Common Myths & Misperceptions About Stainless Steel
Glass and plastic bottle manufacturers have begun to provide retailers and consumers with “disinformation” regarding stainless bottles. Below are the facts regarding stainless steel:
Myth: Glass is “safer” than stainless steel
Fact: Pura manufactures the SAFEST bottles on the global market:
- NonToxic Certified & 100% Plastic-Free – Pura offers the ONLY bottle line on the global market that has been NonToxic Certified by independent non-profit MADESAFE.ORG. This certification process tests for over 80,000 known chemicals including behavioral, developmental, and reproductive toxins, endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, heavy metals, VOCs, etc . No other bottle, including ALL glass and other stainless providers can meet this certification because they ALL use plastic components such as nipple collars, sip spouts, straws, sport tops, flat lids, etc. Note that many independent studies have indicated that ALL plastic (including BPA/BPS-free plastic) can leach toxins that have been linked to various forms cancer and developmental problems in children. Lastly, don’t be fooled by misleading terms for lids, spouts and top such as PP#5, polypropylene, Tritan®, and others that are just fancy names for plastic. Why assume the risk of plastic components when Pura offers a truly 100% plastic-free and NonToxic Certified option?
- Food service grade stainless steel is proven – 18/8 stainless is used in high end cookware, eating utensils, milk pasteurization, beer brewing, medical/surgical rooms and many other applications. Nothing leaches into or out our bottles as shown by the MADE SAFE tests noted above. The same cannot be said of glass bottles that use plastic lids.
- Stainless flexes or bends but glass shatters! – while stainless can dent – it is still usable. The same drop that results in a dent in a steel bottle would have left your floor covered in razor sharp glass shards. Take a look at the disclaimer on glass bottles – they state that their bottles should be thoroughly inspected before each use because they can chip or crack – not really confidence inspiring.
- Stainless eliminates UV degradation of mother’s milk and other beverages – it has been shown that ultraviolet (UV) light degrades mothers milk (search for studies on Google). Glass bottles allow UV light to penetrate milk whereas stainless steel completely blocks all UV rays.
These are the simple facts. We urge you to do your own research and we believe you will come to the same conclusion. Glass is great for windows but stainless is the material you want for your juvenile, sport, and adult bottles.
Myth: Milk, juice, or water might taste of metal
Fact: Does pasteurized milk, draught beer, cooked pasta, or anything you eat with traditional eating utensils taste like metal? Of course not. All Pura bottles are crafted from premium 18/8 food service grade stainless, the same grade of stainless steel as used in milk pasteurization, beer brewing, cookware, and eating utensils. The “metal taste” fear comes from aluminum bottles not stainless steel. Nothing migrates in or out of 18/8 stainless steel, as nobody ever complains that pasteurized milk, draught beer, or anything cooked on the stove top taste like metal.
Concern: Cannot be used in a microwave
Fact: It is well known in the feeding industry and pediatrics that neither mother’s milk nor formula should ever be heated in a microwave oven so this is not relevant for infant feeding. See references at the CDC, Babycenter.com, or do a search on “should I microwave milk” to see for yourself.
Concern: Dents over time
Pura Response: Any drop that would result in a dent in a stainless bottle would have caused a catastrophic failure in a glass or plastic bottle. Further the stainless components are warrantied by us for life. Simply put, Pura products have the longest useful life of any bottle on the market and we back them with the best warranty in the industry.
Myth: Single wall bottles are too hot to handle
Pura Response: glass and plastic bottles are also single wall and simple physics dictates that they transmit the same heat as a stainless bottle albeit at a slower rate. In addition, any liquid that is too hot to touch is much too hot to give to a child as it will burn their mouth. In fact, stainless is BETTER in this respect as it allows caregivers to immediately assess the temp of the bottle contents providing a safer solution. Steel also allows easy and quick heat-up under hot water. For those that want long duration heat or cold retention, we also offer an insulated version the of the Kiki which will keep liquids hot or cold for up to 8 hours.
Myth: Stainless bottles can rust
Pura Response: Stainless steel does not rust but occasionally a contaminant can adhere to the surface of the bottle causing a discoloration. In 95%+ of the cases this can be eliminated by a more thorough scrubbing of the bottle with a scotch brite or the rough edge of a scrubbing pad (do not use a metal brush as this can leave pieces of metal behind). See this industry link for a third party explanation.
