If I see a café that has a great cup I want to drink a coffee from it!

This cup becomes a calling card for a café. People see you with it and they are like, "where do I get a coffee that looks like that?".

"I see a thoughtfully designed cup as a little piece of art, I feel it justifies the expense"

Then when I'm done with my drink, I'm suddenly conscious of the cup and waste. Kind of like making the invisible visible. Maybe that's why I started my collection, I didn't want to throw away the cups that I had become attached to. Or maybe I'm just a kook!

These cups I selected here are all favorites from over the years. Each has a story to me (which I will spare you). I like cup designs that spark an emotion in me - humor, nostalgia, calm, FOMO etc.

From Nico's in Melbourne
From Cafe Dore in Montevideo.
Designed by artist Berk Armagan
From Pablo's Escobeans in Melbourne

I ultimately think if a place is doing the cups right they are doing a lot more right!


About the artist

Henry Hargreaves is a NYC-based photographer and coffee enthusiast. In his 20+ years as a photographer he’s produced several iconic series that have been featured in publications like Vogue and The New York Times. Henry curates the popular Instagram @coffeecupsoftheworld that has featured over 1,000 different coffee cups designs around the globe.


Check out our collection of customizable coffee cups and sleeves here.