Clearer guidance for your daily cup.

HONEST is a range of aqueous-coated paper cups designed around three principles: True, Simple, and Responsible. The range is supported by material information and disposal guidance to help customers understand the cup and the routes available after use.

Every paper hot cup needs a liquid sealing layer to hold drinks without leaking. Traditional cups use a PE or PLA lining bonded to the inside of the cup.

Aqueous coating takes a different approach. Instead of a separate plastic lining, it is applied as a coating that integrates with the paper surface. This reduces polymer content compared with traditional linings, while still providing a liquid barrier.

No. Aqueous cups still contain a small amount of polymer, so they should not be treated as polymer-free.

The key difference is that aqueous coating uses significantly less polymer than traditional PE or PLA-lined alternatives. The cup still needs the right disposal route after use.

Yes, when collected through the correct cup recycling route. Paper cups usually require specialist processing, so they are not always suitable for standard kerbside recycling.

For businesses, a dedicated cup recycling scheme or on-site collection point is usually the best route where available.

HONEST™ aqueous cups are designed for both home composting and commercial composting where the right conditions and facilities are available.Honest Cup's certification aligns with DIN Certco NF T51-800.

Correct disposal should always come first. If a suitable composting stream is available, use that route. If not, check local guidance before placing cups into food waste or composting bins.

PE is a traditional plastic lining commonly used in paper cups. It is widely used and can be handled through specialist cup recycling routes.

PLA is a plant-based polymer lining, often made from materials such as corn or sugarcane. It is generally designed for industrial composting where the right facility is available.

Aqueous coating is a lower-polymer coating approach that integrates with the paper surface. The best route still depends on the waste stream available after use.

Not usually. Most household recycling collections in the UK are not set up to handle paper cups, regardless of the lining.

The preferred options are specialist cup collection schemes, on-site recycling points, or suitable composting routes where accepted. If none are available, general waste may be the better option to avoid contaminating other recycling streams.

Waste infrastructure is managed locally, and different councils and commercial sites use different collection and processing routes.

This means the best disposal route can vary by location. The aim of the guidance is to help customers check what is available and choose the most suitable route after use.