Cutin Cup
Cutin Cup replaces the polyethylene plastic lining in disposable paper cups with cutin, a natural biopolymer extracted from agricultural byproducts like tomato skins and apple peels. The company's coating is fully biodegradable, food-safe, and provides the same hydrophobic barrier as plastic for hot and cold liquids. Cutin Cup targets paperware manufacturers and food service companies seeking a microplastic-free alternative to conventional cup liners.
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Funding
Founders
Founder details are not available yet.
Product
Problem
Approximately 99% of paper cups are lined with polyethylene plastic, contributing to the estimated 16 billion disposable cups used annually in the US alone. These plastic-lined cups take an estimated 500 years to fully degrade, while the average person ingests roughly 5 grams of microplastics weekly, creating a significant environmental and health burden.
Solution
Cutin Cup replaces conventional plastic liners with cutin, a natural polyester biopolymer found in the waxy coating of plant skins, leaves, and fruit cuticles. The company extracts cutin from agricultural byproducts—including tomato skins and apple peels—and processes it through a depolymerization and refinement pipeline to create a formable, food-safe coating for paper substrates. This hydrophobic barrier provides the same water resistance as plastic liners for hot and cold liquids while remaining fully biodegradable in soil and composting environments without leaving microplastic residue. The material's dense, crosslinked molecular structure repels water effectively, meeting the functional demands of everyday disposable paperware.
Target Audience
Primary customers are disposable paperware manufacturers, food service companies, and packaging suppliers seeking sustainable alternatives to plastic-lined cups and containers.
Features
- Plant-derived coating sourced from renewable agricultural biomass, requiring no synthetic chemistry
- Fully biodegradable in soil and composting environments with no microplastic residue
- Food-safe hydrophobic barrier effective against hot and cold liquids
- Extraction process isolates cutin from tomato skins, apple peels, and similar plant waste
- Depolymerization and refinement pipeline converts raw cutin into an industrial-grade coating material that retains natural barrier properties
- Thin, uniform coating application process creates a seamless hydrophobic barrier on paper substrates
- End-of-life compostability in both industrial and home composting conditions without sorting or contamination