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                                                                                                                                        More specialty                      face area of the EXCITE glass traps and circulates
                                                                                                                                                                            aroma, while softening acidity and enhancing
                                                                                                                                   coffee bars want                         sweetness. While the INSPIRE glass, with its nar-
                                                                                                                                                                            row inner glass shape and smaller liquid surface
                                                                                                                            something different                             area, focuses and funnels the aroma while enhanc-

                                                                                                                           and special that will                            ing acidity.
                                                                                                                                                                                “We believe we have designed one of, if not,
                                                                                                                                  define their style                        the best coffee glassware when it comes to both
                                                                                                                                                                            form and function,” said Vecchiarelli.
                                                                                                                                                                                The pursuit of perfection in ‘form and function’
                                                                                                                                 and maximize the                           has been practiced by notNeutral as well, but they
                                                                                                                            drinking experience.                            are looking more to balance the two. Pearson believes
                                                                                                                                                                            that a good coffee cup design needs to be “accessible
                                                                                                                                                                            but still unique.” He said: “We are fans of engineering
                                                                                                                                                                            and beauty. We invest the same amount of design
                                                                                                                                                                            rigor in function and appearance.” All notNeutral’s
                                                                                                                                                                            coffee cup collections contain a clean minimalism
                                                                                                                                                                            design with a good sense of architecture in it, while
                                                                                                                                                                            the cups are still very comfortable to hold when filled
                                                                                                                                                                            with hot liquid.
                                                                                                                                                                                However, reaching the balance between the
                                                                                                                                                                            appearance and function of a coffee cup is never
                                                                                                                                                                            easy. When notNeutral creates a new coffee cup
                                                                                                                                                                            design, they need to do a lot of research and de-
                                                                                                                                                                            velopment in the first stage. Sometimes, they have
                                                                                                                                                                            to scarify a beautiful design to make the coffee cup
                                                                                                                                                                            work functionally; because if the coffee cup doesn’t
                                                                                                                                                                            work functionally, it will ruin the whole coffee
                                                                                                                                                                            drinking experience.
                                                                                                                                     Unique and Accessible                      Pearson told us, when they were develop-
                                                                                                                                                                            ing the early version of the LINO expresso cup,
                                                                                                                                         Even though more and more coffee brands   they made it an innovative triangular shape.
                                                                                                                                     and companies have focused on improving coffee   However, the cup failed the test of functional-
                                                                                                                                     cups, not all of them have a full understanding of   ity by spilling beverage everywhere. The sam-
                                                                                                                                     what makes a good coffee cup design, and some   ple was thus discarded.
                                                                                                                                     only focus on one aspect of it, as Vecchiarelli   The solution to making a perfectly designed
                                                                                                                                     pointed out.                           coffee cup is “iterations — LOTS of them”, accord-
                                                                                                                                         A good coffee cup design, according to Vec-  ing to Pearson. At notNeatral, 3D modeling and 3D
                                                                                                                                     chiarelli, will have the right aesthetic elements on   printing plays a big part, so does getting feedback
                                                                                                                                     one hand — it can be the artistic, creative, inter-  from their customers. While for MK Studio, as all
                                                                                                                                     esting, etc. On the other hand, the coffee cup design   their products are handmade, ceramist Magdalena
                                                                                                                                     needs to incorporate the right scientific criteria.   needs to go through a lot of “trying and failing” to
                                                                                                                                     That is to say, the coffee cup design should help   make a coffee cup that satisfies her customers and
                                                         Ceramics is timeless. I don’t see
                                                         it as a trend or fashion so it’s                                            enhance the aroma, the taste, and other good fea-  the coffee cup users. Sometimes, she has to restart
                                                         hard for me to say what is                                                  tures of a coffee.                     from the very beginning because of a tiny flaw in
                                                         trendy. I create pieces that will                                               KRUVE’s award-winning EQ Glassware pro-  the final product. Vecchiarelli also told us KRUVE
                                                         serve people for years and make                                             vides a good example. The drinking vessels not   had spent lots of time having debating and ‘bat-
                                                         them happy every morning                                                    only have very interesting shapes with beautiful   tle-testing’ to ensure they got the right mix of
                                                         when drinking coffee...
                                                                                                                                     crystal borosilicate that will impress you at first   appearance and functionality. He said: “We are our
                                                                                                                                     glance;  but also the hand-blown  double-walled   own biggest critics and we never stop aiming for
          Photo / Chris Tonnesen, MK Studio
                                                                                                                                     glass can keep the drink hot and your touch cool.   perfection. So, we rely on our drive and persistence
                                                                                                                                     Moreover, the bulbous shape and large liquid sur-  to get to the right conclusion.”
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