Eco-friendly and plastic-free products are a hot topic at the moment, and rightly so. Plastic waste congests landfill sites, pollutes our rivers and poses serious risks to biodiversity. If you’re a coffee lover and guilty of buying one too many takeaway drinks, the simplest swap you can make to improve your personal sustainability is to get your hands on a reusable coffee cup.
In the UK, it’s estimated that we use and dispose of 2.5 billion coffee cups a year. That’s a lot of cups, and a lot of plastic waste. You might think that these cups are recycled but the reality is that most disposable coffee cups are lined with a thin layer of plastic. This restricts their suitability for conventional recycling and means that they’re often directed straight to landfill.
The assortment of reusable coffee cups available is verging on overwhelming, so we’re here to help you make the decision. We’ve rounded up the best reusable coffee cups on the market right now, so that you can continue to fuel your coffee cravings but in a more eco-friendly fashion…
And for more sustainable swaps, check out our round-up of eight simple swaps for a more eco-friendly kitchen. And if you want to take your eco-conscious coffee consumption a step further, why not invest in a home coffee machine.
The best reusable coffee cups
Stojo On the Go Collapsible Coffee Cup
- £11.99
Handbag space is valuable, plus it’s always helpful to have a hand free to chase after a wandering dog or toddler. That’s where Stojo comes in with its collapsible BPA-free reusable coffee cup. When you’ve finished sipping your coffee, the cup can compress down to just two inches to slip into your bag or pocket. It's small enough to keep in your bag permanently if you’re an avid coffee drinker, so you'll never be caught without. It’s the ultimate travel-friendly beverage buddy and the pretty pastel shades make it easy on the eye too!
Huski Home Eco-friendly Coffee Husk Travel Cup
- £10.99
Huski Home identified coffee husks, the external casing of the coffee bean, as a wasteful element of the coffee production process. The result is these nifty sustainable coffee husk travel cups, which boast leak-proof flip lids and a double wall to keep your drinks hotter for longer. Huski Home also utilises recycled rice husks to make reusable cups and lunchboxes so there really is plenty of choice when you go greener. Just take your pick!
Buy the Eco-friendly Coffee Husk Travel Cup now from Huski Home
KeepCup Cork Brew Reusable Glass Coffee Cup
- £22
Perhaps the holy grail of reusable coffee cups, the KeepCup really does live up to its reputation. Approved by baristas worldwide, this cup is the ideal shape to enjoy better quality coffee on the go. The chic minimalist design consists of toughened soda lime glass, non-toxic BPA-free plastic and a cork grip made from waste product from wine cork manufacture in Portugal. It’s designed for endless use, but if you do ever choose to replace it, the entire cup is fully recyclable.
Frank Green Original Reusable Cup
- £20.99
For style and sustainability, look no further than this reusable cup from Frank Green. Designed to hold both hot and cold drinks, the clever double-walled thermo layer will help to keep your beverage at the perfect temperature for longer. It even boasts a push-button lid that’s easy to operate single-handedly and ensures that on-the-go coffee drinking is a spill-free zone. It’s good for you and the planet - not to mention it looks rather cute too!
Kambukka Etna Travel Mug
- £26.90
This reusable mug really does cover all bases when it comes to coffee drinking. Its unique lid adjusts into three positions: push to take a sip, open like a cup and locked. The former is ideal for sipping coffee on the go and the locked option is 100% leakproof so convenient for those manic commutes to work – just toss in your bag and go!
Cleaning is made easy by the ability to remove the inner mechanism in one piece, and it’s even dishwasher safe. It also doesn’t scrimp on the aesthetic front - there are plenty of designs to choose from including florals and metallics, so you can sip your coffee in style this summer.
Turtle Cup Eco Friendly Glass Reusable Travel Coffee Cup
- £12.99
Made from high grade borosilicate glass, the Turtle Cup is sure to stand the test of time. The silicone grip is uber-satisfying to hold and ensures comfortable sipping even when the contents are boiling. And we can’t complain about the rainbow of eye-catching colours on offer from mint to sunshine yellow.
Turtle Cup also goes one step further on the eco-friendly front. It’s a carbon neutral company, meaning that any carbon generated during the manufacturing and delivery of your reusable cup will be offset through various schemes and projects. What a breath of fresh air!
Buy the Eco Friendly Glass Reusable Travel Coffee Cup now from Amazon
Hydro Flask Coffee with Flex Sip Lid
- £33.95
If you’re an adventurer, Hydro Flask is the brand for you. Designed with travel in mind, this flask is comfortable to carry on long treks thanks to the flex strap, and the leakproof lid means that you can explore without worrying about any beverage mishaps.
The double-walled vacuum-insulation ensures that your drink stays hot for up to 12 hours and cold for up to 24 – pretty impressive if you ask us! Again, there’s a colour to suit every personality. Fog, a lovely lilac, would be our top choice.