It’s just a fact of life: today there is a greater focus being placed on healthy living and eco-friendly products. With this in mind, more than ever before people are grabbing their own personal water bottle and heading off to school, the gym, the office or anywhere else they might want to fill up with some liquid refreshment—without leaving an environmental footprint. The time has never been better for the sports bottle and reusable drinkware market. With so many diverse likes, looks and needs in a product, there is surely a supplier to meet the demand.
WHY, OH WHY?
Melissa Hoffman, sales manager for Huffermen Inc., Phoenix, explained the ubiquity of sports bottles and cups in today’s market. “Drinkware is a profitable product in so many areas,” she said. “I remember a time when water bottles were almost non-existent in the retail market. Now they are everywhere. Water bottles, travel mugs, stadium cups and coffee mugs are sold as promotions products.” She noted gift shops, department stores, airports, sports arenas and pro shops as some of the top retail outlets for the drinkware market. “Drinkware is a product that people will use almost every day,” Hoffman said. “If you have an end-user who wants to keep their message in the public eye, drinkware is the perfect choice.”
Drinkware is the perfect choice for two simple reasons: imprint area and longevity. Bottles, especially those intended to hold large amounts of fluid, have large imprint areas and can be seen from a distance. Drinkware pieces are also built to last. They are products that will live for years in an office, gym or home. And as Hoffman pointed out, they are kept and used on a regular basis.
HIGH TECH & HIGH FASHION
However easy fill, sip and go seems, technology is always changing for bottles and cups. The needs of a sponsored cycling team will be different than a third grade class or a financial institution. To meet the needs of users, there’s always a fresh new feature being added to the market place. “Suppliers are constantly seeking the next water bottle,” said Jim Martin, vice president of Numo, Kaufman, Texas. “First, there was the polycarbonate bottle, then aluminum, and then stainless. Recently, we’ve seen the collapsible water bottle and the filtered bottle,” he explained.
It’s a competitive market and the race to the latest craze is always on, with more industry suppliers jumping into the race ever day. Whether you are looking to filter your water directly from your sports bottle or want to infuse it with strawberry and lemon spa-style, there’s a supplier willing and able to make that bottle a reality. “I believe we’re seeing a real trend toward design driven by utility,” Martin noted. “The suppliers that are driving the market are bringing their own unique ideas to the industry rather than relying on their own [manufacturers].”
CONTROVERSY IN CUPS
While the controversy over the dangers of bisphenol-A (BPA) rages on, many suppliers have simply removed products containing BPA from their product line entirely. “The issue regarding BPA was blown out of proportion by the media and there are still misconceptions today,” Hoffman stated. “Although we still have distributors asking about BPA, the questions have definitely declined. Most suppliers, including Huffermen, have eliminated products that contain BPA.”
However, for distributors selling drinkware, it’s not enough to assume all drinkware products are BPA-free. Martin noted that at Numo, their product line is also BPA-free, but cautioned distributors about a couple of BPA issues that can come up when placing orders. “One potential issue for distributors is to be cautious when ordering closeouts and discontinued items from suppliers, as they may be old stock manufactured before the BPA issues. The same holds when placing reorders,” he said. Martin also warned that BPA can creep up where you least expect it. “Take the time to understand the decorating methods that are being used on your items, particularly as they relate to product safety. If a mug or bottle is BPA-free and Prop. 65-compliant when blank, don’t think that it is after it’s been decorated,” he said. The most important thing to do before placing a drinkware order is to ask questions.
INSIDE THE CRYSTAL BALL
While it’s impossible to predict the future, there are certain factors that will impact the drinkware market, particularly in manufacturing. “The bulk of drinkware supplied to the industry is made in Asia. [That being said,] access to labor, particularly in China, is becoming a bigger and bigger issue,” Martin explained. “[Labor issues], coupled with currency movement, are leading to higher costs. We are particularly witnessing rising costs in the more commodity-oriented items.”
Global woes aside, both Martin and Hoffman concur that the market will continue to innovate and grow. “The future for drinkware looks great. We all need to drink to live,” Hoffman said. “Drinkware will remain a staple product in this industry for many years to come.”
