Coffee capsules and pods have been panned by many as being a wasteful product that focuses too much on single-use items, so TerraCycle and NESCAFE partnered to create these outdoor table benches from them.
The benches are created by salvaging the plastic that the capsules are made from, while the aluminum is recycled into other useful items and the coffee is recycled. This helps to divert the vast amount of waste that can be created from the coffee pods and prevent them from sitting landfills.
The outdoor table benches created by TerraCycle are made possible by people sending in their used capsules to the company. For every shipment over two kilograms, TerraCycle will donate ¢0.02 to the sender's charity of choice.
Recycled Coffee Capsule Tables
TerraCycle and NESCAFE Partnered to Make This Outdoor Table Bench
Trend Themes
1. Recycling Initiatives - The success of the project highlights the potential of leveraging plastics upcycling as a means of improving sustainability practices in various industries and settings.
2. Sustainable Furniture - The creation of these coffee capsule tables indicates a shift in focus towards sustainable furniture and the growing significance of eco-friendly materials in furniture design.
3. Circular Economy - The collaboration between TerraCycle and NESCAFE emphasizes the importance of circular economy business models that prioritize waste reduction and material upcycling.
Industry Implications
1. Furniture - The furniture industry can explore and embrace sustainable, upcycled materials such as plastics and convert their designs into eco-friendly ones.
2. Food & Beverage - Collaboration with recycling companies in the F&B industry could lead to innovative opportunities to showcase a company's commitment and progress towards a circular economy model.
3. Waste Management - TerraCycle's recycling program demonstrates an effective way to reduce waste of single-use products. Partnerships can be developed in the waste management industry, to recycle various materials and help tackle waste.