Recyclable Plastic Cups: 16oz PET

16oz Recyclable Plastic Cups cups are clear, rigid cold cups made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate) — the same widely recycled plastic used for most beverage bottles. They're built for cold service across cafés, events, offices, and food service, and they pair with our recyclable lids in dome, flat, and sip.

Why PET works for cold drinks

PET is chosen for cold cups for practical reasons. Its high clarity showcases colors and layers, crucial for iced coffee, cold brew, matcha, smoothies, and juices. It's rigid enough to maintain shape during service and delivery, and it resists condensation without becoming flimsy.

The 16oz size is the industry default for cold drinks, which makes it the easiest format to standardise on across retail and high-volume service. Cups are stackable and store flat-footed, so they don't eat more back-room space than they need to.

16oz PET cups vs PLA: which one you actually want

This is the real decision, and the answer isn't about which material sounds greener.

PET is recyclable. It's a #1 plastic, accepted in most curbside systems, and when it's disposed of properly it gets processed back into new products. It is not compostable, and calling it compostable would be wrong.

PLA is compostable — plant-based, and it breaks down in industrial composting facilities. It is not recyclable in a normal curbside stream, and it contaminates PET recycling if it ends up there.

The key question is which waste stream your locations can access. If your sites have commercial compost pickup, PLA is a good choice. If not — and most don't — PLA ends up in landfills, making PET the more reliable option since its recycling infrastructure is widespread. Misjudging this is common and costly: you pay for a better-sounding material, but it ends up in the same bin.

Lids that actually fit

Cups and lids are one decision, not two. Our 16oz PET cold cups pair with three recyclable lid styles depending on how the drink is served: dome lids for whipped and layered drinks, flat lids for straws, and sip lids for straw-free service.

Matching the lid material to the cup matters for the same reason as above — a recyclable cup with a non-recyclable lid means someone has to separate them, and nobody does.

Sizes, packs, and getting started

16oz PET cold cups come clear or branded, and the branded runs start at 20- and 50-packs rather than pallets — so you can put your logo on a cup without committing to a year of inventory.

If you're running higher volume, custom printing and warehousing work the same way here as on any of our lines: we produce, we hold the inventory, and you pull from it as you need it.

Not sure whether PET or PLA is right for your locations? Tell us what disposal options your sites have — that answers it faster than comparing spec sheets.