Earlier this month it was international coffee day and it had me thinking of the morning ritual that happens around the world. A ritual that can cause so much waste if it is enjoyed in a disposable to-go cup. Whether your enjoying a coffee or tea on the go here is a list of the best stylish and sustainable travel coffee mugs. Reduce your footprint by simply carrying a reusable mug with you. The more you like your travel mug the more likely you are to have it with you.
Most people start their day with a warm drink to set them off on the right foot. Sometimes mornings can be hectic, so you grab something on the move. Other times you just need a trusty mug for your favourite drink throughout the day. Gotta get your fix.
Why bother with a travel mug?
Coffee is one of the most popular beverage in North America. Over 400 million cups consumed per day in the US alone, so naturally disposable coffee cups contribute to a very large portion of single-use use waste.
It’s estimated that 600 billion disposable cups are used and discarded every year. 50 billion in the USA and 2.5 billion in the UK.
The disposable cups are hard to recycle as they are a mix of paper and plastic not to mention the disposable styrofoam cups that are still being used. Most of these end up in our landfills, waterways and oceans.
Also consider that the staggering numbers of cups often include include a plastic lid and a paper sleeve. Altogether it adds up to being a massive problem.
Check out the infographic from Eco2Greetings.com made to show the size of mountain all those throwaway cups would produce from the US alone.
The Best Stylish and Sustainable Travel Coffee Mugs
An easy place to start and a basic low waste staple is the travel mug.
First, use what you have. If you have a travel mug, use that mug until it becomes unusable. That or pass it on to someone in need.
Second, if you don’t have a travel mug, mostly plastic free is the way to go! Stainless Steel, ceramic or glass are my favourites. Buy quality, something that will last. Something that you truly like, something you won’t forget at home and that you will be happy carrying around. The collapsible silicone one’s are the easiest to carry around.
Also, look to see if they have replacement caps or parts in case something breaks or is lost. It will last much longer if you can fix the problem.
Working together, we can all make a difference. Are you ready to live a more sustainable lifestyle? Make the switch today. Choose reusables over disposables.
Glass Travel Coffee Mugs
KeepCup
KeepCup is a stylish reusable coffee cup created by Aussie former cafe owners.
The cup is made from tough, durable, fully-tempered soda-lime glass and is fully recyclable. The cups are lightweight and come in five different sizes and a whole range of on-trend colors to choose from.
Want to make your KeepCup even more stylish? Buy lids, bands, and plugs separately in different colors and create your own cup designs.
KeepCup has had lots of great partnerships over the years, and have donated over $2,000,000 to causes and campaigns that advocate against single-use and for a biodiverse planet.
- Glass or Stainless Steel mug
- Cork or silicone sleeve
- Multiple lid or band options
- Create your own design
- keepcup.com
Joco
The stylish and simple Joco mug has been designed for a lifetime of use. This reusable glass mug Is a good choice for you and the planet.
The reusable Joco mug is hand-crafted from borosilicate glass and medical grade silicone. Developed in collaboration with the world’s leading baristas – it’s sustainable and sleek. Certified non-toxic, antibacterial, 100% plastic-free, microwave & dishwasher safe.
Every Joco purchase contributes directly to the retrieval of toxic plastic debris from the environment. In partnership with Take 3 for the Sea.
- Glass mug
- Silicone grip
- Many sizes and colours
- Replaceable caps, sleeves and glass
- jococups.com
Stainless Steel Travel Coffee Mugs
Swell
The OG of stylish stainless steel water bottles and mugs; probably the most copied bottles ever made.
Insulated, sleek, and down-right functional. They have an extensive line of bottles, mugs, tumblers and food storage. Stays hot for 24 hours and cold for 48.
Their combination of form and function has reduced single use plastic the world over.
Sad to know they are being copied and counterfeited endlessly. Support the original.
They are also a certified B Corp and give back to many charities.
- Stainless Steel
- Double wall
- Many styles and sizes
- Many colours and designs
- Different cap options
- replaceable caps
- swell.com
Klean Kanteen
Klean Kanteen is a family and employee owned business that is trying to make the world a better place. They are a member of 1% for the Planet. As well, they are a certified B Corp and also certified Climate Neutral.
Beautiful in its simplicity, the Stainless Steel Klean Kanteen is deliberate in its design.
The TK series is available in a multiple sizes and designs. Thermal canteens, travel mugs and tumblers. The thermal canteen is 100% plastic free. They also have a wide range of reusable products to help keep disposables at bay.
- Stainless Steel
- Double wall
- Many styles and sizes
- Replaceable cap
- Many styles of caps
- kleankanteen.com
Yeti
YETI products are “built for the wild” by people who love the outdoors.
