Close×

Sustainable packaging company BioPak has teamed up with Open Canvas to launch a series of coffee cup designs by artists who have faced homelessness or other adversity.

The Melbourne-based philanthropic organisation will have six of its artists’ work featured across BioPak’s compostable coffee cup range, the BioCup Art Series.

Open Canvas founder Dan Rath said they were pleased to be partnering with an environmentally-friendly coffee cup producer who can help turn the stereotypes of homelessness on its head.

“For a long time, coffee cups and homelessness have only been linked through the visions of a homeless person begging for spare change,” he said.

“The BioPak Art Series coffee cups will allow our artists to showcase their work to a national audience in a unique way.”

BioPak founder Richard Fine said the company seeks artists with environmental themes at their core and was proud to support the arts community through the BioPak Art Series.

“The cups feature art that looks at sustainability issues, from what is involved in building a house, to the beauty of Australian bush flowers or the urban environment,” he said.

“We know that the cups will engage coffee drinkers across the country with this changing series.”

The six Open Canvas artists featured on the BioPak Art Series are:
Brian Marshall’s Otway Coastline
Renata Bruynzeel’s Weedy Sea Dragons
David Parkinson’s Birds
Irene Hwang’s Feathers
Patrick Francis’s Hawk
Charmaine Tracey’s Desert Dreaming

Food & Drink Business

An investigation by the ABC has uncovered alleged provenance fraud across major tomato products brands, with more than 22 per cent of tested samples not matching the claimed country of origin. Industry says the claims expose wider concerns over Australia’s inadequate food labelling and testing requirements.

Wine Australia and Vinehealth Australia are co-investing to modernise South Australia’s Vinehealth Vineyard Register and align it with the National Vineyard Register – a project announced in February following several difficult years for the Australian grape and wine sector.

Premium olive oil producer, Oasis Olives, has acquired the Alto Olives brand. The company stated the union of the Alto portfolio with Oasis Olives marks an exciting new stage in both businesses' evolution.