No one told me I’d need to become an expert in man-made materials when I became a mom—but it’s certainly become a part of my role. With some types of plastics leeching potentially harmful materials into my kids’ food products, I’ve learned a lot about which materials are safe to purchase (and which materials to avoid). Silicone is a popular material used in kid’s products like lunchboxes and baby teethers—so how does it compare to common types of plastic like PVC or PE?
Glossary
Did you know? Some types of plastics are better than others. Here’s a quick breakdown of what we’ll be discussing in this article:
Types of Plastic:
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): A high-strength thermoplastic also known as vinyl used in wide variety of industries. Because it contains chemical additives like phthalates, it can be harmful to human health.
- Polyethylene (PE): One of the most commonly used plastics in the world (think: sandwich bags). It contains chemical additives and can be harmful to human health.
- Polypropylene (PP): Considered the safest type of plastic because of its high level of heat resistance. It’s a tougher type of plastic than PE, preferred for food storage products.
- Tritan: Tritan is a long-lasting type of plastic known for its durability and toxin-free composition. Because it’s heat-resistant and 100% BPA-free, it’s considered safe for humans.
Other Materials:
- Glass: Glass is non-porous and considered safe for humans. It can be hard to recycle glass, however, without a special trip to the local recycling center.
- Stainless Steel: A durable, chemically non-reactive material considered safe for humans.
- Silicone: A rubber-like material considered safe because of its durability and toxin-free composition (aka, the material this article is about! Keep reading for more info).
In this guide, I’ll tell you everything I know about silicone:
- What is silicone?
- Silicone vs. PVC and PE plastic
- How to select silicone food storage products
- More alternatives to plastic
what is silicone?
Quick answer: Silicone is a made-made, rubber-like material with a few key differences from traditional plastic.
The Global Silicones Council defines silicone as “class of synthetic polymers that are based on a framework of alternating silicon and oxygen (siloxane) bonds with at least one organic group attached to the silicon atom via a direct carbon-silicon bond.”
That’s a very technical way of saying that silicone is a man-made material formed by using the naturally occurring “silicon” (note: no “e” at the end–that’s the one on the periodic table!) and oxygen. It creates what some consider a type of rubber and others consider a type of plastic (there’s not a 100% consensus among experts).
wait—is silicone plastic?
If silicone is considered a type of plastic, how could it possibly be any better for you, your kids, or the environment?
First, it’s helpful to understand what we mean when we talk about “plastic.” If you’re like me, the term “plastic” might make you think of single-use plastic (like sandwich bags) or hard, but not very environmentally-friendly plastic (like the cheap toy you stepped on this morning).
These plastic items are, well… plastic. But the term encompasses a broader variety of items and materials than sandwich bags and kid’s meal toys. Technically speaking, it’s anything that could be considered “synthetic or semi-synthetic polymers that are lightweight, strong, durable, and, when desired, flexible.”
That basically means it’s a vague, broad variety of materials created through multiple chemical reactions. And there is no universally agreed-upon definition of plastic in the United States.
So, some types of plastic are certainly better—for you and for the environment—than others. For example, PP (Polypropylene) and Tritan are types of plastic that are both chemically nonreactive and recyclable. So, if you’re going to use a type of plastic (which is often unavoidable), try to find one of the safer ones like PP.
Did you know? b.box for kids only uses chemically stable (aka, non-toxic) ingredients in their food products. If you shop with b.box for kids, you’ll only find products made with silicone, PP, Tritan, and stainless steel—more on all these materials later
Where does that leave silicone?
silicone vs. PVC and PE plastic
Is silicone better than plastic? The short answer: yes.
Even if you consider silicone to be a type of plastic (and some experts do), it’s still better than the single-use baggies and cheap, easily breakable material we discussed above. That’s because silicone:
- Doesn’t leach chemicals into your food or drinks
- Doesn’t break down as quickly, allowing you to use a silicone product longer
Traditional PVC and PE plastic leaches chemicals
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used plastic that we might think of as “traditional plastic.” PVC, and other materials like PE, have been found to leach chemicals into food and drinks that could potentially interfere with your endocrine system (i.e., hormones) and impact how children experience puberty.
Silicone has been deemed safe and chemically non-reactive (meaning it will not leach harmful microplastics and chemicals) by hundreds of studies across the world.
traditional PVC and PE plastic isn’t as durable
Materials like PVC and PE break down faster, which means they end up in a landfill faster. Silicone products are more durable, so you and your family can use (and re-use) them longer. Although silicone doesn’t recycle as easily as some other materials, it is still possible to recycle silicone, especially if you take your discarded silicone products to a recycling center.
If you’re looking for kid’s lunchboxes or water bottles, silicone is generally a safe material to choose. But, there are a few things you should for:
- Some companies advertise silicone products—but only disclose in much smaller print that the products also contain other harmful plastics. A product made with silicone is great, but make sure it doesn’t also contain chemical additives like BPA or harmful plastics like PVC.
- There is food-grade silicone that’s considered even more chemically stable than the silicone used to make, for example, an industrial product. If possible, try to look for food-grade silicone when shopping for your kid’s products.
Pst— b.box for kids’ silicone products satisfy both of these criteria!
Silicone products for babies
What about silicone in baby products?
Food-grade silicone has been deemed safe for your littlest ones, with no contamination detected in milk after six hours of exposure to a silicone bottle. Because of this, silicone baby products like bottle nipples, pacifiers, and feeders/teethers are all safe alternatives to PVC or PE plastic.
Need a suggestion? I love this silicone feeder. You can fill it with your baby’s favorite soft fruits or steamed veggies, and it’s easy for them to hold. All the yummy food… none of the harmful chemicals.
other PVC and PE alternatives
Still not sure about silicone? Here are a few other alternative materials considered safe:
- Glass: Glass does not leach chemicals and is recyclable (although you might have to use a recycling center). Note: not all childcare centers allow glass products.
- Stainless steel: Stainless steel is an iron-based, non-toxic material that’s designed to be resistant to corrosion and heat.
- Tritan™: Tritan is a type of safe plastic that provides some of the same benefits as other durable plastics without the toxic chemicals (for example—check out these Tritan drink bottles).
Read more about non-toxic lunchboxes and where to find them
meet b.box for kids
When two moms decided to make mealtimes easier for parents, b.box for kids was the result. They created a loyal base of mom-fans in Australia before making their way to the US with safe products that are easy for kids to use. Their lunch and hydration products stand out above anything else I’ve used—so I’ll take a step back and let you shop for yourself!