This is a guest post from the makers of BobaGlass. Support their Indiegogo campaign today!

Kawaii. Workspace. Board Games. Study. Nightlife. Interestingly, these seemingly unrelated words were all responses to the same question: “How would you describe boba culture in a word or two?” There are few industries that have created such a wealth of microcultures like the boba industry has. However, other than the delicious beverage topping, there is one unfortunate element that is a connection point to every boba drinker across the industry landscape: Plastic waste. 

The Plastic Problem

The stacks of single-use plastic cups, straws, wrappers, and lids that are ubiquitously used and thrown out is an overlooked normality in the boba industry. These plastics are rarely recycled and ultimately find their way into landfills, littered streets, animal habitats, and more, all of which hurt the environment. And while the boba drinking cohort report a great passion for environmentalism and sustainability, the single-use plastic experience is so normative in the industry that even the most environmentally conscious individual often finds themselves using and throwing out cups and straws without a second thought.

The Innovative Solution

What the boba industry does not need is just another reusable bottle. To break this cycle of waste, the catalyst of change has to not only eliminate the need for single use plastics, but also add innovative and functional value across the microcultures of the boba industry. BobaGlass by BobaWare aims to do just that by introducing three key functionalities:

• Shake n’ Sip: Since most boba drinks have a plastic film seal or a snap on plastic lid, the drink is prone to leaking. The consumer can’t shake their drink to move the toppings around. BobaGlass’ retractable “sipper” creates the most ergonomic and convenient means to mix toppings and avoids any chance of spillage.
• Keep it Chill: Boba is often enjoyed in groups and over long conversations or study sessions. Unfortunately, single-use plastic cups do not provide any means of keeping beverages cold, leading to dilution and lukewarm drinks. BobaGlass is made of Tritan and is double wall insulated, allowing drinks to stay colder for up to twice as long as the conventional boba cup.
• No Boba Left Behind: With BobaGlass, consumers no longer have to painstakingly swirl through ice cubes trying to get the last boba. BobaGlass’ patent pending parabolic inner layer and static angled straw funnel all topping towards the straw, ensuring no toppings are left once the drink is finished.

Single-use plastic is a long term issue and BobaWare is committed to finding long term solutions. The BobaGlass is the first step to changing boba shops’ and consumers’ mentalities regarding the single-use plastic problem. Over the past 20 years, the boba industry has been stagnant in the areas of technology and innovation. Moving forward, we hope to create more solutions to change the way people view, purchase, and consume boba. 

Want to support BobaGlass? Check out the Indiegogo Campaign today!