A new children’s book is giving single-use coffee cups an unexpected second life by transforming them into the very pages of its story.
Little Coffee Cup’s Big Surprise is a heartwarming tale that invites young readers on a journey of transformation, recycling, and environmental awareness.
The book follows the adventures of a discarded coffee cup as it embarks on a hopeful quest to become something new. Along the way, readers meet a cast of charming characters, including Maisy Moo the Cow and a spirited toad, brought vividly to life through playful illustrations by creative studio PLUS3K. The result is an imaginative and engaging introduction to the principles of circular design and sustainability.
What makes the book truly special is that it’s made from recycled coffee cups – literally! Through a unique process called CupCycling, used cups are collected and upcycled into high-quality paper, which has been used to print the book itself. This blend of storytelling and sustainability means every copy of Little Coffee Cup’s Big Surprise is both a narrative and a real-life example of positive environmental impact.
The story was penned by debut author Hayley Slack, who was inspired by the everyday waste she saw and wanted to create something hopeful for her children and future generations.
Hayley, who works at Biffa, said, “I’ve always thought that if I did my own book, I’d want it to be a special book – an environmentally friendly book, I suppose. I thought it should be made from recycled content. Working in the waste industry, I know how much paper is generated and wasted every day, and I feel like it’s a natural resource that we could all do more with.”
The CupCycling process, developed by advanced materials and paper specialist James Cropper, takes centre stage at the book’s close, where fiction meets reality. In a clever twist, the Little Coffee Cup’s final destination is revealed to be the very mill where the actual book was produced, located in the Lake District. James Cropper’s CupCycling facility at Burneside Mill is the first in the world dedicated to upcycling coffee cups into premium paper products.
This collaborative project between Hayley Slack, PLUS3K, and James Cropper showcases what’s possible when creativity meets sustainability. Last year alone, the CupCycling programme helped divert 58 million coffee cups from landfill, repurposing them into materials used by global luxury brands.
“It really annoyed me that this isn’t the norm,” added Hayley. “We’ve got this waste stream – why aren’t we using it? I wanted to challenge the publishing industry to try and come up with a different solution. And James Cropper wanted to challenge the recycling industry to think differently about paper cups. And together, we proved both things are possible.”
Rob Tilsley, fibre specialist at James Cropper, said, “At its heart, CupCycling is a collaboration. It’s proof of what’s possible when industries, brands, and recyclers work together with purpose. Each fibre we recover tells a story of transformation – just like the one in this book.”
Little Coffee Cup and the Big Surprise is launching soon. Educators, parents, and sustainability advocates can register their interest now to be the first to hear when the book becomes available and gain early access to educational resources and bonus content.
