Sustainability
The Sustainable Travel Mug, Built to Last
Why Built to Last Matters
A reusable coffee cup is only truly sustainable if it is built to last. The bru ceramic travel mug is designed in the UK to replace hundreds of disposable cups over years of daily use. Here we are open about how it is made, what goes into it, and the real impact of switching from single use cups.
Built the Sustainable Way
The Problem With Disposable Cups
Why Aren't Single-Use Cups Just Recycled?
Recycling for disposable coffee cups is better than it has ever been, but at least 40% of people across the UK, USA and Europe still can't access it. And even where you can, making single-use cups still burns through 1,300 gallons of water and virgin wood for every year of a coffee habit. A reusable stainless steel cup hits its eco break-even point in just 50 uses. After that, every coffee is a genuine saving for the finite resources on Earth.
Swap to a bru and here's what you stop wasting in a single year of daily coffee.
What bru Is Made From:
Stainless Steel (the cup body)
What & Why?
We use 304-grade (18/8) stainless steel. It's food-grade, resistant to corrosion, and non-reactive, so it can be washed and used repeatedly without degrading.
About
It takes more energy to make than paper or plastic, but it lasts for years. After around 50 uses it already beats single-use cups, and one bru cup can replace hundreds over its lifetime.
Durability
Stainless steel easily handles hot drinks, daily washing and being carried around. It won't crack or wear out like other materials.
End of life
Stainless steel is widely recycled. At the end of its life you can recycle your cup at a household recycling centre or with scrap metal collection. As bru grows, our goal is to move towards 100% recycled steel in every cup.
Ceramic Lining (the part in contact with your drink)
What is it?
bru travel mugs use a sand-based ceramic coating (sol-gel) baked onto the steel to create a smooth, non-stick surface. It is free from PFOA, PTFE and PFAS.
Why ceramic?
It is designed for taste first. No metallic flavour, no plastic smell, just clean irresistible coffee.
Everyday use-case.
The surface is non-porous, so it doesn't hold onto stains or odours, and it stays easy to clean over time.
Polypropylene (the lid)
What & Why?
We use polypropylene (PP) for the lid because it is lightweight, tough and heat resistant, which makes it ideal for carrying takeaway drinks.
About
Polypropylene is a versatile thermoplastic widely used in reusable food and beverage containers. As it is derived from fossil fuels it isn't perfect, but its properties make it a hard-wearing daily-use material.
Durability
It safely handles hot drinks up to around 100°C and repeated washing. It is impact-resistant, so it won't easily crack if dropped.
End of life
Only around 9% of plastic waste is recycled globally, so there is still work to do. We look forwards to using recycled PP when this becomes available for food contact items as well as improving how easily our lids can be recycled.
Silicone (the seals)
What & Why?
Silicone is a rubber-like, synthetic plastic made from silicon (derived from sand), carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. It's remarkably flexible, durable and heat tolerant.
About
We use silicone for the seals because takeaway drinks need to stay leak-free while you are moving. We only use small amounts, exactly where performance matters.
Durability
Silicone handles temperatures from around -40°C to over 200°C, so it copes easily with hot coffee, washing and daily use. It holds its shape, which helps stop leaks in your bag.
End of life
Silicone is not widely recycled yet, and we're honest about that. As we grow we want to offer easy replacement seals and explore better long-term options so more cups stay in use.
Powder Coating & Lid Mechanism
Powder coating.
Our cups are coated with a coloured polymer resin baked onto the surface without solvents, making it VOC-free. The result is a durable, food-safe, scratch-proof matt finish that resists slipping.
Lid mechanism.
The lid, including the internal cogs, is now made entirely from polypropylene (PP). Using a single material means no mixed-polymer cross-contamination, so the whole lid can be recycled together as one part.
How We Test Every bru
We don't just claim bru is built to last, we test it. On the left, our lid mechanism runs through 10,000 open-and-close cycles on a machine to prove it holds up to years of daily use. On the right, we boil the components at 100°C to measure moisture absorption, since plastic parts can take on moisture over time. Every bru is checked before it reaches you.
Heat Retention Testing
Proven Heat Retention
We test every cup design for heat retention, tracking exactly how long a drink stays hot using lab thermometers and timed readings. The vacuum insulated double wall keeps coffee hot or cold for hours. The numbers behind bru are measured, not guessed.
Our Factory
Made With a Partner We Trust
bru is designed in the UK and made by a long-established drinkware manufacturer we have worked with closely. They run modern, highly automated production lines, and their facilities hold recognised environmental and quality certifications. We have visited the factory ourselves and seen their investment in renewable energy first-hand, including a large solar-panelled roof that helps power production. We chose them because they take material safety and responsible manufacturing seriously, and because they share our goal of moving towards more recycled materials over time.
Sustainability Questions
Are reusable coffee cups better for the environment?
Yes, once you have used them enough times. A reusable stainless steel travel mug reaches its environmental break-even point at around 50 uses. After that, every coffee is a real saving against disposable cups. Used daily, one bru replaces hundreds of single-use cups every year.
How long does a sustainable travel mug last?
A bru is built to last 5+ years of use. In fact, it can easily last 10 years if you treat it well by protecting the outside from too much hard impact, washing the base by hand, cleaning the lid thoroughly after use and deep cleaning the seals periodically.
The body is 304 food-grade stainless steel and the lid is tested to 10,000 open-and-close cycles. We offer all replacement parts on demand to help you keep your cup for longer. A longer-lasting cup is a more sustainable cup, because it replaces more disposables over its life.
Is the bru travel mug recyclable at the end of its life?
Yes. Stainless steel is widely recycled at household recycling centres and through scrap metal collection. The lid is made entirely from polypropylene, a single material with no mixed polymers, so the whole lid can technically be recycled once the seals have been taken off. *However, it is still very difficult to find solid PP recyclers who will take relatively small (to them) quantities of this material. If you are able to, we suggest holding on to your old lids until this service becomes more available. In the meanwhile, we are looking into providing a take-back scheme for old lids to be sent back to us.
Is a stainless steel travel mug really eco-friendly?
Stainless steel takes more energy to produce than paper or plastic, but it lasts for years and is endlessly recyclable. Across its full lifespan it has a far lower environmental impact than the stream of disposable cups it replaces.
Is bru reusable coffee cup packaging recyclable?
Yes. We ship in recyclable packaging and keep it as minimal as possible. We predominantly use recycled or FSC un-bleached corrugated cardboard and home compostable certified bags to protect the cups from scratches during transit. We don't always get it perfect (don't remind us about the whole batch of scratched cups we received when we wanted to trial shipping without protective bags!) , but we are honest about it and always working to reduce it further.
Make the Switch
One Cup. Years of Coffee. Less Waste.
The most sustainable cup is the one you actually use instead of a single-use one. The bru ceramic travel mug is built to last, leakproof, and ready for years of daily coffee. Make the switch and stop throwing cups away.