Does Owala Have PFAS? What the Bottle Is Made Of
Does Owala have PFAS? Here is what Owala FreeSip bottles are actually made of, what the brand says about forever chemicals, and how it compares.
Does Owala Have PFAS? What the Bottle Is Made Of
Owala bottles have a cult following, and for good reason. That FreeSip spout is genuinely clever, the colors are gorgeous, and the thing keeps your water cold through an entire summer afternoon. But if you are the kind of person who reads labels before sipping (hi, me too), you have probably wondered: does my beloved Owala have PFAS lurking in it? Let me walk you through what these bottles are actually made of, because this is one of the more reassuring answers I get to give.
What’s Inside
- The short answer
- What an Owala bottle is made of
- Why water bottles raise PFAS questions at all
- How to keep any bottle safe
- PFAS-free water bottles to consider
The short answer
Good news first: Owala says its bottles are made from safe, food-grade materials, and the FreeSip insulated stainless steel bottle is listed among PFAS-free options. The bottles are BPA-free and phthalate-free, the body is 18/8 stainless steel, and the spout and lid use BPA-free Tritan plastic. Owala also points out its bottles are lead-free, which matters because some competing insulated bottles use lead in the sealing dot at the base. In short, Owala is one of the easier bottles to feel good about.
What an Owala bottle is made of
Knowing the materials is the whole game, so let’s break it down. The Owala FreeSip uses BPA-free, odor-resistant Tritan plastic for the lid and spout and food-grade stainless steel for the insulated body, and the company states its plastics are free of BPA, phthalates, and “chemical copycats.” On top of that, all Owala bottles and tumblers are lead-free and have been from the start, thanks to a lead-free solder used in the vacuum-insulation seal. None of those materials are PFAS, and the FreeSip is listed among PFAS-free water bottle options.
Why water bottles raise PFAS questions at all
If the materials are clean, why does the question keep coming up? A few reasons. PFAS has been found in so many everyday products that people have rightly started asking about everything that touches their food and water. Some bottles and tumblers have also been caught up in separate scandals, like lead in the base seal of certain insulated brands, which gets lumped together with PFAS in people’s minds even though they are different chemicals. And printed or painted exterior coatings on any bottle are worth a quick sanity check, though they sit on the outside, not against your drink. The bottom line for Owala specifically: the materials the brand discloses are PFAS-free, and the bottle is a solid pick. You can compare more options in the PFAS Free Life database and my guide to PFAS-free water bottles.
How to keep any bottle safe
A safe bottle stays safe with a little basic care. Hand-wash the lid and spout rather than blasting them in a sanitizing cycle that can degrade plastic over time, replace cracked or cloudy Tritan parts when they wear out, and avoid leaving any plastic-topped bottle baking in a hot car for days. Stick with the bottle’s intended use (cold and room-temperature drinks for Tritan-lidded bottles) and you will get years of safe, leakproof sipping.
PFAS-free water bottles to consider
Whether you are buying your first Owala or adding to the collection, here are three PFAS-free, BPA-free picks:
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Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle (24 oz) - Food-grade stainless steel body with a BPA-free Tritan spout, lead-free and built for all-day cold drinks.
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Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle (32 oz) - The bigger-capacity FreeSip in the same BPA-free, PFAS-free materials, great for workouts and long workdays.
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Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle (Travel Size) - A grab-and-go FreeSip with the same safe stainless steel and Tritan construction for travel and kids’ activities.
So, does Owala have PFAS? Based on the materials the brand discloses, no. Owala bottles are BPA-free, phthalate-free, lead-free, and made from stainless steel and Tritan, none of which are PFAS. That makes the FreeSip an easy yes for a hydration habit you do not have to second-guess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Owala have PFAS? Based on the materials Owala discloses, no. The bottles use food-grade stainless steel and BPA-free Tritan plastic, and the FreeSip is listed among PFAS-free water bottle options. None of those materials are PFAS.
Are Owala bottles BPA-free and lead-free? Yes. Owala states its plastics are BPA-free and phthalate-free, and that all its bottles and tumblers are lead-free, using a lead-free solder in the insulation seal.
What is the Owala FreeSip made of? The body is 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, and the lid and spout use BPA-free Tritan plastic. The vacuum insulation keeps drinks cold for hours.
How do I keep my Owala safe over time? Hand-wash the lid and spout, replace any cracked or cloudy Tritan parts, and avoid leaving the bottle in a hot car for long periods. Stick to cold and room-temperature drinks for the Tritan-lidded version.