Keep Up with KeepCup

Recycling allows us to feel good while continuing to consume at breakneck speed. The call grows more urgent to shift away from hyper consumption and linear, take-make-waste thinking to a circular economy that prioritises reduction, reuse and repair, and where recycling is the last option. 

Like many other cafes, Brixton Blend, a specialty coffee shop located in South London, had no option but to close their doors in March due to COVID19. Over the course of this 2.5 month closure, cafe owner Gary worked with his team to plan and refine their reopening strategy to uphold their commitment to reducing waste.

The original KeepCup design sought to outperform the standard single-use cup you see in most cafes. We designed a product that was durable, eye-catching and provided a better drinking experience. Over time, we heard a lot of feedback from customers who wanted something that would retain the temperature of their drink for longer. 

Since the very beginning, we’ve partnered with our local manufacturers and designers to ensure all packaging in our supply chain protects the product, is modular, uses minimal material, can be reused for packing customer orders and is recyclable at end of life. 

Australia is renowned for its stunning wild places and unique species, yet we have the worst mammal extinction rate of any country in the world. Right now, the federal government is placing our environment under further threat by rushing through changes to environmental laws.  

Find out how the Bank of England raised reuse rates from 10% to 80% by working with KeepCup.

The Full Pantry in Croydon, outer Melbourne, has been proudly single-use free since 2018 – a commitment they maintained throughout the COVID19 pandemic and beyond. 

Since working with KeepCup, LinkedIn’s Dublin HQ is now single-use cup free and is diverting remove 5,000 single use cups from circulation each week.

We’ve been reflecting on the decade that was and the years ahead. Here are our hopes and ambitions for these next ten years.