Coffee grounds

Barcelona, Spain

Type of waste: agricultural

In Barcelona, coffee grounds are a common urban waste, largely produced by the city's vibrant "café" culture and the hospitality sector. With thousands of cafés and restaurants spread across neighborhoods, large amounts of used coffee accumulate daily. While some initiatives collect coffee grounds for composting or product development, most of this organic waste still ends up in the general bin. The warm Mediterranean climate accelerates decomposition, but also limits storage and reuse without proper infrastructure.

D·Origen Coffee Shop

D·Origen Coffee Shop showcases an innovative design where the company LOWPOLY has created 3D-printed furniture from their LOWIMPACT® material, a blend of recycled PLA and coffee grounds.

designer: LOWPOLY | @lowpoly.studio

lead designers: Gianluca Pugliese, Arturo Tedeschi, Ilaria Marzano

Naifactory Lab

Naifactory Lab, participated in a challenge by the Barcelona City Council and the Fundació BIT Hàbitat to redesign the iconic "panot" with sustainability criteria. As part of this initiative, they were commissioned to produce paving stones made from olive pits and coffee grounds as gifts for attendees at the winners' presentation.

Up! Energía

The Up! Energía initiative, developed by the Factor Escucha association in Barcelona, transforms coffee grounds generated in cafes, restaurants, and hotels into solid biofuel (biomass pellets). Its goal is to give a second life to this common organic waste, reducing its environmental impact and promoting the circular economy in the urban environment.

Grup Cooperatiu TEB with Incapto

The TEB Cooperative Group is collaborating with Incapto Café on a circular economy project that transforms coffee grounds into a substrate for growing organic mushrooms, specifically oyster mushrooms.