A YOUNG businessman is combining environmental values with entrepreneurship as he launches a new product.

Sweet Bamboo is the brainchild of George Sweet, a former Saltash Community School student who graduated from his degree in Environmental Science at Plymouth University last year.

With the aim of reducing the amount of plastic coffee cups going to landfill and ending up in the oceans, George has created a sustainable coffee cup made from stainless steel and bamboo.

When looking to translate his idea into reality, George’s first port of call was UK Bamboo – the main importer and exporter of bamboo in this country.

“I asked them if it would be possible to make a coffee cup from bamboo. They then got me into contact with a manufacturer in China which own sustainable bamboo plantations. The manufacturer also creates bamboo products if it’s viable to do so.

“One of my closest friends Ryan Barriball, who has a first class degree in Architecture, helped me design the logo and how it would look being engraved into the bamboo.”

As George set up his company, he got funding from the Formation Zone Department at the University of Plymouth. This helped him fund his website and the first lot of stock - 450ml drinks bottles.

“After selling just the bottles earlier this year, I had a big demand on people specifically wanting travel coffee cups,” he said.

“Both products have been shipped as far as Scotland.”

To help offset the carbon emissions caused by shipping, George is collaborating with another company so every time a product is sold, a tree is planted in the UK.

As well as the coffee cups George also offers 500ml bamboo wrapped drinks bottles - to stay updated follow @Sweet_bamboo on Instagram and to buy one of the items visit www.sweetbamboo.co.uk