The market for disposable and reusable cups used in hot-fill applications, such as coffee, is expanding and facing higher functional and regulatory requirements. In addition to thermal performance and health safety, products must comply with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). In this context, SML, in cooperation with Polish packaging specialist KGL S.A., has developed a thermoformed polypropylene coffee cup that targets these needs with an economical design.
The cup is thermoformed from a three-layer PP film in which a foamed core is encapsulated by two rigid outer layers. The fine microcells of the core act as an insulating structure that supports heat resistance up to 100°C, while the lower density of the foam helps reduce material consumption during production. A simple preheating step of the film ensures excellent thermoformability. The resulting product is positioned for both disposable and reusable use in hot-fill applications where stable handling and thermal insulation are required.
Because the cup is made entirely from a recyclable mono-material, it is designed as a 100% recyclable solution. It fully complies with the PPWR and can be sorted in regular waste sorting facilities. With this construction, it offers an alternative to cups made from polystyrene or paper-coated structures, providing a route to simplify end-of-life processing within existing collection and sorting systems.
Material and process
The structure consists of two rigid PP skins and a foamed PP core. The encapsulated foamed layer introduces fine microcells that lower density and contribute to insulation. In production, a preheating step is applied to the film to support forming behavior, which results in excellent thermoformability during cup manufacture.
Recyclability and compliance
The mono-material PP design aligns with circularity objectives by enabling sorting in standard waste streams. According to the partners, the cup fully meets PPWR requirements. As a single-material solution, it avoids the separation challenges associated with multi-material cup constructions such as PS or paper-coated variants.
Key points
- Three-layer PP film with a foamed core and rigid outer layers
- Heat resistance up to 100°C supported by fine microcell structure
- Reduced density of the foam layer enables material savings in production
- Preheating of the film ensures excellent thermoformability
- Mono-material PP design, 100% recyclable
- Compliant with PPWR and sortable in regular waste sorting facilities
- Alternative to PS or paper-coated cups
