The journey of life often leads a person into their vision and mission for this lifetime. Perhaps what we call vision or mission is already deeply embedded in the DNA of one’s life choices. For Hermann Wang, the founder of Hermann Cup, this is the “Paper Cup Revolution” he is fervently pushing forward.
“Originally, this had nothing to do with me. I worked in the IT industry, not related to sustainability at all, but life is miraculous and will eventually lead you to your life purpose” Hermann Wang, who has been practicing Buddhism for many years, told《The Icons》 in an interview. He embarked on a new journey in the food packaging industry due to serendipity, and began promoting the Hermann Cup initiating the journey of the “Paper Cup Revolution.”
“At first, promoting the Hermann Cup was just a simple idea, but due to the inspiration from my Buddhist beliefs, I gradually realized the significance of this matter. It is not only about involving more people from the industry chain to join this journey in sustainability, but also about encouraging consumers to drink with healthier containers and contemplating the importance of environmental conservation for our Earth.”
A Small Paper Cup Can Easily Harm the Human Body
Since the advent of global industrialization, with the continuous increase in industrial products made from refined oil, plastic products have permeated every aspect of people’s daily lives, from food, clothing, and housing to transportation, almost all daily necessities are closely related to plastics.
In the fields related to food, the issue of plastics is of even greater concern because, in the absence of correct awareness and knowledge, people may ingest harmful plasticizers and other components into their bodies. This concern further propelled Hermann Wang to shift his focus towards promoting the Hermann Cup:
“Whether businessmen care about their own or their families’ health, I’m not sure, but many businessmen do not care about the consumers’ health! Truthfully, what you drink, what your parents or children drink, does not matter to them.” Hermann Wang explained that the disposable food and beverage containers, currently used in the market, must be coated with a layer of polyethylene (PE) film to resist moisture absorption. However, this film may dissolve when exposed to hot and cold beverages or acidic and alkaline drinks, such as coffee, tea, or fruit juice:
“This not only causes the cups to soften, but also allows the beverages to directly contact with the fluorescent whitening agents in the paper and dissolved plasticizers from the coating. Drinking this way over the years is akin to slow suicide, and the extent of the harm is difficult to estimate!”
Hermann Cup – An Innovation to Protect Health, Cherish the Earth, and Preserve the Original Flavors
“Perhaps only a few people know about such problems, but now that I know, this mission falls on me, and I should devote myself more to promoting this!” After numerous experiments and countless efforts, Hermann Wang launched the “Paper Cup Revolution”, and the Hermann Cup was finally born:
“The Hermann Cup has three core values - protecting physical health, reducing the environmental burden on our earth, and preserving the original flavors of the drinks .” Hermann Wang explained that the inner coating technology of the Hermann Cup features a special polypropylene (PP) formula, which is safe for packaging cold and hot drinks such as coffee, tea, and fruit juice. When in contact with acidic or alkaline beverages, the inner coating remains fully intact and does not dissolve plasticizers, in turn preserving the original flavors of the drinks.
As for reducing the environmental burden, Hermann Wang shared that the outer coating technology features heat insulation and anti-scalding functions, eliminating the need for additional cup sleeves, which reduces the amount of pulp usage by 35%-45%. On the other hand, compared to many businesses using double-layered paper cups, our anti-scalding design reduces paper pulp usage by 80%. These pulp usage reductions significantly lower environmental damage during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the reusable function of the Hermann Cup allows enterprises to respond to ESG, demonstrating environmental friendliness and corporate responsibility.
In addition to the eco-friendly impacts, Hermann Wang introduced that the unique leather-like feel of the Hermann Cup can also be customized into 3D aesthetic design, which adds to brand value and enhances corporate image, turning the cup into an art piece!
Paper Cup Revolution, a Virtuous Cause
“Starting the ‘Paper Cup Revolution’ is quite a daunting task, to be honest, it can feel lonely at times and requires a lot of perseverance.” Hermann Wang confessed:
“The food packaging industry is a conscientious field of business because paper containers play an important role in food safety protection; however they are often neglected due to companies overly focusing on lowering costs rather than prioritizing product quality and environmental impacts. ”
Hermann Wang emphasized that the “Paper Cup Revolution” is a virtuous cause and mission, which cannot solely rely on him or a single company to complete. Not only do we need more corporate leaders to participate, but also require more environmental and health awareness among consumers to reject the use of cheap and poor-quality containers. It is time to take action for our own and the next generation’s health, and to participate in this virtuous cycle collectively:
“The ‘Paper Cup Revolution’ initiated by the Hermann Cup not only protects human health, but also aims to prolong the life of our Earth!”
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