Coffee mugs or paper cups? For one German designer, the answer is neither. /VCG Photo

Julian Lechner has created cups made of coffee grounds for lovers of the black beans to savor the flavors they like with minimal waste. /VCG Photo

Lechner collects coffee residue, which otherwise would end up in trash bins, from cafes in Berlin, and mixes it with glues and wood particles to create a new material which he then molds into an array of waterproof drinkware designs. /VCG Photo

From espresso and cappuccino mugs to takeaway cups and saucers, Lechner's concoctions are sustainable and can be used multiple times. /VCG Photo

Lechner’s idea reportedly emerged in 2009 when he was working in Italy and learned design there. /VCG Photo