As plastic waste fills our oceans and landfills, many of us are looking for eco-friendly alternatives in every aspect of our day-to-day lives. Environmentally-conscious boba tea lovers are likely aware of the non-recyclable plastic their favorite drink comes in.

The plastic from boba cups sits in landfills for hundreds of years – in the best-case scenario. The straws, plastic wraps, and cups from these drinks can also end up in oceans and waterways, where they breakdown into microplastics that pollute our waterways and harm wildlife.

Switching to reusable boba cups may not seem like it will have a big impact, but our small steps toward plastic-free lifestyles add up quickly. In this article, we’ll look at six alternatives to single-use boba cups that are eco-friendly, long-lasting, and affordable.

Read on to learn how we chose our eco-friendly alternatives, or jump to our recommendations.

Choosing the Best Reusable Boba Cups

While reducing single-use plastic consumption is already a step in the right direction, it’s important to choose alternatives that are sustainable and socially responsible. We kept these factors in mind when selecting our top picks for reusable boba cups.

Alternative Materials

Many reusable boba cups are still made of plastic, which will eventually end up in landfills after the life of the product. Unfortunately, options for reusable boba cups that are entirely plastic-free are currently limited. While many of our choices contain plastic material, these alternatives minimize plastic usage and use long-lasting materials, including:

• Glass – Glass products can be recycled at the end of a product’s life, and produce far less greenhouse gas emissions in the production process, making it a cleaner alternative to single-use plastic cups.
• Recyclable plastics – Many reusable cups still use plastics, so our choices are made from material that’s recyclable, made from recycled material, and durable enough to last years.
• Silicone – While not biodegradable, this durable material is made from sand, minimizing crude oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Cork – Cork is biodegradable and renewable, making it an environmentally-friendly material in reusable cups.
• Stainless steel – Often used for reusable straws, stainless steel is 100% recyclable and is often sourced from scrap metal. It also produces no toxic runoff in the production process and can be used indefinitely.

These criteria for sustainable materials extend to the lid and the straw of each of our reusable boba cups, which often go overlooked in choosing plastic alternatives.

Safety

Whether single-use or recycled, some plastics contain substances that pose a risk to environmental and human health. Our chosen products are free of chemicals such as:

• BPA and BPS
• Melamine 
• Phthalates

Social Responsibility

Ethical consumerism is just as important as sustainability. We thoroughly investigated all of our products’ manufacturers to ensure that ethical and sustainable performances were upheld throughout the supply chain.

Quality

The products featured here are not only a standard for sustainability, but quality as well. A key aspect of living sustainably is reducing consumption, and in order to do that you have to choose alternatives that are durable and usable. All of these products are of high-quality design, easy to clean, and long-lasting.

Best Eco-Friendly Boba Tea Cups

Here are our top picks for reusable boba tea cups, organized by material.

Glass Cups

• 1. Xeiwagoo
• 2. Hirozaku
• 3. Retea
• 4. BobaGO

Tritan Recycled Plastic

• 5. Dodoko
• 6. BobaMate

Top Picks

• Most durable: Dodoko
• Most affordable: Xeiwagoo
• Best boba-centric design: Retea
• Best overall: Retea

Glass Boba Cups

Glass is one of the most sustainable materials available. Made from sand, glass production causes far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than plastic production and can be recycled indefinitely.

1. Xeiwagoo Boba Mason Jar

Xeiwagoo’s glass mason jar-style boba cups are great for both hot and cold drinks, with reusable and easy-to-clean stainless steel straws and bamboo lids. This purchase also comes with storage lids and a wooden spoon for homemade recipes.

The cork sleeve and bamboo lid are both made from sustainable plant-based materials, while the glass jar and stainless steel straws are 100% recyclable.

Pros:

• Every purchase includes two sets of reusable glass jars, lids, straws, sleeves, and coasters
• Included are a straw cleaner (great for getting any boba residue out of the straw) and a wooden spoon for mixing homemade boba drinks
• Glass jars are durable and dishwasher safe

Cons:

• We noticed that the stainless steel straws are not angled at the ends, making it difficult to pick up boba pearls at the bottom of the container
• These jars may not be 100% leak-proof, as the lid’s straw opening leaves room for spillage

2. Hirozaku Boba Cup

The sleek design of the Hirozaku boba cup makes this product easy to transport and store. While the neoprene sleeve is made of synthetic material that’s not 100% eco-friendly, it helps maintain temperature control of both hot and cold drinks. 

