Press area
About Re-fè, our company and what we are doing to fight coffee waste.
History
Coffee capsules are not recycled properly
Most coffee capsules are not properly recycled after use: in landfill they take around 500 years to break down, with a negative impact on the environment. The problem is not only the huge amount of waste, but also the loss of materials with a potentially high economic value. Aluminium can be recycled endlessly and, when disposed of correctly, keeps its market value while lowering the environmental impact of its extraction.
Coffee grounds are also rich in nutrients such as antioxidants, potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, copper and magnesium. They can be used for personal care, home, plants and garden: treating them as waste is a great waste.
To dispose of capsules properly, shells and coffee grounds should be separated and kept out of general waste. Some leading companies offer collection points in city centres, but this alone is not enough in a country like Italy, made of small towns and rural areas that need widespread coverage. DIY recycling tools reach even the most remote areas, lowering the environmental impact of single-use capsules.
The story of Re-fè
In 2021 brothers Federico and Gilberto Girotto faced these challenges in their daily life: on one side, driving to the nearest collection point; on the other, separating the packaging from the grounds by hand with a knife. In early 2022 Re-fè was born, a young Italian start-up aiming to give coffee waste new value, following the circular economy principles of the European Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus, starting from single-use capsules.
Federico Girotto, co-founder and designer, shaped the idea with the support of Riccardo Sponchiado, materials engineer, and Valentina Lovat, scientist and environmental sustainability expert. A small batch of prototypes quickly drew strong interest, gathering feedback to improve the product and bringing Marco Santomauro and Lorenzo Donadel into the team.
That's how Re-fè Original was born, the first Re-fè tool to separate coffee capsules from grounds in one simple move: modular, made from low-impact materials and produced locally with 3D printing, together with Italian partners such as FILOALFA® (recycled bioplastic), Fluire Atelab (a 3D innovation and design lab in Venice) and SuperForma (recycling of scraps and end-of-life Re-fè products).
Beyond products
Besides developing tools, Re-fè helps build circular neighbourhood communities and researches new natural materials made from coffee grounds. In 2022 it took part in the "Giovani della Green Economy" education project by Legambiente Cinisello Balsamo, teaching circular economy, the 2030 Agenda and green entrepreneurship to high school students. Re-fè is also part of the Manifattura Milano community, the City of Milan's initiative promoting craftsmanship, making and urban manufacturing.
The team:
Federico Girotto – Founder and Designer
Marco Santomauro – Finance
Valentina Lovat – Scientist and environmental sustainability expert
Riccardo Sponchiado – Materials engineer
Lorenzo Donadel – Finance