Finally, A Safe Sippy Cup
I am so excited to have found a non-leaching, safe sippy cup made by Klean Kanteen , the stainless steel alternative to plastic. Klean Kanteen makes the best stainless steel water bottles. They are odor free and do not taste like metal. We have tried other stainless steel bottles that smell horribly and are lined with epoxy. Plastic/polycarbonate bottles leach bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that mimics the hormone estrogen, and can cause chromosomal abnormalities. An article a friend gave me stated that baby bottles are made of the worst kind of plastic, as well as the Nalgene bottles I have used for decades. Any Klean Kanteen bottle can be turned into a sippy cup by buying the adaptor and spouts. Of course the Klean Kanteen sippy cup costs more than plastic versions, but the cost is small when you consider the benefit to your child’s health. Besides, as my daughter said, now my son is the coolest kid in preschool with his shiny Klean Kanteen sippy cup.
Here are a couple links to articles discussing the dangers of plastic food and beverage containers:
Hazards of Hydration (Sierra Club)
Bottle Racket (Grist)
The only drawback to the Klean Kanteen sippy cup is it is made in China. The company states it is “responsibly made in China”, but for a few of my friends boycotting Chinese products, this may be a tough decision. I have pledged to boycott Chinese products due to their human rights violations (especially in regards to Tibet), however I have found it almost impossible to completely avoid Chinese products. Even Melissa and Doug toys are made in China! Since signing the pledge to boycott Chinese products, I have become more aware of where the products I buy are made. On many occassions, I have decided not to buy something because it was made in China; however, the Klean Kanteen sippy cup offers the only alternative to plastic sippy cups I have found. Thus, I decided to violate my pledge by purchasing this safe, sippy cup. For more information on boycotting China, please visit Access to Awareness.
Hi Jennifer!
Sigg also makes great water bottles that are aluminum on the outside and have an enamel coating on the inside. They’re made in Switzerland. Here’s a link to their website:
http://www.sigg.ch/
Great blog.
-esther
I have seen these water bottles before, but not the kid versions. I do have concerns with aluminum food/water containers, even though the link to Alzheimers hasn’t been proven (look how long it has taken to “prove” global warming is human caused). If the lining is damaged on your Sigg bottle, you are no longer safe from leaching effects. It would be difficult to inspect the inside of a water bottle for such damage.
I read an interesting article on the Sigg bottles:
http://www.reusablebags.com/news.php?action=details&id=144
Glad to see there are more alternatives to the plastic sippy cups!
The Klean Kanteen is stainless steel! There is no lining on the Klean Kanteen bottle either! Ideally, glass would be best, but obviously you wouldn’t want your toddler running around with a glass bottle. I wonder what the other ingredients in the “water-based” lining of the Sigg bottle are, and how they hold up over time. Another benefit of the stainless steel Klean Kanteen sippy cup is you can put hot beverages in it. My daughter likes to take herbal tea to school in her Klean Kanteen bottle.
Thanks Esther!
To Whom It May Concern:
Born Free is a Bisphenol-A FREE baby feeding company. We have a full range of bottles, training and drinking cups. Please check out our products at http://www.newbornfree.com
Hope to see you soon.
Thanks Ron! It is nice to see there are more alternatives. If you have any samples, we would love to test them out.
I use glass cups a lot for my children. True they can’t run around with them, but I really don’t feel that is necessary. I offer them drinks frequently to sit at the table. I know others who have to send their children to preschool may not have this option, but many Montessori schools have the same philosophy. I try to speak out about over consumerism, but I feel myself sometimes being sucked into the consumerism of the all natural products. Don’t get me wrong, I am so happy that there are many more healthy options out there now, I just know for myself, I can easily be sucked in. I try to live as simply as I am able to, which sometimes isn’t all that simple, but I am trying!
I use glass cups a lot for my children. True they can’t run around with them, but I really don’t feel that is necessary. I offer them drinks frequently to sit at the table. I know others who have to send their children to preschool may not have this option, but many Montessori schools have the same philosophy. I try to speak out about over consumerism, but I feel myself sometimes being sucked into the consumerism of the all natural products. Don’t get me wrong, I am so happy that there are many more healthy options out there now, I just know for myself, I can easily be sucked in. I try to live as simply as I am able to, which sometimes isn’t all that simple, but I am trying!
Sitting down to drink sets good habits! We have a lot in common….I too can get sucked into consumerism of natural products. It is hard to break old habits.
In response to esther’s comment: An epoxy resin water based lining coats the interior of Sigg bottles. The reason they test them to see if they leach Bisphenol-A (a potent known endocrine disruptor) is because they contain BPA. Their test results do show no leaching, it’s true. But the test is a short term one, with new bottles and room temperatures. Since polycarbonate is known to start leaching BPA over time with repeated cleanings, it leaves one to wonder how this ‘epoxy resin’ *wouldn’t* leach BPA over time with repeated cleanings. While Klean Kanteens aren’t as cute and are heavier, they leach nothing and have no plastics, plasticisers or BPA. I hestitated for a long time to get them, but i found myself not using my plastic 2 and 5 bottles b/c I can taste the plastic over the course of the day…..and when i’m not using a reuable bottle, i (hangs head in shame) buy bottles of water. So I finally invested in 3 KK’s for the kids and I to use when out…and the Built NY sleeves that go with them (maintains temp, dampens sound when they hit things, keeps from denting) and I got one Guyot 38oz (The Standard) to store more water for when we’re out and about. It also has a built NY sleeve -the 32 oz one fits.
I agree Katherine! I question the Sigg liner, and I am very happy with our Klean Kanteens…dents and all!
Found another from Thermos called Foogo
http://www.thermos.com/product_catalog.aspx?CatCode=Foog&SubcategoryID=43
Good luck.