Raw Materials
Non-disposable hydration products are mostly made of the same materials. Various types of plastics are used for different products and the raw materials come from different places throughout the world. Different companies have different supply chains and suppliers that make each of them unique. Camelbak is a multinational company and utilizes a global supply chain and Polar Bottle does all of its sourcing and manufacturing in the United States.
Camelbak is a well-known hydration product company headquartered in Petaluma, California and it sells products in over 65 countries across the globe (“California SB 657 Disclosure”). Like most multinational companies, Camelbak utilizes a global supply chain. This means that Camelbak gets the materials to make its various hydration products from its supplier companies, which are located across the world. One of the main raw materials that Camelbak has recently implemented in its products is Tritan from Eastman Chemical Company. Tritan was sought after because it is Bisphenol-A (BPA) free and is heat resistant so it can handle the dishwasher. BPA has been notorious for being used in plastic non-disposable water bottles and many companies are getting away from it. Tritan is manufactured in Eastman’s Kingsport, Tennessee manufacturing facility (“Eastman Tritan Copolyester”).
Polar bottle, a hydration products company, makes all of their products out of high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, urethane, Eastman Tritan, and silicone for the gaskets. All but one of these products are sourced from either Boulder, Colorado or Garden City, Missouri. There is one product, the Stainless Steel Half Twist Thermaluxe bottle, that is sourced with materials from China.
Raw Materials Impacts
Camelbak is very particular when it comes to making sure that its suppliers are not corrupt. Camelbak specifies that its suppliers must follow the company’s Code of Conduct. Some suppliers have on-site staff from Camelbak’s headquarters and some suppliers have unannounced visits from the corporate office. These visits include monitoring of labor documentation, health and safety issues, and fire and regulation standards. Confidential interviews with supplier employees are conducted to determine working conditions. Camelbak takes human right very seriously and will terminate business with any supplier who violates the Code of Conduct (“California SB 657 Disclosure”). This a positive social impact made by the company. If Camelbak were to receive raw materials from suppliers who broke the Code of Conduct, the company could face public shame, similar to what Nike faced when it was revealed that the company worked with sweatshops. If this would happen, Camelbak could face a decline in sales, which would harm them economically.