Frequently Asked Questions

A circular coffee cup is designed so the materials never become waste.

Instead of being used once and thrown away, a circular cup is made from recycled materials and designed to be used again and again. At the end of its life, the materials can be recovered and turned into new products.

At Circular&Co, we design our reusable coffee cups using recycled waste materials such as used paper coffee cups, marine plastic, fabric waste and other hard-to-recycle waste streams. The goal is simple: keep materials in use for as long as possible and reduce the need for new raw materials.

Circular design means creating products that are made to last, made from recovered materials, and designed so those materials can be used again.

Traditional products follow a “take, make, waste” model. Circular design flips that approach by keeping materials in use for longer and reducing waste.

At Circular&Co, we focus on designing products that solve real problems, from reusable coffee cups made from recycled waste, to returnable cup systems that help reduce single-use packaging.

When used regularly, reusable cups can significantly reduce waste compared to single-use cups.

Most takeaway coffee cups are made from a mix of paper and plastic, which makes them difficult to recycle through normal household recycling. As a result, billions of disposable cups end up in landfill or incineration every year.

Using a reusable cup means one product can replace hundreds of single-use cups over its lifetime, reducing both waste and the resources needed to make new cups.

A single reusable coffee cup can replace hundreds of disposable cups over its lifetime.

Many people buy coffee several times a week, so switching to a reusable cup can quickly prevent large amounts of single-use waste. Even small behaviour changes can make a meaningful difference when repeated over time.

The longer a reusable cup is used, the greater the environmental benefit.

Although takeaway coffee cups look like paper, most are actually made from paper with a thin plastic lining.

This lining helps prevent leaks but makes the cup difficult to recycle in standard paper recycling systems. Specialised recycling facilities are required to separate the materials, and these are not widely available.

Because of this, a large proportion of disposable cups are not recycled and end up as waste.

Circular&Co products are made using recovered waste materials that would otherwise be difficult to recycle or end up in landfill.

Each waste material is turned into a Circular Cup using a slightly different process, depending on whether its made from fabric waste, bubblegum, paper cups, or something else. But the principle is the same: the original waste materials are collected, processed and ground down to form pellets, which can then be blended with polymers and used in manufacturing and transformed into durable products designed for everyday use.

You can find out exactly how each waste material is used here.

By turning waste into useful products, we help keep valuable materials in circulation and reduce the demand for new resources.

Circular&Co products are made using a range of recycled and recovered materials.

Our original Circular Cup was made from recycled single-use paper cups, and our Travel Mugs are made using recycled stainless steel. We now use a growing range of waste materials too, including coffee waste, old trainers and post-consumer bubblegum.

By using these materials, we give waste a second life while creating durable products designed for everyday use.

Circular&Co products are designed with the whole lifecycle in mind.

When a product reaches the end of its useful life, the materials can be recovered and recycled again wherever possible. Our aim is to keep materials circulating and prevent them from becoming waste.
Designing products with reuse and recycling in mind is a key part of building a more circular system.

Our takeback scheme helps ensure products don’t become waste at the end of their life.

Customers can return used products so the materials can be recovered and recycled into new items where possible. This helps keep materials in circulation and supports the principles of circular design.

It’s part of our wider goal to create products that are designed for reuse, recovery and long-term value.

Single-use products are designed to be used once and then thrown away, which means large amounts of valuable materials quickly become waste.

Reducing single-use waste helps conserve resources, reduce landfill and lower the environmental impact of everyday products.

By switching to reusable alternatives and designing products with circular principles, we can keep materials in use for longer and reduce unnecessary waste.

Switching to a reusable coffee cup is a simple way to reduce everyday waste.

Billions of disposable coffee cups are used each year, and many are difficult to recycle because they contain a plastic lining. That means a large number end up in landfill or incineration after just one use.

Using a reusable cup means one product can replace hundreds of single-use cups over time. It’s a small change that can make a real difference when repeated every day.

At Circular&Co, we take this one step further by making reusable cups from recycled waste materials (including used paper coffee cups) helping to keep valuable materials in use for longer.

The most likely reason your Circular Cup lid is leaking will be down to the positioning of the seals. Click here to see the seal replacement guide.

If your lid isn’t working and you have a drink in it, it may be down to a steam build up. Carefully remover the lid to relieve the pressure.

If the cup does not have liquid in it, it may have a manufacturing fault or have suffered a drop. Please contact us for more help.

You can detach the inner seals from the plunger to clean them, to reattach them place the rimmed edge of the seal upside down and then loop the seal around the plunger. Then adjust the seal until it sits comfortably in place.

Please do not remove the plastic plunger from the cup lid (the part that moves up and down when the push mechanism is pressed). This component is factory-fitted and not designed to be taken apart. Removing it may damage the mechanism, and it cannot be refitted once removed.

If you can’t get the grey button back on simply put the main part of the lid on a flat surface and then firmly apply pressure to the grey disc until you hear it pop on!

NO. PLEASE DO NOT MICROWAVE! 

There are metal parts in the lid, so we don’t recommend microwaving our cups – ever.

Yes you can, but top shelf only. Make sure you click the lid open first!

Circular Cup’s are melamine and BPA free. 

We took a great deal of care to ensure the Circular Cup is held to strict safety levels and our own very high standards.

Don’t worry – you can order more here!

