A paper cup blank has two parts: paper base and coating layer.
The paper base is wood‑pulp fiber, easy to break down. The key lies in the coating.
Many buyers mix up degradable and fully biodegradable.
Degradable is a broad term. Some materials only break into small pieces and leave micro‑plastics behind.
Fully biodegradable means **both paper base and coating can be fully digested by microbes*, turning into carbon dioxide and water with no residues.
For export, EU PPWR regulation accepts only certified fully‑biodegradable materials.

Don’t make mistakes on material sourcing.