The first PHA-lined paper cups for hot drinks are released
WinCup, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a leading manufacturer of traditional and environmentally friendly disposable cups, bowls, containers, lids and straws. The company's eight manufacturing facilities in the United States are committed to providing high-quality products and excellent customer service. In September 2020, Los Angeles-based global private investment firm Atar Capital acquired WinCup, strengthening the firm's focus on sustainable solutions. One of Atar's core principles is its commitment to sustainable development and invests in companies committed to protecting the environment.
Thanks to phade(R), the world's first paper cup lined with PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), an innovative new biopolymer derived from Extracted from the fermentation of rapeseed oil, it can be used for domestic and industrial composting and marine biodegradation. The new phade(R) paper cups, developed by WinCup, are an advanced alternative to traditional paper cups, which, unbeknownst to most consumers, are coated with fossil fuel plastic to hold beverages and therefore cannot be recycled or composted.
"Most consumers think the paper cup they're using at their local coffee shop is sustainable, and they don't know it's actually coated with petroleum-based plastic," said Michael Winters, WinCup president and chief revenue officer. would go straight to the landfill, where the gasoline plastic would stay for hundreds of years.” Now we have a truly sustainable solution, the phade(R) cup. Now, a paper cup can actually do what it's supposed to do; return to the earth as compost within a few months of use. "
Traditional disposable paper cups are lined with synthetic fossil fuel-derived plastic to keep the drink from spilling, but leave behind plastic residue. In contrast, phade(R) cups are safely compostable because they are made of paper and lined with PHA. The new cup has a unique design and is lined with blue PHA on the inside, reassuring consumers that, unlike other paper cups, this one is truly sustainable.
The new paper cup is the second product launched by WinCup under the phade(R) brand. phade(R) straws and stirrers have become the product of choice for consumers as well as for major food and beverage and hotel brands, professional stadiums, airports and other retail outlets nationwide. WinCup has received numerous awards for the development of phade(R), including the 2020 Biopolymer Innovation Award from the Plastics Industry Association, and the 2021 Foodservice Innovation Award for Sustainable Solutions from the National Restaurant Association. phade(R) was also a Finalist or Honorable Mention in 4 of 5 categories in Fast Company's 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards.
The growth of the phade(R) brand in the marketplace comes at a time when both retailers and consumers are looking for viable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. Recent studies have shown that less than 10% of plastic is recycled, while demand for conventional plastic continues to grow. phade(R) plastic cups and straws offer an immediate solution to replacing fossil fuel plastics and curbing global plastic pollution.
