Kaffeeform has developed an innovative approach to incorporating concepts of a c2c and circular economy into their business.  

Coffee mugs from used coffee grounds: Behind this lies more than just a clever product idea, namely the claim to be making a valuable contribution to environmental protection by making use of a problematic waste resource. 

Frequently Asked Questions from the Kaffeeform website

How did everything start?

The idea to make cups out of coffee grounds came from studying Product Design in Bolzano, Italy. After countless cups of espresso, the founder, Julian Lechner, wondered whether the leftover coffee grounds couldn’t be used for something new. After numerous trials and experiments, the first prototype of an espresso cup made from coffee grounds was developed there in 2009.

How did it continue from there?

With much help and support from experts, companies, family, and friends the initial idea actually became a finished product. The five-year development period had many ups and downs, but the will to realize the idea was strong enough to hold onto the vision and found Kaffeeform in 2015.

From where do you source your coffee grounds?

The coffee grounds are collected daily from cafés and caterers in the Berlin area. The collection is carried out in collaboration with a social organisation, which also helps with drying and the logistics for further processing the grounds into coffee cups. By now, the team of the social organisation has become a part of the Kaffeeform core.

How come your cups are so sturdy?

Coffee grounds by themselves would not withstand repeated exposure to liquids and heat, so we spent a lot of time exploring hardening possibilities. The solution we developed is a composite material made from coffee grounds, biopolymers, starch, cellulose, wood, natural resins, waxes, and oils. This innovative material is based on renewable raw materials and is free from crude oil based binding agents.

How long can I use my cup for?

The cups are designed for long-term use so that they can bring many years of happiness. They can be washed regularly in a dishwasher, and can survive some falls onto hard surfaces.

1. Identify and describe the driver for invention that best describes founder Julian Lechner's motivation for developing cups from coffee grounds.

2. Describe how Kaffeeform uses principles and concepts of Cradle-to-Cradle design and/or Circular Economy in their business model. 

3. Imagine you are a designer working on the development of the Kaffeeform cup. What areas of research would you investigate to develop your knowledge and understanding to use coffee grounds to create a reusable cup?

4. Describe the key features and properties of biopolymers.

5. Explain the process used to manufacture the Kafffeeform cups.

6. Outline  the relationship between the properties of biopolymers and the Kaffeeform cup.

7. Explain the Kaffeeform business model from the perspective of Triple-Bottom-Line (TBL). Can you identify elements about the business under each category of the TBL model?

8. Describe how Kaffeeform considers the relationship between sustainable design and sustainable production to allow for sustainable consumption.

9. Outline the type of consumer (eco-fan, eco-warrior, eco-phobe, or eco-champion) most likely to:

a. purchase Kaffeeform products

b. help Kaffeeform develop its business

Design challenge:

How might the waste generated from another consumer good be incorporated back into a new product?

How might we redesign a common type of food packaging to be more sustainable?

Interview with the founder of Kaffeeform talking about how he developed the idea and advice for start ups

Podcast interview with the founder