The cup that’s conquering (and saving) the world

THE founder of the company behind the innovative reusable KeepCup, designed to reduce the use of disposable coffee cups, says more needs to be done.

KeepCup founder Abigail Forsyth thinks of her company as a “campaign supported by a product”.

THE founder of the company behind the innovative reusable KeepCup, designed to reduce the use of disposable coffee cups, says more needs to be done.

Abigail Forsyth and her brother, Jamie, were running the Bluebag cafe in the city when they became increasingly alarmed by the number of coffee cups ending up in landfill.

With the help of cashflow from the coffee business they started working with designers on what was to become KeepCup.

The BPA-free and non-toxic barista standard reusable cup made its debut in June 2009. More than five million cups later it is sold in 65 countries.

Ms Forsyth said while KeepCup had diverted 3.5 billion disposable cups from landfill, on the basis of 80 per cent of the five million purchasers drinking eight takeaway coffees a week, plenty more disposable cups were going into landfill.

“This equates to removing over 4000 tonnes of disposable cups from landfill and saving enough energy to power 5000 homes for a year,” she said.

“Furthermore, this leaves 50,000 trees standing in a forest somewhere — that’s a lovely thought.”

Ms Forsyth said leading Melbourne roasters and big corporates such as National Australia Bank, ANZ, Westpac and Qantas had embraced KeepCup.

“We think of ourselves as a campaign supported by a product. Ours just happens to be pretty awesome. Many small acts will make a phenomenal difference.”

Ms Forsyth said France had just banned plastic cups, effective from 2020, and in the UK putting a price on plastic bags had resulted in a dramatic cut in use.

“Cafes should be offering a discount for reusable cups which would lead to a phasing out of single-use cups,” she said.

Ms Forsyth said there appeared to be confusion among coffee drinkers as to what cups were recyclable. She said many were plastic lined and were therefore not able to be recycled.

Ms Forsyth, who heads a team of 40 staff in Melbourne, London and Los Angeles, said KeepCup was still primarily made in Melbourne.

The glass, used in some models comes from China, as does the silicon bands. Ms Forsyth said these were not available in Australia.

She said the local manufacturing was a huge bonus as it meant the business maintained good quality control and quick turnaround. The cork bands originally came from cork oak forests of Portugal, but are now manufactured from recycled waste material from the wine industry.

KeepCup has won or received commendations in a number of local and international awards for its design, innovation and export. It also has won a Telstra Business Award for start-up businesses.