Palm Caffe Cup 2016

Designers: Robert Wilson, Palm Products, Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia
Manufacturer: Palm Products, Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia

The rapid spread of espresso coffee culture using disposable cups is creating environmental issues.

Unfortunately, the uptake of re-useable coffee cups has been limited by their lack of connection between the coffee and the drinker – most are technical devices for transporting coffee – and their impracticality, as most are too tall for espresso machines and most are difficult to clean.

The idea behind the Palm Caffe Cup is to be a preferred option to disposable cups by maintaining the emotional connection of an open cup – to be at one with the coffee experience – to be a pleasure to use, to keep the coffee hot for longer and to be easy to clean.

The emotional connection between the Palm Caffe Cup and the coffee experience commences with its iconic design – it is beautiful and tactile – it is colourful – the smallest details have been carefully considered such as the soft-touch surrounds to the windows. Robert Wilson collaborated with leading designer Marc Newson on its design.

The emotional connection continues with the drinking experience. The scale is the same as a cup. The coffee flows freely from the wide opening of the rotating-lid – just like a cup. The rim materials are hard – just like a cup. The coffee can be seen through its windows, the aroma can escape - (not be trapped behind a spout), the materials used are taint-free for 100% of the coffee taste.

The emotional connection continues with its “click-click” functionality and its one handed opening and closing. It is a pleasure to use.

The emotional connection continues with the peace of mind that comes with ease of cleaning – only 3 parts that click apart and click together - and the use of BPA-free materials that are unbreakable and guaranteed dishwasher safe.

Two disruptive technologies were developed to achieve this outcome.
The first is its triple wall sandwich construction – clear Tritan™ on the outside and inside, specially developed soft insulating material between and forming a non-slip base. It is disruptive of double-walled containers because it is 30% more compact (its height fits an espresso machine and its width fits most cup holders), it is much more robust and it costs less to make (1 part versus 2 parts plus welding). Its thermal efficiency is similar. It is
protected with a provisional patent.

The second disruptive technology is its leak-proof rotating lid that clicks open and clicks closed with the push of one finger. It is disruptive of existing closures because the coffee can flow freely and be controlled like a cup rather than flowing from a plastic spout or small hole, the seals are 2-shot moulded using specially developed adhesion technology for long life and ease of cleaning, and it is economic to make as there are only 2 parts - the cap and the lid. Some button closures have up to 8 moving parts. It is protected with a design registration.

The Palm Caffe Cup is sustainable because of its long life, its 100% recyclability and its use of 35% renewably sourced DuPont Sorona® for the cap and lid, derived from Kentucky corn waste.

Over its long life it can replace many 1000’s of disposable coffee cups.

Its beauty and its user friendly features encourage daily use.