SIGG

Sigg Switzerland AG is a Swiss manufacturing company with its headquarters in Frauenfeld.^[1] Sigg bottles are bottles designed and manufactured in Switzerland from aluminum or in China from stainless steel.^[2] The aluminum bottles are made by an extruding press which forms an aluminum puck into a cylinder in a single movement after which it is pressed into one of several possible bottle sizes. A separate threading ring is inserted and secured. Once the bottle has been formed, it is cleaned and the interior is sprayed with a food-compatible stove enamel which is heated while the outside is coated and heat bonded with powder paint.^[3]

History

The company was founded in Biel in 1908 by Christopher V. Suba and produced kitchenware, bottles and electrical appliances from aluminum. In 1916 the company moved to Frauenfeld. Since 1998, the company has concentrated on the manufacture of bottles. According to market research, the company name is known by 70 percent of people in German-speaking countries.^[4]

Through the 1980s SIGG manufactured impact-extruded aluminum bottles for stove fuel storage and transport, popular with mountaineers, hikers and campers. Although Sigg no longer sells fuel bottles under its own name, it still manufactures them for companies such as Mountain Safety Research (MSR) and Primus. Aftermarket caps with nozzles permit pouring liquid fuel into stove fuel reservoirs, or some stoves connect directly to the SIGG fuel bottle through an adapter cap and hose. The fuel bottles superficially resemble the water bottles, but lack the special linings of the latter.

Interchangeability

All SIGG bottles use the same diameter head and thread system, which results in interchangeability of bottles and caps. Different cap styles exist, such as a normal screw on cap with loop, caps with glow-in-the-dark markers, sports-bottle caps and caps with added protection from dust.

A Sigg Bottle

Advantages and disadvantages

Aluminum bottles are resistant to shocks and deformations, are lightweight, and protect the contents from light. The interior coating is flexible and is unlikely to break or crack during deformations. Sigg bottles have been determined by Backpacker magazine to be the "world's toughest water bottle" when they fired golf balls at the water bottles with a 100 pound cannon.^[5] The bottle with its internal liner and secure cap allow for carbonated beverages to be transported secure and freshly.^[6]

The disadvantage of thin aluminum is that it does not offer much insulation, which means that condensation can build on the outside of the bottle when cold drinks are transported, and hot drinks will result in a bottle which cannot be comfortably touched. Sigg sells insulating sleeves that protect the bottle from dents, help insulate the beverages inside them and eliminate the condensation issue.^[7] The limited size of the opening also makes it difficult to fill or clean the bottle or to use it for purposes other than drinking, though Sigg now makes wide-mouth bottles, and adapters that allow the use of the standard-size caps. Aluminum bottles are also more prone to dents than stainless steel bottles.^[8]

Evaluating the merits of the bottle liner is difficult, because Sigg refuses to disclose the composition of that lining, claiming that it is a proprietary secret. Some concern exists that the bottles leach bisphenol A (BPA) in amounts that are too small to measure, but still endocrine disrupting.^[9] Some of the listed liner materials are what the company refers to as "water based, non-toxic polymers" which is generically vague.^[10] However, all Sigg bottles manufactured after August 2008 use the "EcoCare" liner, which SIGG states is 'made from BPA-Free and Phthalate-Free ingredients however, no measures are in place to guarantee that said ingredients do not become contaminated as BPA is an ingredient used in the manufacture of their other bottle parts. The previous liner contained trace amounts of BPA, but was shown through many experiments not to leach it; because of proprietary concerns, the company would not reveal whether the liner actually contained BPA. To ensure public satisfaction, they proceeded to create a liner that was made from BPA-free ingredients. The company does not guarantee the bottles are entirely BPA-free, only that the liner is made from BPA-free ingredients.^[11] There have been reported problems with this new liner peeling away from the inside of the bottle at the threads and the interior.^[12] The company acknowledges these defects and replaces these defective bottles at no cost to the consumer under the terms of their warranty, when contacted via email.

Another disadvantage is that the bottles are unsuitable for freezing its contents, as freezing liquids expand in volume and cause the bottle to crack.^[13] Therefore, it is advisable not to keep fluids in the container during extended periods below freezing temperatures.

Design

Each year, new designs of the Sigg bottle are added to the collection while others are no longer produced.^[14] The design of Sigg bottle has led to its addition to the permanent design collection of the New York Museum of Modern Art.^[15] The classic bottle is of a single colour (most often red) whilst more modern bottles can have designs on them and are available in both glossy or matte finishes. Special editions include those made specifically for English band Radiohead's tour in 2008. The band and crew used them^[16] and they were available to buy at shows and now at the band's merchandise website.^[17] In 2009 SIGG partnered with Original Wraps ^[18] to provide fully customizable water bottles using Avery Dennison Vinyl.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sigg.

• sigg.com