Upcycled Coffee Waste Collections

Starbucks Japan Afterwaord (pronounced "Afterword" but stylized to reference the Japanese concept of “wa” or “harmony”) is a new collection of everyday goods that gives purpose to waste materials generated during the coffee-making process. The collection, now available in Starbucks Japan stores, includes everything from tech accessories and branded plant pot covers to coffee drinking accessories like tumblers made from recycled coffee grounds.

Similarly, the collection's Coffee-Dyed Tenugui Towel has the potential to be used for wrapping gifts or simply drying dishes at home, and its cotton fabric gets its unique color from expired Starbucks beans that would have otherwise been discarded. Rather than letting by-products and surplus materials from production go to waste, brands are finding creative ways to give them a second life, all while unlocking added value from ingredients they've already paid for.