Hemp Coffee: upcycling of coffee bags
What may seem an unusual collaboration at first glance turns out to be a circular success story in reality. Vepa the furniture factory, a sustainable furniture specialist, and Dutch coffee roaster Peeze have joined forces to transform discarded jute coffee bags into stylish chairs and bar stools.
The collaboration between Vepa and Peeze is a perfect illustration of their shared ambition to contribute to a waste-free world.
Peeze, an Arnhem-based coffee roaster known for its fair-trade and high-quality coffee, receives its coffee beans in sturdy jute bags from sustainable plantations and cooperatives all around the world. Given the large number of beans roasted each year, a considerable amount of jute builds up and this organic residual flow now serves as a valuable secondary raw material for the production of new furniture by Vepa.
Erik Luisman, Sustainability & Business Development at Vepa: ‘Vepa’s original Hemp chair has been in production with great success for several years now. Thanks to the unique combination of hemp mats and Plantics’ organic resin, this design offers numerous possibilities. Replacing the hemp outer layer with a jute coffee bag, complete with original print, gives the chair an even more distinctive character. In this process, the fully organic and circular aspect is maintained!’
Rik van Paassen, sustainability manager at coffee roaster Peeze, said: ‘At Peeze, we believe in the power of recycling and we are actively committed to, for example, reusable packaging and the refurbishment of coffee machines. Amazing to see that now, in the collaboration with Vepa, we have also found a circular re-use for our jute bags.’
The Hemp Coffee collection is a tangible example of how circular thinking and collaboration can lead to practical solutions for a more sustainable future. What started as a residual stream of discarded coffee bags has been transformed into sustainable, stylish furniture with a remarkable story.
The fact that these chairs are pressed by Vepa itself at its production site in Emmen makes them even more exceptional. This aligns with the social values we hold dear at Vepa: in-house production, employment opportunities and consistent quality.
