05 May
From coffee to compost: What happens to your decent Cups?
International Compost Awareness Week is a time to celebrate and educate on the power of composting.
We know that if you're using decent packaging, you already care about sustainability. But do you know the positive impact you're making by using compostable products?
In light of this week, we thought we’d give you a breakdown on what happens when our Hot Cups (and our other compostable products) are correctly disposed of.
Let’s take a journey from coffee to compost...
It all starts with you– our amazing customers!
Whether it’s a custom-branded product, a colourful Hot Cup, or takeaway food packaging, our products are made from a range of sustainable materials including wheatstraw, low-carbon PLA biopolymers, sugarcane, and responsibly sourced paper. That means our products are designed to return to the earth.
A customer heads to their local (you!) for their morning flat white or iced matcha and that is where it all begins.
You can find out more about our materials here.
Not just any bin…
This next part is pretty crucial: once your customer has indulged in their delicious specialty coffee, it's time to dispose of the cup. But this can’t just be tossed in any old rubbish bin. When disposed of correctly, it's taken to a commercial composting facility for the magic to happen. Unless of course you’re using our Aqueous Hot Cups which are certified home compostable!
Need help finding the right bin? That’s where our Full Package bins come in - helping you close the loop.
Learn more about The Full Package here.
The breakdown begins.
Hopefully you're still on the journey with us because this is where it gets interesting!
At a commercial compost facility, that used decent cup joins a mix of food scraps, compostable packaging, and other organic materials. With the perfect combo of heat, moisture, and microorganisms, everything starts to break down. It takes around 90 days for the cup to fully decompose and become nutrient-rich compost.
Need a list of compost facilities and collection agents? Here is a list of compost facilities and collection agents in NZ. Remember, each area does have its quirks, so it’s best to double check in your area and we can always help to find the answer to any questions you may have.
If your area doesn’t have any composting options available, we recommend our service ‘The Full Package’.
Closing the loop.
Our favourite step: the compost generated by that coffee cup gets used to feed and grow plants, crops and gardens. It could even help grow the materials that end up in another decent packaging product. Now that’s what we call a circular economy!
At decent we are proud to make packaging that doesn't just serve a purpose - but the planet too. So next time you serve up your morning coffees, remember: That cup in your hand? It’s so much more than just packaging - it’s the start of a journey back to the earth.
We think that’s pretty decent.
Want to create your own home compost? Check out our home compost guide here.