The borosilicate glass is designed to be durable in the case of dropping the container, and also against temperature changes. Traditional glass can be susceptible to breakage from thermal shock, making them unsafe for dishwashers, hot drinks, or freezer storage, while borosilicate glass can withstand extreme temperature changes.

We love that this glass is tall and thin, making it easy to carry with one hand or pop into a car’s cup holder while you’re on the go.

Pros:

• Highly durable material that can withstand being dropped and can hold hot and cold drinks
• The neoprene sleeve is designed to keep drinks chilled and comes with a carrying strap for easy transportation

Cons:

• The stainless steel straw may be too narrow for larger boba pearls and is not angled, making it difficult to pick up pearls
• Slightly more expensive than other options

3. Retea Reusable Boba Tea Cup

Retea is a women-owned company that has made it their mission to make boba tea drinks more accessible, affordable, and sustainable. In an effort to minimize their environmental and social impacts, Retea has close communication with their suppliers, asking them to minimize plastic packaging and reuse materials as much as possible. They also sell imperfect materials at a discounted price, instead of sending faulty products to the landfill.

They’ve also partnered with several environmental organizations to offset their carbon emissions, minimize plastic waste, and clean up oceanic plastic.

Want to start making boba drinks at home? Retea also offers a wide selection of at-home bubble tea, coffee, and smoothie kits, with vegan options!

Pros:

• These cups are dishwasher safe!
• Every order removes 1 lb of trash from the oceans in Retea’s partnership with TeamSeas
• Sustainable packaging made with 100% recyclable material and minimized plastic
• The supply chain is localized in Toronto in partnerships with small local businesses, resulting in more efficient shipping and fewer emissions
• Retea partakes in carbon emission offsets by donating to Tri-City Forest, which captures 100,000 metric tons of carbon each year and protects 6,500 acres of forest in Canada
• Straws are angled to pick up boba pearls, and come in a variety of colors. The straws also come with a carrying pouch and a brush to keep them clean

Cons:

• Lid is made of plastic instead of sustainable or biodegradable material
• Products ship only to Canada and US
• We noticed that without a carrying sleeve on the outside, the glass cup can get quite hot with hot drinks, and can get slippery with condensation for cold ones

4. BobaGO Glass Boba Cup

BobaGO’s reusable glass boba cups come with a recipe book for homemade boba tea, giving you the option for at-home boba drinks. The glass jars come with a sticker of their boba mascot, and the lids come in black and pink options.

We love this cup’s fun and colorful straw, and we noticed that the silicone plug does a pretty good job of avoiding leaks. Just be careful when you put the cup into the dishwasher, as the silicone washer that protects the hole for the straw can come off and get lost.

Pros:

• Materials of the cup are plastic-free
• Angled straw with wide diameter for picking up boba pearls
• Lid screws on for a tight seal

Cons:

• Glass is not durable enough for hot or boiling drinks.
• Excessive packaging that uses more plastic than necessary
• Sticker accessory is likely to come off in the dishwasher
• Comparatively smaller than other options at 17 OZ

Tritan (Recycled Plastic) Boba Cups

Tritan is a type of recyclable plastic made from 50% recycled plastics and is certified BPA-free. It has the look and feel of glass, but is far more resistant to shattering and heat damage than traditional glassware.

While Tritan is still a non-biodegradable plastic, it does not release microplastics or harmful chemicals as typical plastic bottles do.

5. Dodoko Shatterproof Tritan Boba Cup

Dodoko’s Shatterproof Boba Cup is made of Tritan plastic, giving it the look and feel of glass while being far more durable. The Tritan cup and Polypropylene lid are both BPA-free, though still made of non-biodegradable plastic.

The silicone plug makes it transportable, and the lid is specifically designed to be completely spill-proof. We noticed that even though these straws aren’t angled at the bottom, it’s still fairly easy to get the boba pearls from the bottom of the cup. 

