Maui hotel introduces compostable ‘Naked Cups’ that don’t require commercial facilities

The Nāpili Kai Beach Resort is the first hotel in the state of Hawaiʻi to switch to a plastic-free, fully compostable cup, the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association (MHLA) announced.

Following the ban on plastic to-go containers that took effect in 2022, some industries sourced alternative availabilities, like polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and polylactic acid (PLA) materials, to package food and beverages. While technically compostable, PLA requires a special facility to be composted and there are limited facilities in Hawaiʻi, the Nāpili Kai Beach Resort says its recent adoption of the non-bioplastic “Naked Cups” made by Your Green 2 Go allows guests to use a completely compostable cup that does not leave contaminants or toxins behind and breaks down without special commercial composting facilities.

“Kōkua is an important pillar of Hawaiian culture and being located right on the ocean means we directly see the impact that eco-friendly choices make,” said Gregg Nelson, general manager of the Nāpili Kai Beach Resort. “We’re excited for the opportunity to make a difference in the hotel industry by being the first to switch to backyard compostable cups that will completely break down should they end up in the waterway and expect to divert nearly 100,000 cups annually from the landfill with this change. We here at Nāpili Kai believe in mālama ‘āina, to be stewards of the land.”

Your Green 2 Go is a sustainable food packaging solution company, providing pure plant materials since 2010. It recently sponsored the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association’s Excellent in Education Golf Tournament, raising funds for Maui student scholarships.

According to Your Green 2 Go, Naked Cups are the first-high performance disposable cup for hot and cold beverages that do not contain plastic or petroleum-based products. The company claims its entire cup can break down in a backyard compost, bypassing the need to deliver it to a commercial composting facility.

The Maui County visitor industry has led the state in some other green sustainability initiates like groundbreaking LEED-EBOM resort certificates, voluntary switch from single-use plastic toiletry bottles to refillable options, and organic, reef-friendly landscaping management accreditations. 

To continue its support of sustainable eco-tourism with further focus towards food source and agricultural, MHLA is hosting an ag-expert panel during its Annual Meeting & Tradeshow on Thursday, Sept. 12 at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.