🗑️ Let’s Fix the Single Use Cup Recycling Problem
Every year, the UK throws away 3.2 billion takeaway cups, but only 6% are recycled. The majority end up in landfill, incineration or as litter!
Cupround offers a simple, effective solution for cups that are lined with PE plastic.
We’ve created a return system for used takeaway cups. Customers collect them in Cupround boxes and drop them off at major high street stores like Costa, McDonald’s, Pret, and Caffè Nero. The cups are then sent to specialist recycling facilities that separate the plastic lining from the paper, making them fully recyclable.
✅ During our latest trial in Dorset, up to 73% of boxes were returned—proof that recycling works when there is a system in place. People want to recycle.
Now we need your help to expand Cupround nationwide. Support our crowdfunding campaign and make recycling effortless, accessible, and impactful. Together, we can turn waste into change.
♻️ What Happens to the Cups?
Once returned, cups go to specialist recycling centres where:
The paper and plastic lining are separated
The paper is recycled into new products, like notebooks, packaging and stationery
The plastic is reused or repurposed, reducing waste further
Every box returned is a step closer to a circular economy.
🚀 Help Us Take Cupround Nationwide
We’ve already piloted the scheme successfully in Dorset. Now, we’re raising funds to launch the next phase of the project and expand across the UK.
Your support will help us:
Produce new cup-return boxes made from recycled cardboard
Fund logistics and box collection across the country
Build reward functionality via the Bower app
Expand our reach to new towns and cities
Hi, I’m Jon. After a take away meal I realised I could recycle all the packaging except the cups! These were not just coffee cups but milkshakes and ice-cream tubs.
So I started Cupround, with support from The National Cup Recycling Scheme and some of the biggest names in coffee.
Now, with your help, we can scale this simple idea into a nationwide shift toward sustainable takeaway culture.
Meet the team
Alana is our tech Wizard, keeps our social media buzzing and brings fresh ideas to the table
Ellis is the creative genius behind our amazing product and graphic designs.
Below are the brands wonderful Store Managers supporting Cupround through Phase 1 and 2.
Where to Next? Oct 2025 onwards, Cupround will expand to London and other key areas, offering incentives via the Bower app for rewards or donations to charity.
What is the Bower App? By downloading Bower, Customers can scan their Cupround boxes when they are returned to store and be financially rewarded, or they can choose to donate to charity. Search the web address below to find out more.
Achievements
· Oct 2024: Winner of Stationers Company Innovation Award
· Nov 2024: Shortlisted for MRW National Recycling Award
· Mar 2025: Awarded the Stationers Warrant for Strong Environmental Impact
Join the Movement—Turn Waste into Change
Every cup returned through Cupround is a step toward a cleaner planet. We’ve proven that cup recycling works—now it’s time to scale up and make it accessible to everyone. With your support, we can expand nationwide, turning millions of discarded cups into new resources instead of landfill waste.
This is more than just recycling; it’s about reshaping how we handle waste, empowering individuals to make a real impact, and ensuring that every takeaway coffee leaves a positive footprint.
Your contribution, big or small, will help fund Phase 3 of Cupround, covering essential materials, logistics, and incentives to drive nationwide adoption. Together, we can make cup recycling effortless, rewarding, and the new norm.
Support us today—because the future of Cup-recycling starts with you.
And Finally ............. Our Rewards,
The reclaimed fibre from cups helps create beautiful papers and boards. We take these substrates and convert them into beautiful notebooks. Later this year we plan to create an online shop where we can sell the notebooks along with other merchandise.