Pros:

• Dodoko offers options for carbon offsets through tree plantings
• Lids come in a variety of colors
• Collapsible straw for easy storage
• Far more leak-proof than other options

Cons:

• Minimal information is given on tree plantings and carbon offsets
• Materials are durable and recyclable, but still result in high carbon emissions from plastic production

This cup is also available on the Dodoko website. You can also find a stainless steel version, which is slightly more eco-friendly, but harder to use because it’s not see-through.

6. BobaMate Bottle

The BobaMate is a versatile boba cup that is designed to fit any number of drinks, both hot and iced. The carrying strap and cap lock make it easy to transport, and the Tritan plastic bottle makes it shatter-resistant and long-lasting. We noticed that this is easily the most leak-proof bottle on our top picks, although the top is a bit more difficult to drink from than others. 

Unlike our other picks, BobaMate uses a plastic straw. While still reusable and easy to clean, this material might not be as long-lasting as other stainless steel options, and is far less sustainable.

Pros:

• Ships with recyclable and biodegradable packaging
• Comes in a variety of colors and styles
• The bottle is versatile and can be used for hot and cold drinks

Cons:

• The plastic straw is removable but cannot move, making it difficult to pick up boba pearls
• The mouthpiece is built into the cap and may be difficult to clean as a result
• The cup is durable and recyclable, but still produces high carbon emissions from plastic production
• More expensive than other options

You can also buy this reusable boba cup on the BobaMate website.

Top Picks

With so many options for reusable boba cups, it can be hard to decide which is right for you. Here are our top choices for a few different categories.

Most Durable: Dodoko Shatterproof Tritan Cup

While several of our picks use Tritan plastic, Dodoko’s Shatterproof cup is specifically designed to withstand breakage from being dropped or exposed to high temperatures. These cups use polypropylene lids for extra durability and use a tough stainless steel straw.

Most Affordable: Xeiwagoo Boba Mason Jars

Coming at two for the price of one, Xeiwagoo’s Boba Mason Jars are far less expensive than any other option and give you more bang for your buck, with a wooden mixing spoon, absorbent coasters, and two sets of boba cups.

Best Boba-Centric Design: Retea Reusable Boba Tea Cup

Retea is specifically designed with boba in mind, with an angled straw that allows for 360° movement to pick up every last pearl.

Best Overall: Retea Reusable Boba Tea Cup

The Retea Reusable Boba Tea Cup is durable, affordable, and made with sustainable efforts. This company has partnered with multiple environmentally-focused organizations in an effort to curb their carbon emissions, reduce plastic waste, and boost local businesses. As an added bonus, Retea offers a wide variety of boba tea recipes for at-home drinks!

Globally, we throw away around 500 billion plastic cups every single year. This is equivalent to every single person on the planet throwing away around 71 plastic cups per year. While this may not sound like that many cups, the environmental impact of disposable cups adds up quickly; most of these plastic cups end up in landfills or in the ocean and can stay there for centuries.

You probably know that plastic disposable cups aren’t good for the environment. However, you might not know that there are more eco-friendly disposable cup options available to you! In this article, we will review 5 of the best eco-friendly disposable cups on the market today.

Read on to learn how we chose the most eco-friendly disposable cups or skip to our product recommendations.

How We Picked the Best Eco-Friendly Disposable Cups

We’ve searched the market and read hundreds of reviews to find the best eco-friendly disposable cups. All of our picks strictly conform to our criteria for sustainable and ethically-made products.

Keep reading to learn more about our criteria below.

Materials

While most disposable cups are not as sustainable as cups that you reuse time and time again, we made sure to identify disposable cups that have low impacts on the environment when produced or disposed of. We chose materials that are as sustainable as possible, such as:

• Plant-based plastic
• Paper
• Bamboo

Additionally, we chose only products that are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), which means that these products meet BPI standards for compostable and biodegradable materials.

Safety

Just because a cup is sustainably-produced doesn’t necessarily mean it’s also non-toxic. That is why we chose products that are 100% safe and free of toxic chemicals found in some plastic cups such as BPA, melamine, and phthalates.

Manufacturer’s Ethical & Sustainable Practices

We believe that products cannot be sustainable if they are not produced in an ethical manner. We thoroughly investigated each manufacturer’s practices to see if they provide an ethical workplace and take sustainability into account throughout their supply chain. We also investigated to see whether they are involved in any programs that directly benefit the environment.

