In recent years, reusable cup and bottle brands such as Frank Green and KeepCup have competed to attract the attention of eco-conscious consumers.After owning a cafe for nearly a decade, Lauren Yehezkel observed that customers would feel guilty when they didn’t bring in their reusable coffee cup, and would have to resort to takeaway cups.When she accidentally dropped two reusable glass cups in a week – and didn’t have a lid that could be used for the cups in her drawer – she identified a gap in the market.Collaborating with an industrial designer on a prototype, she developed adjustable, reusable lids, and two years later launched Lydy in Australia.Lydy’s reusable lids are compatible with ceramic, paper and glass cups, and are made from 100 per cent food-grade silicone and recycled plastic. They are designed to fit various cup sizes, with the raised spout cover being made from recyclable plastics, such as old shampoo bottles.The Lydy lids are also designed to be more eco-friendly compared to their plastic counterparts , which can take over 450 years to break down in landfill. The microplastics found in plastic cups and lids, which can divide into smaller pieces over time, can create additional environmental problems.Yehezkel told Inside Retail that Lydy’s products had to be functional across different types of cups, so people could grab and go with whatever they had at home.“The adoption rate of reusable cups is not that high because of the inconvenience involved in having to carry and wash it,” she said.“Lydy is not for everyone, and it’s not designed to replace reusable cups. Rather, it’s a way to create more options for people to reduce plastic waste.”Going viral on TikTokAbout three months ago, Yehezkel’s TikTok content for the brand went viral, with the most popular video amassing over 14 million views. As a result, sales grew by about 200 per cent, and distribution inquiries came in from around the world.This led to interest from the United Kingdom, with Lydy recently launching – with an online channel – through an official UK distributor.“Going viral was overwhelming at first, and my inbox was flooded. There were so many comments about why there’s a need for a reusable lid, rather than just reusable cups,” Yehezkel said.“I found that being able to answer these questions through other videos was beneficial, and it provided leverage to communicate your message more clearly. It was also interesting to see the responses afterwards – like ‘oh, I didn’t realise that.’”Yehezek added that Lydy typically resonated with the “imperfect environmentalist” who might not carry a reusable cup at all times but can more easily carry around a lid.She also noted that the brand had made sales across the UK prior to the launch, however high shipping costs, without a dedicated distributor, was a barrier for consumers.Moving away from single-use plasticsAn opinion widely shared by businesses operating in the reusables space is that the Covid-19 pandemic affected the momentum behind the cause.However, Yehezkel observed that Australia has greater take-up of reusables compared to other overseas markets. Yehezkel recently visited New York, and didn’t see anyone using “keep cups.”  Meanwhile, businesses in Australia are increasingly seeking alternative solutions to minimise the use of takeaway cups, and encourage reusables. This will become increasingly important, as restrictions around single-use plastics are set to tighten over the following months.“I think part of the solution is to make it more convenient for people who are aware of their reliance on plastic waste, and to create good products that people enjoy using,” Yehezkel said.She added that Lydy products aren’t just used by people who are eco-conscious. For instance, she explained that Lydy products have been purchased by people with arthritis, who are seeking to minimise spillage.What’s nextRegarding future plans, Yehezkel believes that this strong potential to expand in untapped markets, like the United States, where reusables are set to become more popular over time. “The focus is on attracting wholesalers across Australia and internationally, and [promoting] the product as much as I can,” she said.“So many people are enjoying Lydy but they don’t want to pay such high shipping fees, so I’m working on making it more accessible.”