The distinctive design, logo, and packaging of their paper cup reinforce Starbucks’ brand identity every time a customer carries it, turning each cup into a walking billboard. The downside can occur when the cups are treated as litter, placing the Starbucks brand contrary to their eco-friendly image.
This project was pitched to Starbucks as a closed loop concept where they reclaim these items and recycle the material into new cups.
The constraints required:
- That the cups and lids must stack similarly to the paper cups
- The capacity remained the same
- External markings match the incumbent paper cup
- The lid is visually differentiated from the disposable, but has a similar drinking experience
As part of the product development effort, PMI worked to develop a proprietary recyclable polypropylene material - eCycle - to insure quality control.
The proposal included the concept of having the cups be collected at the Starbucks store once they’d reached their end of life.