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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please select the category that you would like to know more about.
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Is a Reusable Cup Network hygienic?Of course! Whenever you get a Renome Cup from one of our Partners, it will already have been properly washed and sanitised before it is handed back to you. Think of our Renome Cup in the same way as a dine in cup/mug/glass, how these get used over and over, collected from one customer, washed and then made ready for you. Cafes and staff must adhere to mandatory food handling and hygiene standards, so you can be assured that whether it is a dine in mug or a Renome Cup, you are getting a clean one every time. If you are bringing in a Renome Cup and just wanting a refill, don't be offended if the cafe exchanges the one your brought for one they have already cleaned, whether you have washed yours or not.
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Can I return the cups unwashed?Yes! (and no... read on) Yes! The idea of the Reusable Cup Network is that you can grab a coffee on the go, and return it to a Partner Cafe soon after you are finished with it to get your deposit back. The cafe will take your unwashed cup and sanitise it, ready for the next customer. We are talking same day/next day time frame here. No :( This is where we ask for your help...if for some reason you can't return your cup in a reasonable time frame, please give it a rinse rather than let it sit to grow an alien life form. That's just gross and a pet peeve for Baristas the world over. Please don't hand over filthy cups to our Partners and give reusables a bad name. Don't be that guy!
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My local cafe is not a RENOME partner, how can I help them get involved?"Businesses want to give their customers what they want - so let them know you would like this service in your area! Encourage them to get in touch with RENOME at hello@renome.co and we can help them get started :)
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How does RENOME work?RENOME is a simple solution to a big problem. Instead of accepting a disposable cup for your drink, choose a RENOME Cup. You will pay a small refundable deposit and you can take the cup away with you. When you finish, simply bring the cup back to any participating RENOME Partner, and they will give your deposit back. The cup is then cleaned and ready for the next customer. If you bring it back, but are ordering another drink, then you can reuse this cup (if it is clean) or have it swapped for a clean one and use it again. Please remember, if you are not using the cup, you must return it to a RENOME Partner as it is not doing anyone any good if it is sitting in a cupboard or on a desk somewhere and not being put to use. Our cups are social workhorses and don’t like being out of their loop!
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How do I get my deposit back?Simply bring you RENOME Cup back to any RENOME Partner to get your deposit back. Cups must be unbroken and not modified in anyway. Damaged / Modified cups will result in forfeiture of your deposit (but you can still return them to RENOME Partners so that we can recycle the cups). *Please note that some cafes prefer to manage the deposit system on a cash only basis - so even though you put your deposit on card, you may receive it back in cash (or vice versa) Your cafe may also offer your deposit back as a 'RENOME Token' -> The RENOME Token is a metal keyring that you can exchange for a cup+lid next time you visit. *UPDATE* Due to COVID-19, many cafes are choosing to become contactless/cashless only. For these cafes, you will receive your deposit back as a Renome Token only.
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How do 'RENOME Tokens' work?RENOME Tokens are keyring/coin sized branded discs that take the place of the $5 deposit. You must first pay $5 for a RENOME Cup and Lid, and upon the return of the cup (at select partners) you can choose to receive a Token instead of cash. You can then use the Token next time you visit to get a RENOME Cup and Lid. *UPDATE* Due to COVID-19, many cafes are choosing to become contactless/cashless only. For these cafes, you will receive your deposit back as a Renome Token. * RENOME Tokens are not available at all partners -> If you would like your favourite cafe to offer Tokens, let them know!
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My cafe offers RENOME Cups and RENOME Lids, do I need to take the reusable lid?"In many instances you can opt for the Cup only as standard disposable lids also fit our cups, however, some cafes have advised us that they will insist that customers take RENOME Cups and Lids together. Please check with your local RENOME Partner.
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I like your cup, can I keep it?"We are flattered that you like our cups, however you must not keep them. RENOME Cups belong to the RENOME Network and we gain maximum environmental value from this system by having as many cups as possible out in the system and working hard.
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Is there a limit to how many cups I can bring back at a time?In general please stick to no more than 4 Cup and Lid returns per visit. We work with a number of small cafes that simply may not have the capacity to accept large returns, so please check with your RENOME Partner if they can accept your quantity - such as the daily company coffee run!
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Will I get a discount, like the Responsible Cafes discount, if I use a RENOME cup?"RENOME does not require its Partners to provide a Responsible Cafes discount to RENOME Cups. This is solely at the discretion of the RENOME Partner so please check with them prior to ordering. RENOME supports any initiative to reduce disposable cup usage and applauds the success of the Responsible Cafes and other initiatives. Long term, RENOMEs stance is that a discount will be unnecessary, and that concepts, such as the ‘latte levy’ (where a disposable cup user will pay more) is a likely way forward.