Pura employs 18/8 stainless steel – the same material used in milk pasteurization, beer brewing, cookware and eating utensils. This grade of stainless steel does NOT leach anything nor does it absorb flavors (see Myth #1 above for more information).
Further, Pura bottles are the ONLY 100% plastic-free bottles on global market. All plastic has been shown to leach chemicals that have been linked to estrogenic activity (EA). Due to our combination of 18/8 stainless, medical grade silicone, and 100% plastic-free design, Pura bottles are the safest bottles on the market!
Myth: Pura bottles are too expensive
Fact: The Baby Grows… Bottle Evolves™ adaptability and durability of the Kiki line allows one bottle to be used from infancy to school age and even for adults with our Big Mouth™ top. This is in stark contrast to traditional feeding products where each stage bottle is discarded and an entire new set of bottles must be purchased. We also provide a lifetime warranty on the stainless components so you can be sure the bottles are durable. As a result the Pura line is a fraction of the cost of plastic or glass bottles as is evidenced by the success we have had in historically price sensitive regions including Venezuela, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.
Myth: Niche market; will not be high volume
Fact: Pura has won more awards than any other bottle in history including blind tests by a leading pediatrician (BabyGear Lab, see below) and global consumer reviews (ConsumerSearch, a NY Times company.. see below). In addition, we have been featured in more than 400 media/trade reviews and 45 TV shows… none of which were paid for by Pura. In two years the product has been introduced in more than 40 countries and we are expanding our reach daily.
www.babygearlab.com/Sippy-Cup-Reviews
www.babygearlab.com/Transition-Sippy-Reviews
www.babygearlab.com/Baby-Bottle-Reviews/Ratings
www.consumersearch.com/baby-bottles/pura-stainless-steel-kiki-infant-bottle
Our products are unique and have been proven to be the safest bottle on the market. In addition, we do not merely source existing products like many brands; rather all of our products are designed in-house in the USA and are covered by more than 15 patents and patents pending around the world. We have a compelling product development queue that will continue to bring innovative solutions to the industry.
Pura Kiki is the ONLY bottle on the global market that is completely devoid of plastic thereby unequivocally being free of BPA, EA, etc. New research shows that all plastic (incl. BPA-free plastic) causes estrogenic activity (EA) which, ironically, is the same affect that BPA has on the human body. In the end, consumers are, and will continue to, seek a completely plastic-free feeding solution. In addition, our unique Baby Grows… Bottle Evolves™ design allows bottles to operate with almost any nipple or spout AND to adapt as the child grows. No more throwing out 25+ bottles over the first several years of life. In short, Pura Kiki is both cost effective and eco-progressive.
Lastly, while we sell many bottles on our unique benefit set, in the end consumers are attracted by the sleek modern design and fun colors and we easily combat misconceptions such as those posed above in our markets around the world. In sum, this is anything but a niche market; rather it is a large incremental and unfulfilled space where our products have long term sustainable advantages.
Concern: Made in China
Fact: It is true that Pura manufacturers in China, as do all other stainless bottle manufacturers. However, we employ a vastly different manufacturing process than virtually all of our competitors:
- Pura does NOT simply source existing designs/products from vendors in China. Our products are unique to Pura, were designed by our in-house engineering and product development team and backed by more than 15 patents and patents pending around the world (including the USA, China, Europe, etc)
- Pura owns all the tooling and molds for our products so we control the tolerances, design, and ultimately function of our products.
- Pura employs our own on-site (in China) inspections to ensure all products meet our exacting standards
- Pura executives personally visit, inspect, and help set-up our manufacturing lines. Our execs have travelled to China twelve times in the past three years
In addition, Pura sets the highest standard in the industry for quality, materials, and responsible contract manufacturing:
- Pura Stainless bottles are crafted from anti-bacterial 18/8 stainless steel. The interior surfaces of all Pura bottles are free of linings, coatings or any other potentially toxic chemicals so you can be sure that nothing will ever leach into your liquid.
- All bottles and components have been independently tested by internationally recognized testing labs and have no detectable amounts of Bisphenol-A (BPA), Estrogenic Activity causing compounds(EA), phthalates, or nitrosamines. We are happy to report that we meet all FDA and CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Initiative Act) regulations and guidelines as well as the European Commission regulation EN 14350 and German LFGB tests, something that most of our competitors cannot claim.
- We are also pleased that our factory treats its employees and the environment with respect. Pura Stainless conducts routine inspections of the facility where its products are produced. We take the responsibility of manufacturing overseas seriously and diligently.
