So what are the differences between SoL and JOCO?
For those of you who are fans of toughened glass & silicone reusable coffee cups, or have purchased one and now want one in every size (!), it's helpful to know what are the differences of the two most popular brands in those materials.
Both brands of cups arrive with you plastic free - we package them in cardboard and other recycled/ re-purposed, biodegradable packaging and send them in a home-compostable courier bag. (If you don't have access to a compost, you can request a recycled and recyclable plastic courier bag in your delivery notes.)
Both brands are made of toughened glass with a silicone sleeve and lid, and are plastic free.
JOCO
JOCO was founded in 2008 the JOCO out of personal protest by the founder to a mounting threat of plastic and single use waste. They try to keep their supply chain plastic free. (They do arrive to us from the NZ distributer with a small amount of bubble wrap, which we recycle).
JOCO come in a large range of beautiful colours - ranging from bright and vibrant to muted pastels and luminescent seaglass patterns. We cannot always stock the full range of colours - we do try to hold the widest range that is available in NZ at the time.
JOCO glass is tough and lightweight. The cups feel sturdy. The glass does break if dropped on hard ground. We are endeavouring to keep a good stock of replacement inners, so never throw your sleeve and lid set away!
The glass is thick enough to keep drinks hot/ warm or cold for a long time, and together with the sleeve insulates fingers well.
The 8oz and 12oz cups fit nicely under most coffee machines.
The lids are extremely easy to slip on (you may need to show your barrista how, though!). They do not leak, but a little may spill out of the sipper slot or air hole if the cup is really shaken around.
JOCO will be launching their beautiful bottles in NZ later this year.
SoL
SoL are a family-owned company based near Bondi, Australia, with environmental values at their heart. SoL are also trying to keep their supply chain plastic free. (But, again, the cups do arrive to us from the NZ distributer with a small amount of bubble wrap, which we recycle).
SoL colours, although a smaller range than JOCO, are unique and beautiful.
It's very noticeable how lightweight a SoL cup is. That's because their glass is thinner than JOCO. The glass is hand-blown to a fine result. But this doesn't make it fragile - quite the opposite. The glass is top-quality, free of unwanted toxins and impurities but contains the highest percentage of borosilicate, making it tough. The 8oz cup feels very delicate and would be a perfect handbag size. Also wonderful for petite hands.
The silicone insulation sleeve functions similar to JOCO. Overall, we feel the drinks probably stay a little warmer for longer in JOCO due to the thicker glass.
The silicone lid also functions very well, but is a little harder to put on than JOCO. It's certainly still easier to place than a worn-out plastic lid, and unlike plastic, will not leak.
The cups are slightly more petite than JOCO due to the thinner glass, and also fit well under coffee machines.
In case of any unfortunate accidents, we will also be endeavouring to hold replacement glass inners for SoL once these become available in NZ. So if your inner breaks, still hold on to the sleeve & lid!
SoL also have beautiful toughened glass bottles with a silicone sleeve, holding over 800mL of fluid. Absolutely beautiful - we love them!
View the SoL bottle range here
Summary
Both brands are long-lasting, dishwasher and microwave safe. You'll be amazed how the colours stay bright and true, and the glass does not easily scratch.
Both brands provide a lovely, clean drink without the tarnish of plastic - which is especially great for tea.
View our short video here on our new arrivals and a comparison of the two brands:
Disposal at end of life:
Silicone is NOT related to plastic. It's technically a biodegradable, natural substance. However, it's not recommended for composting as it takes many years to break down. It will also take a many years before your silicone lid and sleeve need to be disposed of. In that time, you will have saved many, many disposable cups. As they are so long lasting, we can't yet foresee having to dispose of any of our sleeves and lids, but when that time happens, they'll probably either be re-purposed or be placed in the landfill rubbish.
If your glass inner breaks and needs to be disposed, follow the advice from your local authority as to whether it can be recycled.
