built to meet a,higher standard.
Two marks,two different tests.
Anyone can print a leaf on a cup. Our PLA cups carry two independent marks from organisations that check different things. We source our cup blanks from manufacturers, so those certificates are theirs rather than ours. Ask us and we'll pass on the documentation for the line you're considering.
BPI Certified
The Biodegradable Products Institute certifies compostable products against the recognised North American standard for commercial composting: a laboratory-verified result, not a marketing description.
CMA Approved
The Compost Manufacturing Alliance field-tests products inside operating composting facilities, so approval reflects how the cups behave in practice rather than only in a lab.
What the marks cover. Both apply to our PLA cups, hot and cold, not to our PET, paper, or PHA lines, which are different materials with different end-of-life routes. And a mark describes the cup, not your city: composting only happens where a facility accepts it.
Sustainable design,not just sustainable materials.
A cup's material is one decision. How it's designed for the drink, for the venue, and for where it actually ends up is the rest of them. We pick the material per product rather than forcing one story across the range.
Our PET cups aren't compostable, and we don't pretend otherwise. They're made from the plastic most widely accepted by North American recycling programs, while much of the single-use party-cup category is polystyrene, which very few curbside programs take. Same moment, very different end-of-life.
Our materialsFAQ
Straight answers.
On composting, materials, and what any of it means for your business. Talk to sales.
Are Earth Cups compostable?
Our PLA cups, hot and cold, are BPI Certified and CMA Approved for commercial composting where it's accepted and available. BPI certifies against the recognised North American standard; CMA field-tests inside operating composting facilities. Those marks apply to our PLA cups, not to our PET, paper, or PHA lines, which are different materials with different end-of-life routes.
Which cup brands are genuinely sustainable?
Be wary of any brand that answers that about itself without conditions. Two things are worth checking on any supplier: whether an independent body has assessed the specific product you're buying, and whether the claim comes with its conditions attached. Our PLA cups are BPI Certified and CMA Approved; our other lines aren't, and we say so.
What's the difference between compostable and biodegradable?
Compostable products are designed to break down into non-toxic components in a composting environment within a defined timeframe, typically a commercial facility, and that behaviour can be independently assessed. 'Biodegradable' is a broader term with no implied timeframe and no equivalent assessment. We describe our PLA cups as compostable, designed for commercial facilities, not as biodegradable.
Quality over quantity?How about both?.
We want our cups to be the best they can be, and that means working with the best materials and manufacturers. Tell us what you serve and what composting or recycling you can actually access. We'll recommend the products that fit.
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