Paper cups are used widely for their convenience. They are often used in coffee shops, food vans, hospitals, offices, gyms, commercial centres and much more. The paper cup makes it easy to have drinks on the go when purchased or offered free of charge. Where water coolers are concerned paper cups ae often at hand for users to help themselves to a drink of water. They are typically made from paper or cardboard and then coated in a thin polythene sheet. This prevents the contents of the cup from seeping through.
The paper cup became popular in 1918 during the American Flu epidemic, a deadly disease that killed 100 million people, 5% of the world’s population. Due to the seriousness of the disease measures had to be taken to prevent it from spreading. Salons, schools, shops and theatres were closed and paper cups became well used so that people didn’t have to use the same drinking utensil as somebody else. The idea behind this type of drink packaging was to promote public hygiene and encourage people to be sanitary. Despite the epidemic coming to an end in 191 9 the paper cup remains a popular choice of packaging.
Paper cups come in a variety of different types depending on their use. The most popular however is the disposable coffee cup. These come in different sizes, colours and designs to meet the needs of businesses and consumers. Bespoke packaging is also available enabling business to have their logo and brand name printed onto the cups.
The benefits of using paper cups can be seen below.
Recyclable:
One of the biggest benefits of the paper cup is that they are recyclable. The paper or cardboard material can be separated from the polythene film and turned into a pulp. This can then be manufactured into new cups to save money on resources, and more importantly help to protect the planet.
Safe to use:
Paper cups are made from mostly natural products ensuring that they do not contain any toxic elements. This makes sure that when drinking from the cups consumers are not at risk of any chemicals entering their bloodstream. As well as this the cups will not break or chip eliminating the risk of being cut like you might be with a glass. As mentioned earlier they are also recyclable making them extremely beneficial to the safety of our planet.
Light weight:
Being made out of paper the cups are extremely light in weight. They can be transported from one place to another in large quantities with ease eliminating the need to make multiple trips. They can also be stored away and stacked on top of each other without having to worry about them putting too much pressure on items below.
Hygienic:
As we already know the paper cup is a hygienic way to enjoy a beverage. They are after all designed to be used only once and presumably by one person. This ensures that others germs aren’t present on the cup. There is also no risk of chipping where germs can accumulate in large numbers.
Variety:
The paper cup offers businesses the chance to design their cups as plain or as garish as they like. They come in all sorts of sizes and textures allowing you to tailor your cups to your business needs. They also come in a variety of different colours and can have patterns and designs printed onto them. As mentioned earlier it is possible to have brand names and logos on the cups, helping to spread brand awareness. Disposable cups can finally be tailored to different audiences including children, business men and women, teenagers and much more.