If you need an eco friendly travel mug that will survive being thrown around while you adventure, climb mountains or paddle to your destination, look no further.
The Rambler’s double-wall vacuum insulation keeps cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot, making it perfect for cold brew or steamy lattes. It’s also dishwasher-safe, so you won’t spend precious time cleaning it.
YETI supports many organizations that celebrate the outdoors, including American Rivers, Ducks Unlimited, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
- Stainless Steel
- Double wall
- Many styles and sizes
- Many colours and designs
- Different cap options
- Replaceable caps
- yeti.com
Hydro Flask
The rugged yet stylish Hydro Flask mugs are ready for any adventure. Built for the roughest conditions but good looking enough for any environment.
All mugs and tumblers have a modern design and are made of Stainless Steel.
The double wall insulation can protect temperature for hours. Hot drinks stay piping hot and cold drinks stay icy cold.
A good quality mug or tumbler that can stand the test of time. They have lots of different options to match your lifestyle. The product line is more than just mugs and water bottles and can help you with many other reusable goals.
Hydro Flask supports non-profit organizations focused on building, maintaining, restoring, and providing better access to parks.
- Stainless Steel
- Double wall
- Many styles and sizes
- Many colours and designs
- Replaceable caps
- hydroflask.com
Purist
These Mugs are clean, sleek and minimalist. Not only do they look good they are also high quality. They have done an amazing job mixing form and function.
Purist uses stainless steel with an interior glass finish that keeps drinks pure.
The double wall insulated Purist bottles keep your drinks hot for 12 hrs and cold for 24 hrs.
They have three clean and classy sizes and three different replaceable cap options. Minimalist design at it’s best, it’s everything you need and nothing more.
Colour options are bare Stainless Steel with a nice range of muted colours to match your style.
Purist Collective partners with community-based organizations to generate awareness and empower social and environmental change.
- Stainless Steel
- Interior glass finish
- Double wall
- 3 styles and sizes
- Stylish colour options
- 3 different replaceable caps
- puristcollective.com
Ceramic Travel Coffee Mugs
Sttoke
From its structure to its visual appeal, the seamlessness of STTOKE sets new standards for the sustainable coffee cup industry.
Good design award winner and world’s first shatterproof ceramic mug. They strived to perfect the temperature retention of your coffee or beverage. 3 hours hot and 6 hours cold
A unique manufacturing process helped to develop the seamless design. It is odourless and has no aftertaste.
- Shatterproof ceramic
- Double wall
- Multiple sizes
- Many colours and designs
- Spill proof lid
- sttoke.com
Soma
The Soma ceramic mug is a 2018 Design Lab Vessels Award recipient.
This simple, beautiful design holds your favourite hot (or cold) beverage. A leak-proof bamboo lid allows you to travel at ease, double-wall insulation keeps your liquids hot, and drinking from ceramic upholds pure taste – wherever you go.
Soma contributes and collaborates with a nonprofit partner charity to bring safe drinking water to the global community.
- Ceramic
- Double wall
- 3 colours
- Bamboo lid
- drinksoma.com
Silicone Collapsible Travel Coffee Mugs
Hunu
The collapsible Hunu cup is beautifully designed to be compact, leak-proof and to go wherever life takes you. Made with high-quality food safe silicone, the cups are BPA free, leakproof and collapse to fit almost any pocket.
They believe that fashion can be conscious and that business can be a force for good. Hunu is a member of 1% for the planet.
- Collapsible
- Compact
- leak proof
- Food safe silicone
- 2 sizes
- multiple colours
- wearehunu.com
Stojo
Stojo aims to protect our planet by disposing of disposable culture. The collapsible, carry-able and convenient coffee cup is made of high-quality food safe silicone. It has no glues or adhesives and is BPA-free, lead-free, and phthalate-free.
They support coastal cleanups and Lonely Whale.
- Collapsible
- Compact
- Dishwasher safe
- 4 sizes
- multiple colours
- stojo.co
Some people might think Zero Waste is all or nothing but it’s not. It’s a journey to reduce your impact and environmental footprint by producing less waste and consuming more responsibly. Just try, every little bit counts. You can make a difference. It doesn’t need to be one abrupt change. Start small and work your way up.
Make difference every day with the best stylish and sustainable travel mugs.
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Pat
Pat is a Ski Patroller/Avalanche Technician with a keen interest in design and sustainable living due to a longtime passion for the outdoors. Seeing glaciers melt, seasons change, summer skies full of smoke and beach pollution first hand, motivate him to make a difference.
As Yvon Chouinard Founder of Patagonia says “If you are not part of the solution, you are still part of the problem”.