There's hardly anything more symbolic of an outdoor party or picnic than the red disposable plastic cup. But neither the aesthetic appearance nor the environmental impact of such disposable tableware is anything to celebrate. Luckily, Japanese sustainable design company WASARA has a solution that's both elegant and ecologically responsible with their line of single-use, biodegradable, compostable tableware.

Created by designer Shinichiro Ogata, the 15-piece collection is made entirely out of tree-free renewable materials – sugar cane fiber, bamboo and reed pulp – and is surprisingly reasonably priced, starting at $9 for a pack of 12 small plates.

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Maria Popova is the editor of Brain Pickings, a curated inventory of miscellaneous interestingness. She writes for Wired UK, GOOD Magazine and Huffington Post, and spends a shameful amount of time on Twitter.