WinCup, Inc. has become an official program partner of the Green Sports Alliance (GSA), an environmentally and socially focused nonprofit organization that convenes stakeholders from around the sporting world to promote healthy, sustainable communities. The announcement comes as a growing list of professional sports teams and venues have selected WinCup鈥檚 phade庐, the world鈥檚 first marine biodegradable, home and industrial compostable drinking straw, as their exclusive straw. Made with PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a biopolymer derived from the fermentation of canola oil, the phade庐 brand is a breakthrough line of sustainable drinking straws and stirrers that maintain the feel and user experience of traditional plastic equivalents while delivering superior sustainable benefits.
The new partnership supports GSA鈥檚 mission to use the influence of sports to promote sustainable practices across the globe. The organization鈥檚 members include over 300 professional sports leagues, sports governing bodies, colleges, teams, and venues representing millions of fans.聽鈥淪ports have an enormous influence on our culture as millions of fans follow the lead of their favorite teams鈥� sustainability choices, from energy and water use to drinking straws,鈥� said Roger McClendon, Executive Director of GSA. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e so pleased to partner with WinCup. The company鈥檚 commitment to developing innovative sustainable foodservice products is already making an impact at pro sports venues and events through its phade庐 straws and stirrers, and we look forward to sharing the benefits of compostable and biodegradable products, as alternatives to petroleum plastics, through this partnership.鈥�
While relatively new to the marketplace, phade庐 has already become the sustainable straw of choice for several professional sports venues, teams and events, including SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Gillette Stadium in New England, the Atlanta Falcons and the 2021 PGA Championship in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
The development of phade庐 involved a rigorous testing and certification process. T脺V AUSTRIA, a globally recognized independent third-party certifying body, certified phade庐 as both industrial and home compostable in a matter of months. T脺V also certified the material from which WinCup鈥檚 phade庐 straw is made as marine biodegradable. Additionally, the Biodegradable Products Institute Inc. (BPI) has certified phade庐 as industrial compostable.
鈥淭he Green Sports Alliance is a tremendously influential organization that engages with both professional and collegiate sports leagues, teams and venues to promote best practices in sustainability,鈥� said Michael Winters, WinCup President and Chief Revenue Officer. 鈥淎s a result, millions of fans experience the most advanced sustainable practices while cheering on their favorite team and take those ideas back into the community. phade庐 straws and stirrers are a perfect example of something simple every sports fan can use at home or when dining out and know they are helping to protect the environment.聽 We could not be prouder to be GSA鈥檚 partner to create a more sustainable future for sports fans, businesses and consumers across the globe.鈥�
WinCup has also won numerous awards for the development and launch of phade庐, including the 2021 Innovation in Foodservice Award for Sustainability Solutions from the National Restaurant Association and SmartBrief and 2020 Innovation in Bioplastics Award from the Bioplastics Division of PLASTICS (The Plastics Industry Association). Most recently, WinCup was recognized out of a pool of more than 4,000 global entries by Fast Company鈥檚 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards as a finalist in the Consumer Products and Enduring Impact categories and as an honorable mention in the World Changing Ideas -North America and General Excellence categories.
鈥淓very day, there are new innovations that promise a greener outcome, but what makes phade庐 unique is PHA, which acts as a food source for bacteria, allowing for faster decomposition in various bacteria rich environments鈥� explained Brad Laporte, WinCup Chief Executive Officer. 鈥淧aper straws can often contain harmful chemicals if not disposed of properly and petroleum-based straws can take centuries to decompose. Our phade庐 straws can biodegrade in a matter of months.鈥