Eastman's Tritan™ Copolyester Offers Tough, BPA-free Alternative to PC in Tea Tumblers

Innovative housewares brand finum®, known for its patented tea and coffee filters and pots, has launched its first multifunctional tumbler, Traveler Zita™, for perfect leaf tea making while travelling. Riensch & Held GmbH & Co.KG selected Eastman Tritan™ copolyester for both the Tea Control™ Kit and the double-wall tumbler, due to its clarity, dishwasher proof durability and because it is Bisphenol A (BPA)-free.

"We needed a polymer material which resists the temperature changes that occur during tea brewing," says Christian J. Justus, finum® Managing Partner, Riensch & Held. "It also had to be unaffected by dishwashing, be taste-free, easy to clean, and tough enough to withstand rough usage and still look appealing."

"We found that Eastman Tritan™ copolyester easily meets all these parameters. It's also BPA-free, and has been evaluated and received food contact clearances from the European Commission and United States Food and Drug Administration,. We have already used it for our popular series of tea makers Tea Control™, so when we designed the Traveler Zita™, it was an obvious choice for this tumbler too.

"By using leaf tea, Traveler Zita™ is the 'green' alternative to tea bags with their inherent packaging waste."

The new finum® Traveler Zita™ comprises a 0.3l / 10fl.oz double-wall tumbler and its Tea Control™ Kit, both made of Eastman Tritan™ copolyester. Available in three translucent colors, apple green, ruby red and anthracite, the lid resembles a tea cup for easy drinking while the tumbler is closed. The insulated walls of the tumbler make it suitable for hot and cold drinks and the new Corkmec™ seals the spout while on the move.

The ingenious design of the removable Tea Control™ Kit allows the tea lover to insert loose tea leaves of his choice, then add boiling water and let it brew to perfection. By closing the lid the tea leaves are trapped within the tumbler's Tea Control™ mechanism, thereby slowing down the brewing process and keeping the tea as tasty and warm as possible.

For a refill, just re-open Traveler Zita™ and add more boiling water. The Tea Control™ Kit also keeps the leaves together for easy disposal (in a 'green' recycling bin, naturally).

Ascan Wendt, Product Manager of finum®, was impressed by Eastman Chemical Company's exhaustive testing of Tritan™ copolyester. The tests demonstrated its resistance to heating and cooling, as well as kitchen conditions and detergents including multiple washing and drying cycles in commercial and domestic dishwashers. In these tests, Tritan™ showed continued resistance to hazing and stress cracking, and excellent retention of toughness and shatter-proof characteristics.