elegant solution to disposable cups and bottles. They're durable and dishwasher safe, and they come in a variety of colours and sizes from 8oz to 16oz.
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KeepCup has a range of cups made of stainless steel and tempered soda lime glass that is durable, shock resistant, dishwasher safe and can withstand high temperatures. Lids are made from recyclable material that is BPS and BPA-free. You can even get a special cork edition sleeve, which is renewable and biodegradable—at the end of its life you can add it to your compost. KeepCup donate 1% of their global sales revenues to charities like Sea Sheperd and Oz Harvest.
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EcoSouLife cups are biodegradable coffee cups made from a mix of soybean shells, lignin, corn and rice husk, and use food grade colour. When buried, these products return back to nature, which means less plastic clogging our waterways, oceans and landfills. Yay!