The LIDfree is less of a redesign and more of a re-imagination of lids themselves. A sustainable improvement on plastic lids would probably be to design lids that are made out of paper instead… but to redesign a cup in a way that it doesn’t need a lid? That’s truly something worth marveling. Meet the LIDfree, a to-go paper cup that comes with its own fold-in lid. While the lid isn’t 100% spill-proof (not even the plastic ones are), it does a few key things really well.
A. Preventing spillage.
B. Merging of two products (cup and lid) into one.
C. Giving you a central channel to put your straw (and even giving you the option to not use one)
and finally, D. replacing a wasteful plastic part with a recyclable paper one.
The LIDfree cup features a nifty folding rim that collapses inwards to shut the cup. While it leaves a central hole open, the design still, for the most part, remains spill-proof as the hole remains at an elevated position when the cup is lying on its side. Moreover, the central hole is perfect for inserting straws of any width (hopefully eco-friendly ones!) as the origami elements expand and contract to the diameter of the straw. Drinking from the cup is as simple as opening the rim outwards to turn it into a regular cup, and when opened, the LIDfree cup remains stackable, ensuring that the design satisfies all needs, from that of the barista to the consumer, to finally the environment!
The LIDfree Cup is a winner of the Golden Pin Design Award for the year 2020.
Designers: Chia-Chun Chuang & Pei-Chun Hsueh
