This reusable Stojo biggie cup comes with a heat sleeve, reusable straw and can collapse completely, which makes it the perfect addition to my zero waste kit. #byocup
Single use coffee cup
Most paper cups are not just made of paper. There is a thin layer of plastic (polyethylene) inside which prevents the liquid inside from bleeding through the paper. There are many studies that have been done on liquids in plastic lined paper cups and they show that when hot water is added, microplastics and other toxins are release into the water.
Another problem with the plastic lining is that it makes the cup very difficult to be recycled because many recycling facilities can’t separate the two materials. This is such a common problem that billions of cups end up as waste across the world! You might be thinking that there must be a better single use option out there, and yes there is, but it also comes with problems.
Compostable paper cup
The compostable paper cup is the greener alternative to the plastic lined paper cup. It also has a plastic lining to keep liquid inside. but this plastic is plant based.
The biggest problem with these cups are that most people who use them are not going to take them home and add them to their compost heap. They are going to throw them in the bin, which means they will most likely end up in landfill.
The reality is that many types of compostable coffee cups can’t be added to a home compost heap and can only be composted in a commercial composting facility which speeds up the process.
Here in SA, we don’t have compost bins in our coffee shops or in our streets so how is a consumer supposed to responsibly discard a single use coffee cup? That’s why I believe reuse is the best solution!
stojo
The stojo cup was created by 3 New York dads, who wanted to create a reusable product that was so easy to carry around that coffee lovers could easily boycott single use disposable coffee cups.
Since creating their first classic 355ml stojo pocket cup, 3 new sizes have been added, 2 of which are available in SA (classic & biggie) I bought the 470ml Stojo biggie in dove (colour) which is the perfect size for a smoothie, or decent cup of coffee. Stojo also have a collapsible bottle and bowl in their range, which is not yet sold in SA.
The stojo cup and straw is made from LFGB Certified (European Standard) food-grade silicone. The polypropylene lid and heat sleeve is BPA-free. The lid has a mouth tab that the straw fits through, which creates a leak proof seal. All components can easily be disassembled and reassembled for cleaning and are dishwasher safe.
How to use
To collapse the biggie stojo cup, simply remove the heat sleeve, open the mouth tab. I’ve tried collapsing the cup with the mouth tab closed and it does not work. You’ll notice that without the heat sleeve the cup is more wobbly and easy to collapse, by simply pushing down on the cup. You can collapse the cup whilst the straw is inside, because it is also flexible. Once collapsed, add the heat sleeve to the underside of the cup, and close the tab for a leak-proof seal.
Where to buy?
I bought my biggie stojo cup on the SA stojo website for R299. It fits in my laptop so I can easily take it with when I travel for work.
Do you have a reusable coffee cup? Do you have any other ways that I can reduce my plastic waste? I’d love to hear from you in a comment below. If you’d like to see more of the on the go reusables I have found, have a look here. Alternatively, if you’d like to see what body & beauty products I have found, have a look here. New products posted regularly.
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