This or That: Reusable water bottles, SIGG or Klean Kanteen?
Reusable water bottles, SIGG or Klean Kanteen?
So you've finally made the decision to buy a reusable water bottle and stop filling the landfills with the disposable plastic versions, but what brand is going to get you the most in the way of "green" points? Two of the biggest brand names claiming eco-friendly status are SIGG and Klean Kanteen, and here are the basics on each:
SIGG: Made of aluminum with an inner lining made of some sort of mystery epoxy (to keep the water from contacting the aluminum). Made in Switzerland.
Klean Kanteen: Made of stainless steel, no inner lining necessary. Made in China.
Klean Kanteen seems to win this one, if only on the simple argument that since they're both made of recycled/recyclable materials, and neither is made here in the U.S. (they both have to travel a long way) the one that doesn't require the extra step of an inner coating theoretically uses less energy to produce and is therefore more environmentally friendly. Thoughts?
This argument could get a lot deeper, feel free to share in the comments!
So you've finally made the decision to buy a reusable water bottle and stop filling the landfills with the disposable plastic versions, but what brand is going to get you the most in the way of "green" points? Two of the biggest brand names claiming eco-friendly status are SIGG and Klean Kanteen, and here are the basics on each:
SIGG: Made of aluminum with an inner lining made of some sort of mystery epoxy (to keep the water from contacting the aluminum). Made in Switzerland.
Klean Kanteen: Made of stainless steel, no inner lining necessary. Made in China.
Klean Kanteen seems to win this one, if only on the simple argument that since they're both made of recycled/recyclable materials, and neither is made here in the U.S. (they both have to travel a long way) the one that doesn't require the extra step of an inner coating theoretically uses less energy to produce and is therefore more environmentally friendly. Thoughts?
This argument could get a lot deeper, feel free to share in the comments!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-12-2008 @ 1:43PM
Ryan said...
I generally prefer things not made in China...you see "Made In China" EVERYWHERE, it's almost refreshing to see a "Made In..." mark from another place. Granted, I have no idea what business practices are like in Switzerland, so I could be putting my foot in my mouth for that one. >.<
I had no knowledge of the "Klean Kanteen" brand, but I have a habit of collecting water bottles, so I'll definitely keep it in mind!
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8-12-2008 @ 4:42PM
Lisa said...
I don't trust SIGG, even if they are Swiss. First, they are making the bottle out of aluminum, which has been linked to health problems in human. Then they are lining the bottle with a mysterious epoxy whose content they refuse to disclose.
What's the point of switching from BPA-containing Nalgene bottles to bottle lined with a mysterious plastic that may turn out, ten years from now, to be at least as dangerous.
If people are that concerned about things made in China, it's time to convince SIGG to make an unlined, stainless-steel bottle.
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8-13-2008 @ 3:16PM
Pat Marida said...
So what can be in the steel that they are making in China? A little mercury, maybe? Maybe some radioactive metals like they are now using in US cookward? Who knows. Whatever is in the steel or the lining will leach into the contents of the bottle. More leachate will come from the lining than the steel.
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8-15-2008 @ 6:40AM
Jacqueline D'Elia said...
Sure wish we could go back to the glass lined thermos style but put in into a new style. Glass has always be safe to drink from, right?
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8-16-2008 @ 3:54AM
Steven said...
After the BPA news we promptly switched from our #7 bottles to SIGG bottles and have been very pleased with their "performance" thus far. There's absolutely no funky taste like you sometimes get with some plastic bottles. One thing about the SIGG bottles is they do dent. Also, I guess this mystery coating could, like a previous commenter opined, turn out to be potentially harmful in the future. Right now I'm giving SIGG a positive endorsement.
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8-17-2008 @ 3:09PM
JPP said...
Looks like BPA isn't dangerous after all...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/16/business/16chemical.html?ref=health
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8-19-2008 @ 4:09PM
Nena said...
Just because one bottle uses an additional step in the process doesn't mean there's more energy being used or a greater environmental impact. I question China's industrial processes, one step for them could have the impact of several steps in another country. Too simplistic. But maybe it could still have a positive effect if enough people switch from plastic. I wish that liner on the Swiss bottles could be evaluated as definitely safe before they're touted all over.
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8-21-2008 @ 4:27PM
Christian said...
I agree with jacqueline
Glass is the safest container in the world,
stainless steel, aluminum, and plastic do not stand up to glass.
IF glass leeched.. it would leech stone, theres no problem with drinking the minerals from stones.
but it does not leech, perfectly safe
I drink from a reusable glass milk bottle, funny looks are part of the club
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8-27-2008 @ 9:50PM
Micah said...
Even though the study seem sto say that the aluminum has no effect... these studies have been around for a long time and scares me off from the SIGG brand.
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=99
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