Frequently asked questions

General

What material is used to manufacture Kupilka-products?
  • Kupilka products are manufactured from the custom-made Kareline Natural Fibre Composite-material. Material consists of 50 % Nordic soft wood cellulose from certified forests as the reinforcing material and 50 % food grade polyolefins as an adhesive.

  • During 2024 we gradually proceed to use the renewed Kareline® BioNFC Natural Fibre Composite in all Kupilka manufacturing. This material is already used to make all the products of Mauri Kunnas Kupilka-selection.

  • Products made from Kareline-material age beautifully yet keeping their qualities.

  • Material loss in our production process is very small as all the products that do not meet our quality standards can be recycled back to material to be used again in the manufacturing process.
Kareline® BioNFC Natural Fibre Composite

During 2024 we gradually proceed to use the renewed Kareline® BioNFC Natural Fibre Composite in all Kupilka manufacturing. The material consists of 50 % Nordic soft wood cellulose from the certified Finnish forests and 50 % food grade polyolefins and thebio-based content of the products is increased from 50 % to 62 %.


New material have many good features:

  • Smaller raw materials carbon footprint due to larger bio-based content of the material
  • Easier to clean because of the denser material
  • The products get the light age patina more slowly
  • More precise and deeper laser engraving that last longer
Where are Kupilka-products manufactured?

Kupilkas are made in Finland, in Kontiolahti's Pyytivaara. Kupilka is awarded with both Design from Finland and Key Flag-symbols. Kareline Natural Fibre Composites have the latter one.

How are the different Kupilka-colors achieved?

Kupilka products are dyed with colors that are approved for food contact. There is no coating that would wear off during use as the products are colored thoroughly, yet the coloring of the product can change during time and use according to the properties of Kareline-material.

Is it normal that my Kupilka has a wooden scent?

Your Kupilka is made out of Kareline Natural Fibre Composite so it is normal for it to have a wooden scent. The newer the product, the stronger the scent. The scent will fade away after a few washes.

Do all the Kupilka-products look the same?

Every Kupilka-product is unique by their patterning. Kupilkas are made from Kareline Natural Fibre Composite and products made out of this material alternate in the looks naturally. For example the products from different batch can have a slight difference in coloring. In top of that there can be seen some dots because of the wood fibres content of the material. Differences in the looks or coloring does not affect the quality of the product.

Is it safe to use Kupilka?
  • Yes. Kupilka dishware complies with the requirements of the EC Regulation EC/1935/2004/EC §3 and EU Regulation EU No 10/2011 on materials and articles intending to come into contact with food.

  • Recently, there has been discussion about the possible release of formaldehyde or melamine with products manufactured from a combination of bamboo or other plant fibres and polymers. Kupilka products are manufactured using Finnish cellulose fibre, which is not included in the EU's list of prohibited ingredients in composite products and there is no formaldehyde present during the material manufacturing process. Our products have been approved for use with foods according to the EU standards, and no harmful substances will be released even in long-term use – be it with cold or hot foods.
Can I recycled my Kupilka?

After the life cycle the Kupilkas can be recycled as energy waste, incinerated for heat energy or returned to the manufacturer for re-use. Kindly note that country-specific requirements may vary.

Usage

How do I take care and wash my Kupilka?

Kupilkas are dishwasher safe and easy to take care of. The products are not affected even if you would wash it only after arriving home after the adventure as the Kupilka products do not absorb any of the smells or tastes of the food and drinks.

There are companies that have used Kupilkas for years and washed them countless times with professional dishwasher without Kupilkas to lose they quality. Based on that experience we can say Kupilkas can be washed with a commercial dishwasher.

Can I warm up food or drink in the microwave using Kupilka? Can I cook food with Kupilka on open fire or a stove?

To ensure the longevity of the Kupilka dishes, we do not recommend putting them in the microwave, stove or open fire.

Can I use metallic cutlery with Kupilka?

Metallic cutleries may scratch the surface. We recommend to use Kupilkta-cutleries made out of same material with Kupilka-products in order to keep your products good longer.

What can be served from Kupilka?

The operating temperature of Kupilka is from -30°C to +100 °C. You can have all the cold and hot beverages and foods with no worries from Kupilka whether it was coffee, tea, juice, hot chocolate or alcoholic drinks as the Kupilkas do not absorb the smell or taste of food and drinks.

Can I paint on my Kupilka? How about drilling or sanding the products?
  • For example, you can use high quality acrylic paint to decorate your dishes. Remember to follow the instructions and ensure that the paint is completely cured before using the product.

  • You can drill and sand your Kupilka like a wooden product. Note that very high drilling temperatures might burn and melt the drilling hole. Sanding the surface may affect cleaning of the product.

ORDER AND DELIVERY

I would like to have a personalized Kupilka product. How can I do it?
  • You can order a Kupilka product personalized with a text lasering from our own online store. Lasering is added to order on the product page. Choose "Yes" for the Laser marking and write the wanted text in the right column.
  • Currently logo-laserings are done only for companies and associations. Contact sales@kupilka.fi to get more information.
  • Please take into account that we deliver only to Finland from this online store.
Can I choose the delivery location?
  • The order will be shipped to the pick up point you have chosen.
  • Please make sure if you have Posti's Oma Posti-app in use that you have not chosen your favorite pick up point as the parcel will shift the automatically
  • Please take into account that we only deliver to Finland.

LASER MARKING

There is no Mauri Kunnas or Moomin Kupilka product in your online store I would like to by. What do I do?
  • Current selection can be found from our online store. Mauri Kunnas and Moomin characters are color- and product-specific and we can not make product out of the current range.

  • You can express a wish for certain character by sending email customerservice@kupilka.fi. During the product development process we will follow the wishes and suggestions we have got.
Does the laser marking fade away over the course of time?

The natural aging process fades the laser engraving slightly, but this does not affect the usage of the product.

Why the lasering seems different on my new Kupilka?

During 2024 we gradually proceed to use the renewed Kareline® BioNFC Natural Fibre Composite in all Kupilka manufacturing. The improved material enables deeper and more precise laser marking and thus the laser marking on your product may seem different than in older ones.