Yes, they are. In fact we would love to see you mix and match your lids! All of the lids from our old Circular cup ranges, and colourways will fit perfectly with any of the newer bases or colours. This includes the Stainless Steel Travel Mug. We are committed to compatibility across all of the Circular Cup ranges.

Please note: our NOW cups are a different style of cup and have a different base/lid so are not interchangeable with the Circular Cup or Travel Mug.

Share your combinations with @Circularandco

Firstly, to do everything possible to help you extend the life of your Circular Cup – we have a selection of spare parts here. If the seals of your cup eventually degrade and leak, just call us and we will replace them – they are easy to switch over. If the mechanism fails, just call and we can supply you with a new lid. If your cup does eventually need recycling then it is designed to go in your kerbside collection. These facilities differ greatly between countries and local authorities, therefore if you are unsure what can be accepted in your area, the best way to ensure 100% recovery is through our takeback promise.

The Circular Cup made from stainless steel will keep your drink hot or cold for 6 hours, as it is vacuumed insulated. This is our Travel Mug, designed for longer journeys.

The Circular Cup made from recycled paper cups will keep your drink warm for between 60-90 minutes – plenty of time, even for the most slow-supping coffee drinker. Not bad. This is far, far longer than any disposable coffee cup. Generally speaking we found that Circular Cup made from paper cups, loses about 10° C of heat for every 30 minutes. Something to watch out for though is that a freshly made latte will often vary in temperature – even starting from as low as 50° C. So check your latte. If it comes lukewarm, tell your Barista. Or drink with relative haste.

The Circular Cup is so easy to open and close, so we would advise always to keep your Circular Cup shut when you’re not drinking to help your drink stay warmer for that little bit longer.

A leak is usually caused by the lid not being fully tightened or the internal seal not being seated correctly.

Check that:

• The silicone seal inside the lid is clean, fully in place, and free from debris.
• The lid is twisted firmly until it stops.
• No dirt or residue is caught on the threads of the bottle or cap.

If your bottle is still leaking, please get in touch with our customer service team and we’ll be happy to help.

This can happen when dried beverage residue or pressure build-up forms inside the lid.

Try:

• Soaking the lid in warm soapy water for 10–15 minutes.
• Cleaning the thread of the bottle and lid with a soft brush.
• Ensuring the seal is correctly positioned.

Remove the silicone seal from inside the lid and wash with warm, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry fully before replacing.

Regular cleaning avoids odours and ensures a tight seal.

Please do not remove the plastic plunger from the bottle lid (the part that moves up and down when the push mechanism is pressed). This component is factory-fitted and not designed to be taken apart. Removing it may damage the mechanism, and it cannot be refitted once removed.

Simply slide the silicone ring out of the groove inside the lid using your fingertip. To replace, stretch it gently and press it back into the groove, ensuring it sits evenly all the way around.

NO. PLEASE DO NOT MICROWAVE! 

Circular Bottles are not microwave-safe due to metal components and internal sealing parts.

Stainless Steel bottles – these can be washed in the dishwasher but top shelf only. Make sure you click the lid open first!

Our old non stainless steel water bottles cannot be put in the dishwasher – handwash only.

No. Our bottles are always made from BPA-free, melamine-free materials and designed for safe everyday use.

Don’t worry – you can order more here!

Your bottle is suitable for water, squash, cold drinks, or warm beverages.

Avoid carbonated drinks (unless specified on your product page), as pressure build-up can affect performance or cause leaks.

Insulated bottles keep drinks cold for up to 12 hours and warm for up to 6 hours, depending on the model and fill level.

Non-insulated bottles will maintain temperature for a shorter period.

Try soaking the bottle and lid in a mixture of warm water and a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda. Leave overnight, rinse thoroughly and air-dry. Always store with the lid off to prevent trapped moisture.

Visit our Takeback Scheme page to send your bottle back to us so we can recycle the materials into new products, keeping them in circulation and out of landfill.

All ECOPOTS arrive complete with built-in drainage holes except for the Morinda, Amsterdam Minis and Sofia styles. Instead, these designs have water drainage trays. The Venice Smartpot has a fully integrated drainage system and reservoir tray.

If you have ECOPOTS with a rubber plug in the bottom and you’re planning on using them for indoor use, we would advise using a saucer. Although ECOPOTS are close to 100% leakproof, we can’t guarantee that no water will seep out through the plug, therefore, our best advice is to use them indoors with a saucer.

Follow this link for our ECOPOTS saucer guide.

ECOPOTS are UV proof, break-proof and frost resistant which makes them ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.

To remove the plug from your ECOPOTS, use a blunt-ended tool to push the plug from inside.

As a result of ECOPOTS bespoke composition and handcrafted nature, each pot has a unique chalky finish. During storage and transportation, they can be susceptible to small scuffs and scratches. If a mark develops it can easily be rectified using 120-grade sandpaper in the direction of the texture, this is also a handy method of erasing sticker remnant.

Hanging style ECOPOTS arrive with the required attachments to fix to a bracket.

This may vary between plants, for best advice please check the guidance on your chosen plant or flower.

ECOPOTS are the only mass-market flowerpots and planters with a handmade finish. The Scandinavian designs combine form with function and each pot contains up to 80% recycled plastics and 20% recycled natural stone.

Circular&Co. are the exclusive distributors for ECOPOTS within the UK. To source ECOPOTS directly overseas, please contact:

Absolutely, ECOPOTS are frost-resistant.