Impact, Travel
Sustainable coffee shops: 6 best eco-friendly coffee shops in West London
Caffeine without a conscience – West London’s sustainable coffee shops shaping a more planet-friendly coffee culture
If you’re coffee lovers like us, you’re never too far from your next café latte. London’s coffee community of artisan roasters evolves every week, and often competitive. However, how many can say are environmentally friendly?
Savouring a morning coffee has become a powerful, self-care ritual. Yet the harsh statistics that prevail are hard to ignore.
Did you know that in the UK, we use approximately seven million disposable coffee cups? This amounts to 2.5 billion every year.
According to a report by the Environmental Audit Committee, only one in 400 cups can be recycled, just less than a shocking 0.25%. In fact, consumers assume their takeaway cup can be recycled, however, the stark reality of how many can actually be re-used is incredibly low.
On the bright side, however, there are a handful of coffee shops that are trying to make a positive change. So not only can you order a brew (hey maybe some lunch too), you can also feel good knowing they’re doing their bit to reduce waste.
The problem
The existing recycling systems struggle to recycle cups due to the mix of materials they’re made from. Yes, most are made from cardboard, the tight polyethylene liner restricts recycling.
Thankfully, going green has become not only a trend but a need that’s on the rise. And London’s coffee vendors are following suit.
The West London Collection of coffee shops
Lucky for those who brave the crowded streets en route to work, you’ll see the parade of baristas grinding away each morning bringing excellent coffee to those enlightened west Londoners.
We’ve rounded up seven of our favourites with sustainable initiatives. From changing to eco-friendly coffee roasting processes to using biodegradable cups, get ready to ease your eco-conscious mind and enjoy your coffee fix in some of West London’s best sustainable coffee shops.
1 – Caravan, Fitzrovia
The bean game is strong London’s Caravan. And when it comes to sustainable coffee, this one ticks all the boxes.
A London classic, the chain of restaurants have also taken on the charm of serving eco-friendly hot beverages.
- Allows customers to reuse receptacles to reduce waste = ✅
- 100% compostable coffee cups = ✅
- Customers can swap a fully stamped loyalty card in exchange for an Uppercup takeout coffee mug = ✅
You can even get 50p off your drink if you already have a reusable coffee mug. The coffee specialists also have a tight bio-degradable strict straw game. Plastic straws are banned, so unless you specifically request one, you’ll be given a bio-degradable one.
Caravan also has a dedicated Green Coffee team, visiting farmers all across the world to create long-term sustainable and personal relationships.
Whenever possible produce is made in-house and obviously sourced sustainably. They make their own charcuterie, Kombucha, shrubs and soda.
Sure, your daily coffee is environmentally friendly, but it’s also delicious.
2- Coffee Republic
We see these guys as more of the professors of the art of coffee. Championing the KeepCup, Coffee Republic sells them at several stores around the UK for £12.99, which also gets you a free beverage in return.
In a mindful manner, the coffee chain also offers you a 15p discount every time you swap a disposable cup for an eco-friendly one.
You can find any of these chains scattered around London, but we recommend the branch on Rochester Row.
3 – Daylesford Organic, Marylebone
Located in London’s Marylebone, Daylesford farm is a quaint and charming eco-friendly, food movement. Celebrating zero-waste with nothing short of an impressive recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging process – always ensuring that no food is thrown away.
Adding to their efforts, they also send any extra food to The Felix Project, helping to further distribute to people in need around the city. In addition, straws are made from wheat stalks while customers are encouraged to bring reusable cups.
The magical thing about this place is the farm shop, which is stocked with organic seasonal delicacies, artisan cheese, fresh bread, all delivered daily from their family farm in the Cotswolds.
4- Wild Food Café, Covent Garden
Ahh, Neal’s Yard. Who doesn’t love a little visit to Covent Garden’s exhilarating square? And hello Vegans, this one is for you.
From their delicious plant-based dishes to their colourful biodegradable cups, sourced from London Bio Packaging, customers will leave this place feeling great, just as the packaging tells you to!
5- Origin Coffee, Hammersmith
Conveniently located in West London (among other branches), Origin Coffee is an avid promoter for all things cool.
Encouraging guests to “respect the beans”, these guys take the coffee game seriously. Their remarkable passion can be witnessed through their plethora of achingly chic sites that they sell from.
Origin also encourages guests to bring in reusable cups, offering a 20p discount should they purchase a coffee for takeaway.
The coffee roaster also has a sustainability officer, responsible for ensuring all environmental policies are implemented. So, you better watch your back!
The café also recently switched to a natural carbonated water decaf process. What does this mean? They submerge the coffee in pressurised water and add CO2 to draw the caffeine from the bean. It’s then treated as a waste product and resold for commercial use, which is actually much better for the environment.
6 – Kiss The Hippo
London’s first carbon-negative coffee company – the planet’s seal of approval
Kiss The Hippo is a pioneer in the future of sustainable-coffee. It’s a brand that evidently leads by example, boasting a pure carbon-negative status – highlighted through their coffees, coffee pods, and products. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Their farm-to-table coffee movement is inspired, and guests can enjoy premium coffee brewed on-site while partaking in engaging workshops, where they can learn how to brew fresh coffee at home.
If that wasn’t enough, you can also enjoy a delightful brunch – including all the classics – all made, of course, from ethically sourced ingredients.
Kiss The Hippo also offsets all of the carbon it produces with international reforestation initiatives, in partnership with On A Mission. They’ve actually gone the extra mile by building a climate-saving #KissTheHippoForest all over the world, thus helping to shape a net positive for the environment.
For every kilo of coffee that’s purchased, Kiss The Hippo donates three pence to the World Coffee Research programme – double the amount WCR has asked of the industry to support its research.
If you’re a drip-coffee lover, be prepared to have your mind blown. Or perhaps, you’re partial to a velvety flat white, opt for a Columbian/Honduran George Street Blend.
So there you have it! Hopefully, we’ve inspired you to venture out for a more eco-friendly option as you head out to grab that morning coffee.
Now, go forth and save the planet, one cappuccino at a time.
Staying in West London
Whether you’re looking to explore more eco-conscious coffee shop options in West London or booking a trip to the area soon, we have some amazing London short-term rentals in the heart of Kensington and Chelsea.
Book one of our chic Kensington studios at The Knaresborough or one of our luxury Earl’s Court apartments at The Carlyle.
Nestor is a London-based short-term rental provider bringing guests beautiful handpicked homes in amazing central neighbourhoods. Book your stay with us now.
If you’d like to chat with us more about our sustainability practices, don’t hesitate to contact us!