Keeping it cool with Linstol
This is a special feature from PAX International's March 2024 Amenities & Comfort issue, on page 34.
The Super Cool
Cup from Linstol
In February, Linstol announced an innovative paper cup design for cool beverages, including those containing alcohol, called the Super Cool Cup. Mark Russell, Chief Executive Officer at Linstol, tells PAX International what sets this cup’s design apart from others on the market.
“The biggest difference in our technology is that the cup is specifically designed to withstand an environment where you have moisture on the outside of the cup which will typically happen if you add ice to the beverage,” he says.
Mark Russell, Chief Executive Officer, Linstol
Linstol released the Super Cups with EarthCoating® in 2019, designed specifically for hot beverages inflight. The company is differentiating between a hot cup and a cold cup within the cabin with the introduction of the Super Cool Cup.
Unlike the average paper cup, Linstol’s Super Cool Cup is suit- able for serving alcohol inflight due to the patent-pending technology that prevents alcohol from breaking down the paper and sugar fibers.
“We now have a groundbreaking solution and the ability to put a cup in the airline space that truly is not only a reduction in plastic and is recyclable, but it can handle alcohol resistance for long periods of time,” he explains.
Super cool and sustainable
The Super Cool Cup uses Smart Planet Technologies’ patent-pending mineralized barrier coating technology. It is both recyclable and compostable. The bio-based plastic coating allows the cup to entirely decompose within an average of 12 months in managed landfill, depending on the environmental conditions.
While the passenger experience is a key consideration in all of Linstol’s inflight products, he emphasizes that environmental impact is driving the design of this product.
“We are trying to replace the tons of plastic that you see today in the airline cabin,” Russell explains. “Recyclability is a key factor. While a plastic cup is recyclable, the reality is that the plastics are not getting recycled anywhere near as much as they should today. With the Super Cool Cup technology, the cup can be universally recycled just like any other paper so there is a story to tell the passenger.”
The story of what happens to the cup post-flight is its selling point. Airline customers and passengers alike are eager to know that these products are aiding in the reduction of plastic and are not just recyclable but also biodegradable, he adds.
