Why We Upgraded the Cupanion Bottle to Be Made with 50% Recycled Content
At Fill it Forward, we’re always looking for better ways to design products that reduce single-use waste and create meaningful impact. That’s why, starting July 2025, we’ve upgraded our signature Cupanion Bottle to be made with 50% recycled content.
To better understand what this change means (and what hasn’t changed), we sat down with JD Sherman, our Product Design Manager, to hear how the switch came to life and why it’s a small but significant step forward.
Q: Why did we decide to make the switch?
We’re always looking to improve our products in ways that align with our mission: to inspire the world to reuse. And upgrading the Cupanion Bottle to be made with 50% recycled content felt like the right step.
We’re using Tritan Renew because it enables us to achieve all of this without compromising the quality or safety of the bottle. The idea was simple: if we can reduce our dependency on virgin material while maintaining the same durability and experience, it’s a step in the right direction.
Q: Does the switch affect how the bottle looks or performs?
Not at all. That was really important to us. If you’ve used a Cupanion Bottle before, this version will feel exactly the same. It’s still the same lightweight, durable, BPA-free, and impact-resistant bottle you know and love.
Q: How do you respond to questions about whether Tritan Renew is truly more sustainable?
That’s a fair question because transparency matters.
Tritan Renew isn’t perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction. It helps us use less new plastic by including 50% certified recycled material. That means we’re giving old plastic a new life instead of starting from scratch. It can be hard to track every piece of recycled plastic, but the process used to make Tritan Renew adds up: half new, half recycled. When we made the switch, we found that it also lowers greenhouse gas emissions by about 8%.
That’s progress, and we believe progress is worth celebrating.
Q: How does this change align with Fill it Forward’s mission and values?
Everything we do is grounded in the idea that small actions add up to a big impact. By choosing better materials, we’re helping our partners and customers make more responsible choices, without making things more complicated. Our Cupanion Bottle, now being made from 50% recycled content, is one of those behind-the-scenes changes that reflects our mission: to inspire the world to reuse.
Q: What should our partners know about offering this upgraded bottle to their communities?
They can feel confident knowing it’s the same Cupanion Bottle they’ve trusted for years, now made with even more intention. Whether they’re using it at a corporate event, in student orientation kits, or as part of a sustainability campaign, it’s a product that tells a great story and makes it easy for people to take action every day.
Q: Any final thoughts you’d like to share?
This isn’t the end—it’s part of a larger journey. We know material innovations can be complex, and we’re always going to be transparent about what we’re doing and why. We see this upgrade as a meaningful step forward, not a perfect solution.
I’ll summarize by saying that nothing has changed at the molecular level, and we’ve been able to realize an 8% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. We’re proud to share this with our community.
Fast Facts about Tritan Renew
- What it is: A durable, BPA-free plastic made by Eastman using molecular recycling to transform single-use plastic waste into high-performance materials.
- Circular by design: Tritan Renew is produced using Advanced Circular Recycling, breaking plastic down to its basic building blocks and turning it into new material, again and again.
- Certified recycled content: Made with 50% certified recycled content, tracked using ISCC PLUS mass balance certification to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Environmental benefit: Helps reduce dependence on fossil-based resources and lowers greenhouse gas emissions by up to 8% compared to traditional plastic.
- Microplastic reduction: Tritan Renew is engineered for long-term use and dishwasher durability, minimizing wear and microplastic shedding compared to lower-grade plastics.
