Walking Equipment and Accessories

Kupilka 225 Spork | Review

A humble, beautiful spork from a Scandinavian brand with a commendable environmental ethos

Why We Chose This: eco-friendly, lightweight, practical

Price: £9
Weight: 16g
More info: kupilka.fi

This, the Spork 225 is much more eco-friendly than your standard spork. Rather than nasty hard plastics or metals, it’s made using 50% pinewood from Finland and 50% thermoplastic.

OK that plastic buzzword is still there, yes, but don’t fear, because Kulpika, the Finnish company behind this has ensured that there’s zero carbon footprint in its production. In fact, the business as a whole is totally neutral in its eco impact – the offices, for instance, are heated by the waste heat from their production process.

Each of Kulpika’s products are manufactured using what they call EkoEnergy, that’s energy that is carbon neutral, and they’re all totally recyclable when they’ve reached the end of their life (which they probably won’t, unless an accident happens). Even the packaging is made using recycled and recyclable cardboard.

“Kupilka’s products range from cups and cutlery to fire steels, chopping boards and shot glasses.”

Weighing just 16g, the spork itself is ideal for backpackers who like to take a lightweight approach. At 225mm in length its also the right size for use with those deep dehydrated meal pouches.

It’s definitely less durable than a metal spork, and most plastic ones as well, but that’s not to say it’s flimsy. You’d have to bend this reasonably aggressively in order to snap it (we didn’t want to test our sample out to that extreme – it’s too nice), and as a matter of fact, Kupilka say it will be much more durable in extreme cold weather than plastic will be.

The Spork 225 can be safely dipped into boiling water, it’s machine washable and its materials aren’t sensitive to humidity, meaning that they won’t absorb the smell or taste of food and drinks.

Kupilka’s products range from cups and cutlery to fire steels, chopping boards and shot glasses, and the eco story is the same throughout. We want the lot.

There are more colour variations and a shorter version of this called the Spork 205 also available on the Kupilka website.

Tester’s Verdict

Will Renwick, Outdoors Magic Editor

“The eco efforts here are certainly commendable, the products look great, and they’re quite simply just really practical. As a long-distance walker, I’m always looking for ways to keep my pack weight down, and will be as picky about the weight of my cutlery as I will be about the weight of my sleeping bag. So, at 16g, the Kulpika definitely floats my boat.”

Trade Secrets

Kupilka Staff

“Kupilka Spork 225 is made from a biomaterial which we’ve developed together with Puugia Wood Technology Centre in the Eastern part of Finland. That’s where our carbon neutral production facilities are also located. Our aim was to design a spork that is not only ecological, lightweight and durable – thanks to its unique material – but also pleasant to use.