At First Press Coffee, sustainability is one of the key pillars of our business. Since our journey began in 2013, we have been committed to transparent and ethical coffee sourcing, using dairy free milks made from Australian grown oats and almonds, and ensuring our packaging is as renewable as possible.

A global effort is needed to reduce plastic consumption and improve sustainability so that we can have cleaner streets, oceans, communities, and a healthier planet. As a business we take this responsibility seriously and are committed to being part of the solution. So, we've decided to share some recent wins in our journey to reduce plastic waste for our business!

We’re excited to announce that our plant based iced coffee packaging is just about to become even more sustainable. While the majority of each carton is made from FSC®-certified paper board, an amount of plastic and aluminium is needed to protect our coffee and keep it fresh. Previously, the 20-25% plastic component of each carton was derived from fossil fuels, but we’re now thrilled to have packaging that sources its plastic from tall oil*, which is a plant based byproduct of paper production. This move towards plant-based polymer materials is an exciting win in our sustainability journey, helping us bring our delicious coffee to you with the lightest environmental footprint possible. 

Earlier this year, we were featured in an article from Packaging News, where our co-founder Hamish spoke a little about First Press Coffee’s efforts in minimising production waste. 

“At First Press Coffee, we know we can’t solve the global problems, but we can at least stand by what we believe in and try to work with the environment we live in and maybe be as loud as possible where we can”

Despite the vast majority of our range being packaged in either glass bottles or plant-based recyclable cartons, it was difficult to find a sustainable alternative to the plastic wrap used to send stock out of the warehouse. Fortunately, Hamish found a solution from Aussie eco-friendly company Biogone, and made the switch to landfill-biodegradable pallet tape.

“There are areas where we can have an impact today, like where we source our products and what we put into landfills.” Hamish says. “So having a solution to switch to landfill biodegradable plastics is a no-brainer and something I jumped on the moment I could.”

 

*tall oil sourced via a certified mass-balance system