The cups in our kraft paper cup line undergo no additional bleaching process and are the natural brown color of the paper itself. World Centric hot cups are also biodegradable and compostable, lined with NatureWorks Ingeo™ polylactic acid (PLA), which is derived from corn grown in the USA. Most cups you'll find on the market are lined with polyethylene and wont compost. Ours are compostable and heat resistant up to 200° Fahrenheit.