Pokito is the brand name of an ultra portable reusable cup that can be collapsed to a few centimetres when not in use and so can be stored easily in a pocket or purse. It was invented by the Canadian inventor Andrew Brooks.[1]
History
editAndrew Brooks got the idea of designing a reusable cup when, in 2006, he saw fe felled forest destined for a paper mill. Around 2012, he came up with the concept of the cup. He then worked with engineers and designers to fine-tune his concept, and requested a patent on his invention in 2015. The patent was granted in December 2017.[2] After two years of product development, it was launched on Kickstarter and raised more than £100,000.[2][3]
Name
editPokito is derived from the Spanish for "a little" - poquito - but is spelled with a "ki" for ease of pronunciation. It is also a reference to "pocket" in English, alluding to its ultra portability.
Description
editPokito is an ultra portable reusable cup that can be collapsed to a few centimetres when not in use and so can be stored easily in a pocket or purse.[4] It can also be unfolded into different sizes: "grande" (16oz or 475ml), "medio" (12oz or 350ml) or "espresso" (8oz or 230ml).[5][6] Once a drink has been consumed in the cup, the remaining dregs of coffee are kept inside without leakage, even when the cup is folded back.[7]
Pokito has been designed to reduce the usage of disposable cups.[8] It also saves energy if the cup is used more than 15 times.[9][10] It is made of a synthetic rubber called thermoplastic elastomer which has been independently tested and compliant to EU and FDA regulations.[11] Pokito is manufactured entirely in the UK from materials that have been designed especially for durability and safety. Omega Plastics manufactures the cups[12] which are sold £15 per unit.[13]
References
edit- ^ "Why Theresa May's 'latte levy' could bring more jobs to Teesside, thanks to collapsible cup". Gazette Live, By Kelley Price, 11 JAN 2018
- ^ a b Qureshi, Waqas (2018-01-18). "Paul Foot | Pokito Cup patent". Packaging News. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- ^ "‘Pokito’ Foldable Coffee Cup Is Great News For The Planet (And Mornings)". The Huffington Post UK. 22/11/2016 Natasha Hinde
- ^ "Pokito' is a New Solution to Disposable Coffee Cup Waste". Trend Hunter, Katherine Pendrill, Aug 2, 2016
- ^ "Is creating a reusable coffee cup a planet saver or a mug's game? Wells". Toronto Star, October 12, 2016, page B6.
- ^ "Coffee shop in Abingdon tackles waste with reusable cups". Oxford Mail, 17 Oct 2016 / Sophie Grubb
- ^ "Collapsible coffee cup could save tax and trees". The Times, Tom Whipple, Science Editor, October 14, 2016
- ^ "Collapsible coffee cup could save tax and trees". International Communicaffe, October 19, 2016
- ^ "A Coffee Cup That Fits In Your Pocket". The Food Rush, September 20, 2016
- ^ "Cup debate continues". Food Chain magazine, Issue 188, October 2016. page 15.
- ^ "Pokito, the adorable pocket-sized reusable cup". Plug-In, Nov. 12, 2016
- ^ Wayman, Rebecca (12 January 2018). "Inventor turns to Blyth's Omega Plastics to revolutionise the reusable travel cup". Bdaily Business News. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- ^ Barrett, Claer (2018-02-08). "What's the return on investing in a reusable coffee cup?". Financial Times. Retrieved 2022-02-23.