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Didn't you guys used to be called RTRNA?Yep! RENOME started operations in Western Australia originally under the name RTRNA. As of 1 January 2020 RTRNA was re-branded to RENOME. All RTRNA branded cups and lids still remain in use and part of the RENOME Reusable Cup Network.
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What does 'RENOME' mean?A 'Renome' is an object or system that embodies the principles of circular design. Formed from the words "Reusable" (RE) and the suffix "-OME" (as in genome, biome), Renome relates to the set of items or systems that are designed for the circular economy, that is, designed to use resources to the maximum extent, and then once the useful life of the product is up, recapturing the resources and remaking them into new products. In our case, the Renome Cup is the object designed with circular principles (durable and recyclable) and the Renome Reusable Cup Network is the system that enables the object to be used to its full extent, and once reaching the end of its life-cycle, the network ensures that the resources can be recaptured and remade. What is RTRNA? RTRNA PTY LTD is the parent company of Renome. RTRNA is an acronym for "Return to Reuse Network Australia".
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What are RENOME Cups made out of?RENOME + RTRNA Cups are made out of taste neutral, BPA free, food-grade polypropylene (plastic number 5). This material is currently the best available for safety and environmental credentials when applied to a deposit based reusable cup system. RENOME and our partners are always on the lookout for advances in materials technologies, so if you are a trailblazing cup manufacturer with a kickass product, get in touch!
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Do the cups come in different sizes?We currently offer only the 12oz / 350ml size in Australia. This is the most popular size currently in use in Australia. We are currently aiming to keep the system as simple as possible in Australia, and standardising the cup size is one way we can do that. Should you wish for a smaller drink, such as a 6oz coffee, just instruct your barista and they will fill the cup halfway (and charge accordingly!).
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Where do RENOME Cups come from?As of late 2021, Renome Cups are now proudly designed and made in Western Australia. Our original cups were designed and made in Germany and these are still in circulation within the sytem. Both generations of cups are simple, well designed, robust, safe and recyclable.
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Are RENOME Cups made in Australia?As of late 2021, Renome cups are now made in Western Australia. Our original cups were made in Germany and still remain in circulation. You can tell which generation of cup you have by looking at the base of the cup - Cups that have a 'ripple' base are made in Germany, and cups that say 'Made in Western Australia'...well they are made in WA!!
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I notice other branding on your cups and lids, what’s that about?"Well spotted ;) This relates to our orginal generation of cups. In our search for the best cups and lids, we have partnered with two German companies in order to bring the best products to our customers. We are proud to display our name alongside theirs as we are all working together to eliminate the need for disposable cups. As of late 2021, Renome Cups are now made in Australia and show only Renome branding.
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Why use a RENOME Cup, can’t I just bring my own or use compostable cups?"The RENOME Network is not the same as a Keep Cup or compostable cups. We are built upon the circular economy concept, where we aim to extract the maximum value from goods, put them to use for as long as possible and then recycle them once their useful life is up. Our cups belong to the network, not an individual, and therefore they are in a closed loop that reduces disposable cup usage by being used repeatedly, by multiple people and utilising the cup to its maximum potential before being recycled. RENOME Cups are different to a Keep Cup (or similar reusable cup) that belongs to an individual and may be used daily by one person, or sadly may be stashed away in a cupboard completely unused. RENOME Cups have the potential to be used multiple times per day, by multiple people, offsetting disposable cup usage each time. RENOME Cups are different from compostable cups because they, as opposed to compostable cups, are not single use. Compostable items still require materials and energy to manufacture and transport, only to be used for minutes and are then discarded often incorrectly and end up in the environment or landfill. When collected and treated correctly, they require further transport to, and processing in, a commercial facility in order to break down as designed. That’s a lot of wasted energy and resources for an item that is only used for a matter of minutes :( We support all initiatives to reduce or eliminate single use disposable cups and this includes Keep Cups and compostable items, and cool grassroots based ideas like Boomerang Cups.
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If your cup is plastic, then isn’t plastic the problem, how is your cup different?"The biggest problem with plastic is single use plastic products and their improper disposal. This is a horrendous waste of resources and a hazard to our environment. RENOME Cups are not single use and exist within a controlled loop system which is safeguarded by a deposit placed for each cup. The risk of a RENOME Cup being improperly discarded is very low as then the deposit would also be lost by the customer. This inbuilt financial (and environmental) safeguard ensures that the cups remain out of the waste stream and within the RENOME Network. Should a RENOME Cup be no longer fit for service, it will be removed from the network and forwarded to a recycling program or stockpiled to make future RENOME recycled cups or products.
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