Quality

One of the main factors that makes people stick with plastic products is their durability. To ensure that we’re recommending the right product for you, we chose non-plastic disposable cups that are actually more durable than regular single-use plastic cups. These cups won’t crumble in your hand or disintegrate when you put liquid in.

Best Eco-Friendly Disposable Cups

Best Eco-Friendly Disposable Cups

Plant-Based PLA

• 1. Eco-Products – Green Stripe Cold Cups
• 2. Repurpose – Compostable Cold Cups

Paper

• 3. World Centric – No Tree Paper Hot Cups
• 4. Ecotainer – Hot Cups Carte Blanc

Bamboo

• 5. Earth’s Natural Alternative – Compostable Cups

Top Picks

• Most Durable and Sturdy: Earth’s Natural Alternative
• Most Affordable: Ecotainer
• Best Overall: Earth’s Natural Alternative

Plant-Based PLA

Plant-based PLA is a type of bioplastic made from plant sugars. It is a more sustainable material than conventional plastic because it is compostable and will degrade within only 12 days in a composting facility. Here are our top disposable cup recommendations made of plant-based plastics.

1. Eco-Products – Green Stripe Cold Cups

Eco-Products’ Green Stripe cold cups are made from 100% plant-based PLA. Not only are these cups 100% compostable, but they are 100% renewable, meaning they’re derived from plants that regrow quickly.

Aside from being eco-friendly, these disposable cups are actually sturdier than regular plastic cups that are commonly available in the market. Multiple reviewers note that they prefer these to conventional plastic cups.

Importantly, these cups don’t alter the taste of the drinks, unlike some other disposable cups we’ve tried. The size is perfect for serving drinks on nearly every occasion. Plus, when your guests see the logo print on these cups, they’ll immediately know that these cups are better for the environment. 

Pros:

• The cup is perfect for cold drinks, although you may experience some condensation on the outside of the cup.
• Eco-Products has helped over 25 food service operators achieve their zero-waste goals.
• Eco-Products recently expanded access to commercial composting in 3 states: Alabama, Alaska, and Texas. 
• Eco-Products has a dedicated Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion Team (JEDI), which works on advancing equity and inclusion within their workplace.

Cons:

• These cups are not good for hot drinks.

You can also find Eco-Products Green Stripe cups on the Eco-Products website. Looking for another size? Eco-Products also sells a variety of cup sizes, such as 16 Oz and 9 Oz versions. 

2. Repurpose – Compostable Cold Cups

Repurpose Compostable Cold Cups are made entirely of plant-based PLA and printed with vegetable-based ink, making them completely natural. Additionally, the packaging of these cups is recyclable, maximizing the product’s sustainability.

These cups are as strong and convenient as disposable plastic cups, and they are extremely flexible – you can bend these cups without worrying about breaking or cracking. Another thing that makes these cups special is their unique shape. We noticed that the shape of the rim makes these cups quite stable, so you don’t have to worry about spills.

Pros:

• Repurpose ensured that their cups are biodegradable on land, in freshwater, and in the ocean, and will not harm marine life if it does end up in the ocean.
• Repurpose calculates their environmental impact and works to lower the carbon footprint of every product’s manufacturing and delivery. 

Cons:

• These cups will deform a bit in direct sunlight when left in the sun too long.
• These cups are more expensive, especially when compared to paper options.

If you’re looking for a larger size, Repurpose Compostable Cold Cups are also available in 16 Oz.  You can also find Repurpose compostable cups on their website.

Paper

Every year, around 16 billion paper cups are consumed worldwide, causing the loss of approximately 6.5 million trees annually. However, when sourced sustainably, paper can be one of the most eco-friendly materials for disposable cups, due to its fast biodegradation process. Here are our top disposable paper cup recommendations.

3. World Centric – No Tree Paper Hot Cups

World Centric “No Tree” Paper Hot Cups are made from bagasse, a shredded sugar cane fiber, rather than trees. This makes the “No Tree” paper hot cups quite sustainable, as no trees are cut down to make this paper. Additionally, the cup’s lining is made from corn-based PLA instead of plastic, so these cups are fully recyclable and compostable – not to mention non-toxic.

