From stadium to sustainable heat: how Arboloom wood cups became an energy success story

A cup is not waste.
While a recent SRF article paints a critical picture of wood cups used at football matches, the real story behind Arboloom tells a very different tale—one of innovation, circular thinking, and climate action.

♻️ More Than a Cup: A Renewable Energy Source

Arboloom wood cups don’t end up as landfill—they power homes. In Bern, the cups are collected after use and supplied to Energie Wasser Bern (ewb), where they are turned into renewable energy for the city’s district heating network. In doing so, they replace fossil fuels like heating oil and natural gas, helping Swiss cities meet their net-zero emissions goals.

The Data Speaks: LCA 2024 Confirms Sustainability Advantage

Our 2024 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides clear evidence:

• Thermal recovery of our cups with energy generation produces up to 19% fewer CO₂ emissions than recycling them into particle board.
• Compared to single-use plastic cups, Arboloom cups emit three times less CO₂.
• Versus disposable cups that are improperly discarded, our cups emit 95% less CO₂.
• Even reusable plastic cups must be used at least 18 times to match our carbon footprint—and only if produced in Switzerland.

💡A Swiss Innovation in Action

Arboloom didn’t stop at making a compostable cup. Two years ago, we considered recycling them into particle board—but we’ve since found a more sustainable path: turning used cups into clean energy for the very households that support their local football teams.

Since entering the market in 2021, we’ve achieved remarkable impact despite tough competition from cheap plastic cups imported from China and Southern Europe:

• 2 million cups sold in just three years
• Significant CO₂ reductions at major Swiss events
• Built a Swiss-based production facility—backed by local investors

What Should We Really Be Asking?

Instead of celebrating Swiss ingenuity, the recent SRF article casts doubt on a solution that is already driving positive change. But the real question should be:

Why are hundreds of thousands of plastic cups still being used in Swiss stadiums when we have better alternatives available?

Looking Ahead: The Future of Event Packaging

Arboloom proves that you don’t need to rely on imports or plastic to serve drinks at large events. Our cups are locally made, climate-friendly, and part of a closed-loop value chain that extends from stadium seats to sustainable heat networks.

What we need now is bold leadership—from event organizers, from the public, and from policymakers—to fully embrace future-ready solutions.

👉 We’d Love to Hear From You

How can we help Swiss stadiums transition to 100% sustainable packaging solutions?
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Share your ideas with us—together we can shape the future of events.