CASE STUDY SUMMARY:
FRINGE WORLD FESTIVAL 2025
Achieves Record Reusable Cup Return Rates
How bettercup’s reusable cup system transformed sustainability at Western Australia’s largest arts festival.
Fringe World Festival is one of Australia’s largest and most vibrant arts festivals, drawing over 700,000 attendees annually to experience comedy, music, theatre, and immersive performances.
The Challenge of Reusables at Scale at Fringe World 2025
Hosted in Russell Square, Perth, the festival creates a bustling pop-up entertainment hub with multiple venues, bars, and activations.
With such scale, waste management is a significant challenge, particularly when it comes to single-use plastics.
Summary Results of Fringe World’s Reuse Program
84.7%
return rate
372kg
waste eliminated
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A New Approach with Bettercup.
For 2025, Fringe World partnered with Bettercup to:
Overcome past logistical challenges to implement a seamless reuse system.
Introduce structured washing and collection to maintain efficiency.
Increase education for patrons and staff on reuse, ensuring higher return rates and waste diversion.
The Reuse Model.
Non-refundable Deposit Model.
To ensure smooth implementation, Fringe World adopted a $1 non-refundable deposit model, designed to encourage returns while covering the operational costs of a reuse system.
Cup Types.
Tumblers (425ml) - Used for beer and mixed drinks.
Tasters (285ml) - Replaced stemless wine glasses, offering versatility for both cocktails and wine.
How Patrons Returned the Reusable Cups.
Back to bars.
Patrons returned their cups directly when purchasing another drink.
Staff collection.
Cleaning teams retrieved misplaced cups.
Dedicated return bins.
Strategically placed around the venue for easy drop-off.
Waste sorting.
To ensure no cups ended up in general waste.
Results and Insights.
Reuse System Return Rates Achieved.
Fringe World achieved an overall reusable cup return rate of 84.7%. This exceeds the 70-80% industry benchmark for similar scale reusable cup systems.
Environmental Impact of Reusables.
By replacing single-use plastic cups with a structured reuse system, Fringe World saved 372kg of single use waste from landfill, while maintaining a seamless patron experience.
With continued commitment, Fringe World is positioning itself as a leader in sustainability within Australia's festival circuit.
“Bettercup, the better reusable cup company based out of Melbourne, have seamlessly integrated themselves into the great success that is FRINGE WORLD 25.
Their Australian-made custom reusable cups have been a smash hit so far this festival. I owe my heart to the Bettercup team, thank you for making the lives of those who focus so intently on cups, so much easier.” — Tim Slack, Fringe Operations Coordinator.
The Future of Reuse at Fringe World.
Fringe World is committed to reuse beyond 2025 and has already outlined plans to continue their reusable cup program for 2026.
Long-term sustainability goals include eventual ownership of a branded reusable cup fleet, reducing costs and providing additional marketing and communication opportunities.
More staff training touchpoints will be introduced to ensure consistency across the entire festival.
Sustainability at Scale.
372kg of waste eliminated by increasing the return rates of reusable cups across the festival..
Why this Matters.
Patron buy-in.
84.7% return rate, proving high engagement.
Operational Success.
Logistics and collection systems ran smoothly.
Pathway to Ownership.
Fringe World’s move toward a self-owned cup fleet will reduce long-term costs.
Fringe World’s commitment to a circular economy through Bettercup’s reusable system demonstrates that large-scale events can operate sustainably — without compromising the festival experience.
With further refinements in staff training, communication, and stock distribution, Fringe World is on track to becoming one of Australia’s most sustainable festivals.
