Colored Coffee Cups at Van Hilst Coffee and Tea

The colored coffee cups from Costa Verde are characterized by unprecedented quality. Because the color is applied in a unique way, it is much tighter than with other cups. In this blog I describe how the cups are made and why they are so sustainable.

How are the cups made?

You may be wondering what the baking process looks like exactly. This is quite an interesting process so I think it would be appropriate to explain it.

The Costa Verde porcelain is produced in Portugal. It is one of the few factories in Europe that make such products. Costa Verde produces hard porcelain . That is a high quality porcelain. It is made from specific clays such as kaolin and feldspar.

The cups have these important properties:
1. The cups are colourfast . The cups retain their color even after frequent use and cleaning in the dishwasher.
2. The porcelain is sturdy and can take a beating.
3. Porcelain is non-porous . As a result, it does not absorb water and, partly because of this, it can withstand high temperatures. If you have a crack in pottery, it will absorb water. It will quickly break in the oven or microwave.

After the wet clay has been molded and dried, the cups and saucers are fired three times.
1. The first step is called biscuit branding. This happens at 1000 degrees. After this, the clay is hard, but still has a matte texture.
2. After this, a layer of glaze is applied. Then the cups are baked at 1400 degrees. As a result, the glaze fuses with the porcelain, which gets a beautiful shiny exterior.
3. Then, if desired, a color layer is applied. This is purely manual work as we discussed earlier in this article. Then the cups go into the oven for the last time. This time at 900 degrees. As a result, the color merges with the glaze.

The difference with pottery

Stoneware and pottery are fired twice. Moreover, both are porous to a greater or lesser extent and are therefore less able to withstand moisture and high temperatures.

The history of Costa Verde

The brand first saw the light in 1992. They distinguished themselves by being innovative. Their philosophy was the basis for this. Distributors of porcelain soon found them. The strong bond that Costa Verde has with these distributors is proof that they deliver quality.

Because they came up with an innovative approach in a somewhat stuck industry, they were able to grow so quickly. Not only in Portugal, where the products originate, but also in the rest of Europe. The brand has now made its mark in a large part of Europe.

The brand has been growing steadily for 30 years through collaborations with various major distributors. The combination of traditional handicraft and innovative processes contributes greatly to this.

Costa Verde and sustainability

Sustainability is of paramount importance at Costa Verde. The energy consumed by the devices in their production line is carefully analysed. This allows adjustments to be made where necessary. The hot air that is released during the production process is also collected and reused. As a result, less CO2 is emitted and about 10% less electricity is consumed.

There are 3696 solar panels on the roof of the Costa Verde factory. These have a combined capacity of 1000 kW. As a result, 25% less energy is consumed from the mains and about 620 tons less CO2 is emitted.

Costa Verde has thus earned an ISO14001 certification. In addition to generating their own energy, more is done to take the environment into account. The porcelain manufacturer has an Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant, in which the dirty water released during the production process is cleaned. That water is then used to clean the floor.

Quality guarantee

The quality of the product you deliver in combination with the customer service plays a major role in any successful organization. Both are high on the agenda at Costa Verde.

When it comes to product quality, Costa Verde has a long-term strategy. This ensures that they have modern and efficient production processes.

Diversey, a world leader in the professional hygiene and cleaning industry, has conducted an independent study on porcelain cleaning. This study showed that after 450 mechanical washes, the Costa Verde dishes still showed no signs of damage. Not even when using chemical products.