For the coffee purist: KeepCup Brew.

I recently told you a little about the London Coffee Festival which I attended – one of the exhibitors at the festival was KeepCups whose mission is to encourage the use of reusable cups for coffee consumption by offering us coffee lovers sustainably made products that are not only practical but make us think about our modern convenience culture which is not particularly environmentally friendly. KeepCups want to be one of the organisations that kick start the demise of the disposable cup, wanting to increase reuse rates to 40%in the coffee take-away industry and they offer an environmentally friendlier and stylish alternative in their range of reusable coffee cups.

Starting with a problem with too many disposable cups in a café in Australia – with existing reusable vessels being too big to fit under the group heads of coffee machines and not being particular attractive the KeepCup brand was created as an opportunity to design and make a new option – a barista standard reusable cup. KeepCups are purchased by people who love the look and feel and has been the beginning of a journey to reduce the consequences of convenience behaviour.

The KeepCup Original is made from polypropylene, LDPE (low density polyethylene #3) and silicone and comes in five specialty coffee sizes – 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 12oz and 16oz. The new KeepCup Brew is made from tempered glass, PP (polypropylene #5) and silicone introduced in 8oz and 12oz sizes.

At the London Coffee Festival there were many products on show including the KeepCup Brew, the newest addition to their range of barista standard reusable cups using glass as the main material rather than their usual plastic designed enjoying coffee on the go with a clear conscience. The glass KeepCup Brew and the rather attractive, in my opinion, KeepCup Brew Limited Edition Cork are an addition to the commuter range of reusable coffee cups for “on the go” use which can also be used for tea if that is your hot drink top choice. With a new lid is one of the most technically difficult achievements of the new product, using a solid lid over a hard cup improving the seal and the drinking experience.

For me the limited edition Cork version is particularly stylish, it originates from the ancient cork oak forests of Portugal. Cork is a light, naturally antibacterial and biodegradable material which has insulating properties to ensure your hand is protected from the heat of your morning brew which over time will tell the story of your use it’s patina.

The new KeepCup Brew offers a number of key features and benefits including:

• Fully tempered soda lime glass.
• Resistant to thermal and mechanical shock. It’s not unbreakable, but you’ll have fun trying
• Hard lid for ease of use and drinking pleasure
• The hard smooth surface of the lid and enlarged drinking hole allow you fully experience the aroma and texture of your beverage
• Greater angle in the lid for nose clearance and improved splash proof seal.
• Same great recycling capacity as the original. But stay focused on use and reuse
• Plug covers mouthpiece when not in use, so only your lips touch the drinking surface.

Since June 2009 three million KeepCups have been sold diverting billions of disposable cups from landfill. The range of  cps is now sold in 32 countries around the world. Their ideal of many small acts making a phenomenal difference is one that I support and I recommend that coffee and tea lovers alike invest in these environmentally friendly reusable cups. For more information see their website: http://keepcup.com/