The Future of Hospitality Drinkware
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Tempered, or safety, glass is the name given to plastic drinkware manufactured to look like glassware. This drinkware can be made from a variety of plastics, each with varying benefits and flaws; but the overall appeal coming from its heightened strength, a lesser likelihood of breaking or shattering and therefore a reduced expense on breakages for business owners.
Acrylic, SAN, melamine, polystyrene and polycarbonate can all be manufactured into drinkware; however, polycarbonate is the most durable and, therefore, the preferred choice. Though it can scratch and, depending on the manufacturing quality, yellow over time, polycarbonate is about 30 times more resistant to chipping and/or breaking than normal glass. Polycarbonate drinkware would thus be instrumental not only in eliminating costs associated with breakages, but also in preventing potential injuries caused by broken glass in a multitude of environments such as pool areas, dance floors, buffets, and bistros (particularly areas young children and elderly people may frequent).
Polycarbonate drinkware may take almost any usual form; New Zealand's polycarbonate specialists – Premium Glassware – provide polycarbonate alternatives to beer glasses, varied tumblers, champagne flutes, varied cocktail glasses, wine stems, shot glasses and even jugs.
These tempered, polycarbonate glasses can be manufactured so that they are almost indistinguishable from real glass; as always, though, the higher the quality, the higher the expense. Natural gas and oil, from which this newfangled drinkware is created, is naturally more expensive than the sand from which regular glass is made; the initial cost of polycarbonate drinkware will generally, therefore, be more expensive. However, one way hoteliers will save money, is in the rate of replacement. Where normal glassware will break and need regular replacements, polycarbonate drinkware needs replacing a couple of times a year at most.
Premium Glassware director Alex Magaraggia says this is one of the biggest reasons why most people swap over to polycarbonate glassware in New Zealand.
"We get calls from business owners every day who spend thousands on replacing broken glassware. Swapping over to our Premium Polycarbonate range not only saves them time on re-orders, but also saves them a lot of money, which essentially means our glassware pays for itself over time."
Furthermore, plastic can be made to stack easily and is convenient in terms of maintenance, as it requires much less care than glass while cleaning and there is no fear of breakages.
It is crucial, however, to look for polycarbonate glassware that is BPA-free, as this substance poses a serious health threat. BPA, or Bisphenol A, is a chemical found in many plastics, and which mimics the estrogen hormone; studies have linked the toxin to prostate cancer, miscarriages and birth defects among other issues.
Even though most manufacturers today ensure their products are BPA-free in New Zealand, it is still advisable for purchasers to double check the product is "food grade" polycarbonate before buying.
There is also the question of recyclability. Generally being made from melted sand, glass is less harmful to the environment when used as a pavement additive or a landfill cover, as well as being entirely recyclable. However, glass is also heavy; meaning that it burns more fuel when transported. Polycarbonate, on the other hand, may be more difficult to recycle than glass but if manufactured to be lighter, it would burn much less fuel when transported.
So, the lighter the polycarbonate: the more environmentally friendly the drinkware will be. This is a problem for venues wanting heavy, glass-like polycarbonate drinkware that is also helpful to the environment, and relatively inexpensive. Clearly, balancing these criteria is a delicate matter for manufacturers, and one that must be dealt with if the current government trend towards replacing all glassware with polycarbonate replicates continues.
The biggest query raised by guests regarding this potential changeover, is undoubtedly taste. There is, after all, a reason wine is served and contained in glass. Plastic is a softer material than glass, some plastics therefore absorb the materials they contain and leave a 'plastic' taste behind. In the case of polycarbonate, which is a very rigid plastic, only a very minimal taste seeps through, if any, and this is not harmful. In terms of taste though, glass is arguably superior.
So, is tempered glass a good idea? In terms of the huge safety benefits alone, it is difficult to contest a changeover. And even despite consumer fears for their taste buds, one has to wonder, where the quality of these products renders glass and polycarbonate indistinguishable, would consumers even notice the switch?
Premium Glassware director James Calver says plimsoll lines and certified capacities on polycarbonate drinkware allow bar staff to pour accurate measures of alcohol, cutting bar losses and also allowing drinkers to gauge how much alcohol they are consuming.
Mr Calver says drink measures vary widely from 120ml to 175ml, meaning a 'glass' of wine could vary from 0.7 to 1.8 standard drinks. He says each piece of Premium Polycarbonate glassware is certified to international weights and measures standards with the wine glasses having a plimsoll line marking at 150mL ensuring a consistent 1.5 standard drink measure for each wine served, and five glasses to the bottle.
"Lots of businesses lose money from staff over-pouring drinks. This is not only expensive for owners over time, but also leads to people not knowing exactly how much alcohol they have consumed. The Premium Polycarbonate range ensures certified capacities to eliminate these issues, making business more profitable, and the community safer.
"Their better insulation qualities also keep drinks colder longer without chilling hands, while the customers feel safer knowing they will not step on or be harmed by broken glass."
While polycarbonate looks like glass, some bar owners worry about how long it will keep its appearance after the items have passed through a commercial glass washer a number of times.
Dishwashing liquid specifically designed for polycarbonate glassware can significantly increase the 'life span' of plastic, while reducing spots and streaks.
Premium Glassware has just developed a polycarbonate- specific cleaner for the New Zealand market with the help of their chemist in Auckland.
"Premium PolyWash is a low alkali, non-toxic, non-caustic, and non-chlorinated detergent making it ideal for polycarbonate glassware," says Mr Calver. "Because people tend to use some standard glassware alongside our Premium Polycarbonate range, we have developed it so it also works on standard glassware and dishes."
Another benefit of polycarbonate is the ease of imprinting a logo or design on the drinkware that will not fade or peel, even after continuous dishwashing cycles. It lasts as long as the glass.
They are suitable for promotions, glasses for festivals, or drinkware packs for company gifts.
