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Sustainability

Paper cups and bowls lined with PLA, a plant-based material.

A paper cup needs a thin lining to hold liquid. Ours is PLA, a plant-based material, instead of a conventional petroleum-based PE lining.

PLA is made from plants, usually corn or sugarcane starch. It is still a plastic, and we say so. Below is exactly what our cups and bowls are made of, and what that does and doesn't mean.

Close-up of the rim and inner wall of a kraft paper cup, showing the paper fibres and the smooth inner lining, with a green leaf beside it.

What's in a Canvega cup

One 7 oz cup, taken apart layer by layer.

  1. Paperboard wallPaperboard: the cup's body and strength.
  2. PLA liningA thin PLA lining inside: a plant-based material that keeps drinks in.
  3. BaseA paperboard base, sealed to the wall.
A plain kraft 7 oz paper cup drawn in three separated layers: the paperboard wall, a pale PLA lining lifted out above it, and the paperboard base below.
A glass carafe above three small paper cups, two kraft and one white, on a sand-coloured stone surface.
Illustrative film

  1. PLA instead of PE

    Many paper cups are lined with PE, a petroleum-based plastic. Ours are lined with PLA, made from plants such as corn or sugarcane. PLA is still a plastic, a bio-plastic, and we say so.

  2. After use

    Designed for industrial composting where facilities exist. PLA does not reliably break down in a home compost, in soil or in the sea.

  3. Certification

    Certification is planned for the markets we serve. Tell us your market and we'll tell you where we are.

  4. See the cup for yourself

    Ask us for samples, or tell us the products and quantities you need and we'll prepare a quote.

    Request samplesRequest a quote

Straight answers

Is PLA a plastic?

Yes. PLA is a plant-based bio-plastic, made from plant starch.

Can I compost these cups at home?

No. PLA needs industrial composting. Home compost heaps don't reliably get hot enough. Our cups and bowls are designed for industrial composting where facilities exist.

Are they plastic-free?

No. The lining is PLA, which is a plant-based plastic.

Are they certified?

Not yet. Certification is planned for the markets we serve. Ask us about the current status for your country.

Paper straws

Our straws are made of paper.

See straw sizes