Search for Tritan wine glasses and you will find both: plastic sets that cost about the price of a pizza, and crystal glasses that cost several times that. They share a name by coincidence of branding, and plenty of buyers do not realise it. This page sorts out which is which, what “BPA-free” means in plain words, and what is and is not known about safety.
What Tritan plastic is
Tritan is a trade name for a copolyester plastic made by the company Eastman. It was developed as a clear, tough material that does not need BPA to make it, which is why it took over from polycarbonate in many water bottles, kitchen jugs and reusable cups. On a wine glass it gives you three things people want: it is clear, it is hard to break, and it is sold as dishwasher-safe without clouding as quickly as older plastics.
It does not give you the feel of crystal. Moulded Tritan rims are thicker than a mouth-blown rim, and the glass is light in a different way. For what that means for the wine, see the plastic wine glasses buying guide.
The name mix-up: Tritan plastic vs Tritan crystal
Schott Zwiesel, the German glassmaker, also uses the name Tritan, for a crystal glass in which lead is replaced by titanium and zirconium. Retailers describe it as lead-free, resistant to chipping and safe for the dishwasher. It is glass: it can still break, just much less readily than ordinary glass. Elsewhere on this site, “Tritan” next to Schott Zwiesel means this glass.
Two materials that share one name
| Compared | Tritan (Eastman) | Tritan crystal (Schott Zwiesel) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A copolyester plastic | A lead-free crystal glass with titanium and zirconium |
| Contains BPA? | No | No: it is glass |
| If you drop it | Usually bounces | Resists chips, but can still break |
| Dishwasher | Sold as dishwasher-safe | Sold as dishwasher-safe |
| Feel at the lip | Thicker, moulded rim | Thin, glass rim |
| How to spot it in a listing | Says plastic, BPA-free or unbreakable | Says crystal glass, often with the Schott Zwiesel name |
What BPA is, in plain words
BPA is short for bisphenol A, a chemical used to make some plastics hard and clear. It was widely used in polycarbonate, the tough clear plastic of older reusable cups. In 2012 US regulators stopped allowing BPA-based resins in baby bottles and sippy cups, saying manufacturers had already moved away from them. A glass labelled “BPA-free” is therefore one made without that chemical. That is all the label promises.
Is Tritan safe? The honest answer
The maker says Tritan is free of hormone-like (estrogenic) activity, based on independent laboratory testing, and that regulators including the FDA, Health Canada and the European Food Safety Authority have cleared it for contact with food.
That claim has been challenged. A 2011 study by two testing companies reported hormone-like activity in many plastics sold as BPA-free, Tritan among them, in some cases after the plastic was stressed by heat, dishwashing or sunlight. Eastman disputed the results and the way they were produced, and the matter went to court. Coverage at the time stressed that it is not settled whether the tiny amounts that might come from everyday use have any effect on people.
So the honest position is that Tritan is widely sold and cleared for food use, and that a public scientific dispute about it has not been resolved either way. If you buy Tritan, a sensible routine takes the main worry out: keep it out of the microwave, avoid leaving it in a hot car or in strong sun for long, and replace it when it is deeply scratched. If you would rather have no doubt at all, buy glass.
Further reading: Plastics Today on estrogenic activity in plastics and NPR’s report on the dispute.
Which Tritan should you buy?
- Tritan plastic for the pool, patio, boat, camp or a party where glass is a risk. Cheap, light and you will not mind if one goes missing.
- Tritan crystal for every day at the table, if your worry is the dishwasher and the cupboard rather than a trip to the pool. It is real glass with a thin rim and a better feel.
- Neither if the wine is the point of the evening. Use a proper glass. See the best universal wine glasses.
Tritan: your questions
What is Tritan?
Tritan is a trade name for a clear, tough copolyester plastic made by Eastman. It was developed to be made without BPA and is used in reusable bottles, cups and glasses.
Is Tritan glass or plastic?
Eastman's Tritan is plastic. Schott Zwiesel also uses the name Tritan for a lead-free crystal glass with titanium and zirconium added, which is real glass. Check the listing for the material before you buy.
Is Tritan BPA-free?
Tritan plastic is made without BPA. A BPA-free label says only that, and not that every other chemical in the plastic has been tested.
Is Tritan safe to drink from?
Its maker says Tritan is free of hormone-like activity and cleared for food contact by regulators including the FDA, Health Canada and the European Food Safety Authority. A 2011 study reported hormone-like activity in some BPA-free plastics, Tritan included, and the maker disputes it. The question has not been settled, so keep Tritan away from the microwave and strong heat, replace it when scratched, or choose glass.
Is Tritan dishwasher safe?
Tritan plastic is sold as dishwasher-safe, usually on the top rack. Check each product's care instructions, because some sets say hand-wash only.
Is Schott Zwiesel Tritan crystal real glass?
Yes. It is a lead-free crystal in which titanium and zirconium replace the lead. It resists chips better than ordinary glass and is sold as dishwasher-safe, but it can still break.
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