Biobased cups coming soon to Wobz !
We present you a new product development: the biobased cup. Indeed, consumers are more and more fond of ecological, biodegradable and compostable products. This comes from a recent ecological awareness at the societal level. Industries are therefore interested in it, which allows us to launch this type of products.
The biobased cup is a real challenge for Wobz, since we had to find a real ecological solution.
The product’s life cycle
First of all, let’s review our current ecological impact in order to do better:
– raw material extraction: our cups are made from Polypropylene (PP), the least polluting of all plastics. However, plastic remains petroleum. Thus, we still have to find a new raw material or a better combination of materials.
– production / manufacturing : This is transformation time : oil turning into plastic and plastic turning into a cup shape. Of course, the pollution due to production and transport has to be taken into account. In this case, the best solution is to find a French partner or one close to France in order to limit our impact.
– the product’s life : it corresponds to the use that the consumer makes of it : suitable for the dishwasher, reusable.
– the end of the product’s life : it starts when the consumer throws the cup away. PP being a recyclable material, it can be sorted and reused in the manufacture of other objects. The new material we will propose will also have to be recyclable.
Our criteria
As you will have realized, our cups are already low-polluting but more can be done. Moreover, Wobz products are of high quality, so the biobased cup is no exception and will have to match some essential criteria, such as :
– the possibility to recycle and reuse the product
– heat resistance of the cup (for hot drinks and the dishwasher)
– a print as beautiful as on the classic cups
– a production as local as possible
These criteria are essential to us. It is not conceivable to produce a product more energy consuming than our current cups, or to neglect the quality of our products.
The research and development phase
The development of our biobased cups required a long reflection period to find the best solution. Our challenge is to obtain the smallest possible ecological footprint, while meeting our specifications.
The first solution was to produce wooden cups. This solution was perfect in terms of printing. However, since wood is not waterproof, it was impossible to use it. Moreover, the thousands of cups sold each year on our websites would have had a huge impact on the forests. These were rather important negative points.
The second solution was the cup made of sugar cane and avocado pits.The first phase was successful. But other aspects influenced our decision. First of all, at the production level, we would have had sourcing problems as the sugar cane producers are not located in France, but rather thousands of kilometers away (cf: Brazil). In addition to distant production, this one requires a lot of water and has a strong environmental impact. Finally, the cup made of sugar cane and avocado puts has a low resistance to heat. For example, its form has changed after dishwashing.
The third solution comes from one of our partners. A cup labeled by a European reference standard in recycled objects. However, when we wanted to have more information on the origin and the manufacturing of these cups, we did not receive real answers. This sent us red flags and pushed us to put this choice aside.
The final result : the research and the development phase were long and tedious. Fortunately, a solution that met all our criteria was finally found.
A material made of 60% wood chips from sawmill waste and 40% recycled plastic from industrial oils. 100% waste creating a brand-new product. From an ecological point of view, using only production waste is very advantageous, because it means that we do not extract new raw materials. It is a virtuous circle that recycles to reuse.
A real ecological proposition and a growing market should announce good sales.
For when ?
The biobased cup is currently at the end of its development. Printing tests are made to offer the best possible quality as well as a good visual hold. According to close sources, it should be there at the end of 2021/early 2022.
While waiting for this wonderful new cup, discover our new INAO glass made in Tritan : a product already offered for sale, which has just been added to our catalog. This new product answers a strong demand from our customers, for events like fairs or tastings.
All that is left for us to do is telling you : CHEERS !