These cups are sturdy and perfect for both warm and cold beverages. We noticed that the construction of these paper cups is stronger than the regular paper cups in the market, which helps them hold up longer. This is likely due to the plant-based PLA lining on the inside. 

Pros:

• World Centric uses bio-based materials like bagasse to make their products. This material requires less energy in production than plastic-based disposable products. 
• World Centric collaborates with a variety of environmental and social organizations that implement carbon sequestration projects and local community engagement programs.

Cons:

• These paper cups can get too warm to hold when containing very hot beverages. But World Centric also offers cup sleeves for extra hand protection.

You can also find World Centric No Tree Paper Hot Cups on their website. Looking for size varieties? World Centric also sells a variety of ‘No Tree” cup sizes, such as 16 Oz, 10 Oz, 8 Oz, 6 Oz, and 4 Oz versions. 

4. Ecotainer – Hot Cups Carte Blanc

Carte Blanc Hot Cups by Ecotainer are constructed entirely of natural materials. They’re made of sustainably sourced paper and are coated with corn-based PLA for moisture resistance. Additionally, the packaging of these cups is made from recyclable polyolefin thermoplastic, which you can dispose of in your local recycling facilities. 

These disposable cups are perfect for hot beverages. The corn-based PLA coating helps to reduce heat from inside the cup, preventing your hands from being burned. We also like how it’s a little bigger in diameter than other disposable cups, making them perfect if you like your latte art in an eco-friendly disposable cup!

Pros:

• Ecotainer cups are sourced from sustainably managed forests.
• Ecotainer cups are cheaper than our other top picks.
• These cups are durable enough to withstand boiling water without losing their form or getting too hot.
• These cups are freezer and refrigerator-safe.

Cons:

• Because of these cups’  size and form, it may be difficult to handle for those with smaller hands or children.
• Lids are sold separately.

You can also get Ecotainer hot cups Carte Blanc on Green Paper Products website.
Looking for a different size of this cup? Ecotainer Carte Blanc Hot Cups are also available in 10 Oz, and 8 Oz versions. 

Bamboo

Bamboo is an extremely sustainable material due to its ability to regenerate quickly. Bamboo also produces around 30% more oxygen than trees, and can sequester around two times more carbon dioxide. Here are our top recommendations for disposable cups made from bamboo.

5. Earth’s Natural Alternative – Compostable Cups

Earth’s Natural Alternative Compostable Cups are made from 100% bamboo fiber and coated with plant-based PLA, making them all-natural, toxin-free, and sustainable. 

These cups are the most durable our top recommendations, as bamboo fiber is known for its sturdiness. Earth’s Natural Alternative cups are perfect for both cold and hot drinks alike – no matter the temperature of your drink, the cup won’t melt or get soggy. Furthermore, you can request customization to add a design or logo on these cups to meet your company’s, organization’s, or your own personal preferences.

Pros:

• Earth’s Natural Alternative Compostable Cups are unbleached, so you can be sure these bamboo-based paper cups are free of unsafe chemicals.
• Earth’s Natural Alternative pledged a portion of its profits to Ocean Conservancy’s program International Coastal Clean-up, which aims to remove 20 million pounds of trash from the ocean and other water bodies every year.

Cons:

• These cups come in plastic packaging.
• These disposable cups are more expensive than other disposable cups

Looking for a larger size? Earth’s Natural Alternative disposable bamboo cups are also available in 16 Oz.  You can also find Earth’s Natural Alternative cups on their website.

Top Picks

Still can’t make up your mind? Here are our top picks for a few different categories.

Most Durable: Earth’s Natural Alternative

Earth’s Natural Alternative cups are without a doubt the most durable and sturdy of our top picks, due to their bamboo fiber material coated with plant-based PLA.

Most Affordable: World Centric

At $255 for 2,000 cups, World Centric No Tree Paper Hot Cups are the most affordable option. Each cup only costs 13 cents. 

Best Overall: Earth’s Natural Alternative

Earth’s Natural Alternative’s compostable hot cups made of bamboo are super durable, available in convenient sizes (12 Oz and 16 Oz), and made of super sustainable materials. We love that the company also participates in programs that provide a direct positive impact on the environment. Plus, you can customize these disposable bamboo cups to make them perfect for any event or business!