Eastman
Chemical Company announced today that three of its customers, Hourglass
Coffee, Polar Plastech, Inc., and Cox Culinary Emporium (CCE), will introduce
new products at the 2009 International Home and Housewares Show (IHHS) from
March 22 to 24 in Chicago. The new housewares products are made with Eastman
Tritan™, a new-generation copolyester that balances design flexibility
and ease of processing with dishwasher durability, and chemical and heat resistance,
and is manufactured without bisphenol-A (BPA).
“After launching Eastman Tritan™ copolyester into the housewares
market at IHHS in 2008, we are proud to showcase this year innovative products
that demonstrate the continued versatility and growing applications of Tritan
in the housewares category,” said Fred Colhoun, market development manager
of Eastman Chemical Company. “Tritan provides unique and value-added properties
to housewares products, including dishwasher durability, shatter resistance
and glasslike clarity.”
Hourglass Coffee, based in Portland, Ore., uses Eastman Tritan™ copolyester
in its Hourglass® Cold Brew Coffee System, which uses a slow cold water
extraction process to develop a raw coffee extract that is naturally low in
bitter acids and unhealthy oils. The new coffee system does not require electricity,
and when selecting a material, durability was important for making the system
easily portable and shatterproof. To add to the product’s ease of use,
the coffee system’s components are dishwasher-safe.
“Utilizing Eastman Tritan™ copolyester for our product allowed
us to offer our consumers a long-lasting, durable product that meets our goal
of providing them with products that promote health,” said Kim Kapp, director
of marketing for Hourglass Coffee. “The glasslike clarity and coloring
opportunities also helped us design a high-quality aesthetic.”
Polar Plastech, a high-end plastic technology company based in Odessa, Fla.,
produces its innovative plastic beverage system, Polar Pitcher®, with Eastman
Tritan™ copolyester. The 60-ounce Polar Pitcher includes an inner ice
chamber that keeps beverages cold without diluting the beverage. Polar Plastech
chose Tritan because of its dishwasher durability, and its odor and stain resistance,
allowing it to uphold safety and sanitation standards.
“One of the main reasons we designed Polar Pitcher was to provide a sanitary
way to keep beverages cool, so it was important that the material used to develop
the pitcher maintained sanitation standards,” said Steve Roberts, president
of Polar Plastech. “Additionally, the pitcher is often used in outdoor
seating and pool areas, so it was important the pitchers were durable and shatter-resistant.
Eastman Tritan™ copolyester provided all those attributes.”
CCE, an entrepreneurial firm based in Suwanee, Ga., uses Eastman Tritan™
copolyester to provide customers with clear, reusable serving products that
are tough and shatter-resistant for both the commercial and retail markets.
The innovative serving ware line incorporates three sizes of plates and glasses
in four styles: champagne, wine, martini and manhattan. The glasses fit securely
into the plates, allowing users to carry both food and a drink while keeping
one hand free.
“We were looking for a material that was BPA-free, maintained clarity
and integrity through continued dishwashing and use, and provided a quality
aesthetic,” said Jim Cox, owner of CCE. “Eastman Tritan™ copolyester
offered all those properties, as well as design flexibility.”
Eastman sponsored a panel and product showcase during the opening day of IHHS
with its newest customers, as well as customer partners who have developed products
with Eastman Tritan™ copolyester during the last year, including Thermos
and Blackwell Plastics. The panel and product showcase demonstrated the attributes
of Tritan; its varying applications in the housewares industry; its ability
to meet consumer demands for BPA-free alternatives, sustainable and durable
products, and high-quality aesthetics; as well as how it is transforming the
future of housewares.
Eastman Tritan™ copolyester has been utilized in the housewares, infant
care and small appliance markets and has been recognized for its durability,
chemical and heat resistance, and more. Companies such as Vita-Mix, Thermos,
KOR One, Nalgene and Evenflo have used Tritan to develop innovative, trendsetting
products.