Insulated Wrap
One way of improving the insulation properties of a paper cup is to cover it with an insulated wrap. These overwraps also provide an opportunity for advertisers to target customers and generate additional income for the coffee shop. Machines manufacture these overwraps to provide a thermal barrier. They also make the thin paper cups stronger and more rigid.
Multilayer Cups
Paper-cup manufacturers have make paper cups with many layers. This improves the insulation properties of a paper cup. One multilayer paper-cup version combines an insulating liner with a decorative, corrugated outer layer. In addition to better insulation, this provides an opportunity for advertisers to print on the outside of the cup.
Styrofoam Cups Versus Paper Cups
The manufacture of disposable cups for coffee shops is big business. According to Paper Machinery Corporation, American consumers were expected to use more than 23 million paper cups in 2010. Some coffee shops also use Styrofoam cups to serve coffee and tea. Compared with paper, Styrofoam offers better insulating capabilities. This means consumers get better protection from the hot coffee in a Styrofoam cup. However, paper cups are more environmentally friendly and easier for advertisers to use, so they are more likely to be used in coffee shops. Styrofoam cups are difficult to print, and therefore advertise, on.