Air up and Eastman launch second-gen drinking bottles with Tritan Renew tech for 50% recyclate use

06 Nov 2023 --- Air up has launched a new reusable bottle line for the European market made with Eastman Tritan Renew that aims to eliminate single-use plastic waste. Tritan Renew is made with 50% certified recycled content using Eastman’s molecular recycling technology, which breaks down hard-to-recycle waste plastics into their molecular building blocks to create new polymers.

Air up is a German company whose refillable bottle system replaces flavored drinks widely available in single-use plastic bottles while providing a satisfying drinking experience. It is the “world’s first” refillable drinking system with retronasal smell, where plain water is flavored through scent. 

“Our approach is to create high-quality products that not only appeal to consumers but also lead to an impact on society and the environment. Our new bottles made with Tritan Renew are a powerful example of how we are actively working to create change with Eastman, a leader in circular materials innovation,” says Lena Jüngst, co-founder and chief evangelist of Air up. 

“We believe it’s time to think new when it comes to product development, recognizing that addressing climate change requires more than simply urging immediate behavior change.”

The Air up bottles with Tritan Renew use 88% less plastic than single-use bottles.Innovation for the hydration market
With Air up bottles, a flavor pod with natural aromas is placed on the mouthpiece. As consumers drink water from the straw, aromatized air is simultaneously drawn in and reaches the olfactory center. “In short, we think we taste cherry or lime when we are only drinking unflavored water,” highlights the company.

The new Air up generation 2 bottles made with Tritan Renew are manufactured in the EU at production facilities that use 100% renewable energy and up to 88% less plastic than single-use plastic bottles. The collection is lightweight, shatter-resistant and available in two sizes — 600 mL and 1 L.

“We are proud to continue our journey with Air up as they launch their new line with Tritan Renew,” says Glenn Goldman, commercial director for plastics at Eastman. “This partnership reflects our shared strong commitment to combating the global plastic waste crisis while providing innovation to the hydration market.”

Eastman is a  rapidly growing start-up with one of the world’s largest material-to-material molecular recycling facilities at its manufacturing site in Kingsport, US. The facility processes 110,000 metric tons of hard-to-recycle waste plastic annually.

Edited by Natalie Schwertheim