Over 8 million tons of discarded plastic enter the ocean annually, and these take a million years to decompose – harming the oceans and marine life. New York City alone generates so much plastic lid waste that it could cover the entire earth three times!

To remedy this, Unocup has designed an ergonomic paper cup that folds into itself like origami to form a spill-proof lid. This cup is specifically designed to fit perfectly into your palm, with a curved spout to naturally fit your lips instead of the conventional flat plastic lids. If spouts aren’t your thing, you can fold the flaps backward and drink from the rim like an ordinary drinking glass.

To close the lid, simply fold over each flap and insert the tab; to open, press down the top, and it will open the flap. The cup’s uniform structure creates a consistent and robust body that will not cave under pressure, unlike regular paper cups.

The first prototype was produced in 2015. Since then, it has been refined hundreds of times to create the perfect version. Unocup can use existing cup-making machinery for mass-production, which will significantly lower costs and save energy in manufacturing, storage, and transportation.

After countless interviews with coffee shops and 800 prototypes, Tom Chan and Kaanur Papo founded Unocup in 2019. The final product is a 100% plastic-free, compostable cup that swaps the traditional lid with paper folds that seal the drink securely.

When people think of sustainable solutions, they think of certain compromises that have to be made. What’s really exciting about this is that it’s a sustainable and practical solution at the same time.

Unocup offers coffee drinkers a guilt-free cup that is both convenient and contributes to waste reduction. Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Award has recently prized Unocup in the Packaging Category.

Last year, British company Circular & Co introduced its reusable ‘Circular Cup’ made from otherwise discarded recycled single-use cups. The used disposable cups are collected in large numbers from supermarkets and cafes before the team from Circular turns them into permanent mugs. Each mug is made from six used cups and is designed to last ten years; once the travel mug reaches the end of its life, its 100% recyclable.