Nikko has introduced an interesting new collection ‘like a Paper Cup’, which pairs a bone china body—designed as an homage to paper cups—with a high-performance fabric sleeve.
“This product is a sustainable proposal that redefines the value of “reuse” in contrast to the culture of paper cups, which are typically treated as disposable items, and it fuses technologies and materials from different fields,” Nikko says.
It was jointly developed by Nikko Company, headquartered in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, and Komatsu Matere, a manufacturer of chemical materials.
The cup designs feature two motifs: the “Tsuzumi-mon” gate—the symbol of Kanazawa Station, which was selected as one of the world’s 14 most beautiful train stations by the online edition of the American travel magazine Travel & Leisure—and the “Gōshi” latticework found in traditional teahouse architecture. Each design is available in two variations—with or without a gold trim—offering a total of four options to choose from.
The sleeves appear to have the thickness and weight of cotton canvas but are surprisingly light when held. Available in four colors, they are dyed using an eco-friendly dyeing technique that utilizes plant-based ingredients, such as discarded onion skins.