Who washes the cups during the event?

Either on-site washing at commercial dishwasher temperatures to keep cups circulating during multi-day events, or collect-and-return to the manufacturer for washing and storage between events.

Are reusable cups worth it for smaller events?

Yes if cups get reused even a few times. For a tiny one-off with no washing option the case is closer, but most events reuse cups enough to come out ahead on waste and cost per serve.

Eco Cups for Festivals & Events

Reusable eco cups cut festival litter and waste by replacing thousands of single-use cups with a circulating stock washed between uses. The essentials: order enough to cover peak concurrent demand (not one per drink), run a deposit-return scheme so cups come back, and plan washing or collection so they can be reused across the event.

A festival worker holding a tall stack of branded reusable beer cups at an outdoor festival

Reusable schemes are now standard at UK festivals — often part of the licence or a sustainability pledge. Done well they are cheaper per serve and far cleaner on the ground. Here is how to plan one.

How many cups do you actually need?

Not one per drink — that is single-use thinking. With a deposit-return or wash-and-return system, you size stock to peak concurrent demand plus a buffer, then recirculate. A starting point is based on peak bar throughput and turnaround time rather than total serves. [NEED REAL FIGURE: recommended stock-to-attendance ratio, e.g. cups per 100 attendees] For exact quantities we work from your bar count and expected footfall.

How deposit-return works

Drinkers pay a small refundable deposit on their first drink and get a clean cup. They either swap it for a fresh one each round or hand it back at the end for their deposit. The deposit is the incentive that keeps cups in circulation and off the floor. It is simple to run and dramatically reduces litter. We do not quote a fixed deposit value here — set it to suit your event.

Two reusable stack cups printed with a Please Return Me deposit-return message

Washing and collection at scale

On-site washing keeps cups circulating during multi-day events — cups are collected, washed at commercial dishwasher temperatures, air-dried stacked, and returned to bars.
Collect-and-return suits shorter events: cups are gathered and sent back to us for washing, storage or re-granulation.
Either way, careful collection is what protects your stock — most cups are lost to being trodden on, not to wear.

We can supply the cups, or supply and handle washing and storage between events. Branding your event stock? See custom printed eco cups. For sizes and materials, the full buying guide has the specs, and eco cups vs plastic cups covers the environmental case.

Frequently asked questions

How many reusable cups do I need for a festival?

Size to peak concurrent demand plus a buffer and recirculate — far fewer than one per drink.

How does deposit-return work?

Drinkers pay a small refundable deposit and get it back on return, keeping cups circulating.

Who washes them during the event?

Either on-site washing or collect-and-return to us between and after events.

Are they worth it for smaller events?

Yes if cups get reused even a few times; for tiny one-offs the case is closer.