06 May
From coffee to compost: What happens to your decent Cups?
We know that if you're using decent packaging, you already care about sustainability. But do you know what good you’re doing by choosing our compostable products?
In light of International Composting Awareness Week we thought we’d give you a breakdown on what happens when one of our hot cups (or our other compostable products) are correctly disposed of.
Let’s take a journey from coffee to compost...
It all starts with you - our amazing customers!
Whether it’s a custom-branded product, a colourful hot cup, or takeaway food packaging, our products are made from a range of sustainable materials including wheatstraw, sugarcane, and responsibly sourced paper. That means our products are designed to return to the earth.
A customer heads to their local (you!) for their morning flat white or iced matcha and that is where it all begins.
You can find out more about our materials here.
Not just any bin…
This next part is pretty crucial: once they’ve indulged in their delicious specialty coffee, it's time to dispose of the cup. But this can’t just be tossed in any old rubbish bin. When disposed of correctly, it's taken to a commercial composting facility for the magic to happen. Unless of course you’re using our Aqueous Hot Cups which are certified home compostable!
Want to create your own home compost? Check out our home compost guide here.
The breakdown begins
Hopefully you're still on the journey with us because this is where it gets interesting! At a commercial compost facility, that used cup joins a mix of food scraps, compostable packaging, and other organic materials. With the perfect combo of heat, moisture, and microorganisms, everything starts to break down. It takes around 90 days for the cup to fully decompose and become nutrient-rich compost.
Need help finding compost facilities and collection agents? Here's a couple of compost facilities and collection agents in UK.
Remember, each area does have its quirks, so it’s best to double check in your area and we can always help to find the answer to any questions you may have.
Closing the loop.
Our favourite step: the compost generated by that little cup of coffee gets used to feed and grow plants, crops and gardens. It could even help grow the materials that end up in another decent packaging product. Now that’s what we call a circular economy!
At decent we are proud to make packaging that doesn't just serve a purpose - but the planet too. By choosing compostable packaging, you're joining us in making small steps towards a more sustainable world.
So next time you grab your morning coffee, remember: That cup in your hand? It’s so much more than just packaging - it’s the start of a journey back to the earth.
We think that’s pretty decent.
