Trash Hero Bottle – FAQ

Click here for the FAQ about the refill map.

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▹ About the bottle (size, material, manufacturer)
▹ How much do bottles cost?
▹ How much can I sell bottles for?
▹ Do I have to sell them? (Can I buy them as gifts?)
▹ Can I buy bottles without offering a public refill point?
▹ Can I sell the bottles at an event?
▹ Where do I order?
▹ Is there a minimum order?
▹ Can I customise the bottle?
▹ Do you offer the bottle in different colours / sizes / with insulation (stay cold / hot)?
▹ Where do your CO2 claims come from?
▹ Can I use the bottles in my hotel rooms?

Note: this FAQ is for organisations who wish to sell the Trash Hero bottle and provide water refills (“refill partners”).

It is not possible to buy bottles for sale without also offering a refill point.

We do not sell the Trash Hero bottle to individuals, nor to any organisation who does not provide water refills. If you’re an individual you can find places to buy the bottle on our refill map.

About the bottle (size, material, manufacturer)

The Trash Hero bottle is made from high quality, food grade 304 stainless steel – an inert material that has no impact on human health and can be infinitely recycled. It is a single wall construction (not a vacuum flask for keeping drinks hot or cold), and can hold 750ml of liquid. It is laser-engraved with the Trash Hero logo. Under this are the words “Love Thailand” (or another place name, depending on the location of sale). It is manufactured in China and imported by our local suppliers.
See here for bottle care.

How much do bottles cost?

Trash Hero sells the bottles to refill partners at the cost price. There is zero margin added on, so there is also no discount available for large orders. Currently the prices are as follows:
Thailand – 140 baht per bottle.
Indonesia – IDR 60k per bottle
Malaysia – RM 20 per bottle
Switzerland – CHF 8 per bottle
For other countries, please contact us – there will usually be a minimum order number of around 500, which can be shared between several businesses.

How much can I sell bottles for?

Bottles must be sold at a fixed price, no more, no less. Please see the price list below:
Thailand – 240 baht per bottle.
Indonesia – IDR 90k per bottle
Malaysia – RM 30 per bottle
Switzerland – CHF 10 per bottle
This gives you a small profit per bottle, which should cover the cost of at least 100 refills*. The price is fixed so that there is no competition between refill partners.

In the case of educational institutions or other non-commercial premises only, the bottles may be sold at a price set at the discretion of the provider. This price must not exceed the official selling price above.

*based on the average cost of a 20 litre water tank in Asia

Do I have to sell them? (Can I buy them as gifts?)

Bottles may be given for free (not sold) to your employees, students or customers, e.g. as part of a tour package, or hotel stay, subject to the minimum order below and the requirement to offer free water refills to the bottle recipients.

Can I buy bottles without offering a public refill point?

Only premises that are not normally open to the public, such as schools or private villas, are exempt from the requirement to provide water refills for the general public; however they must still provide refillable water for all those who have access to the property. These places would not be featured on our refill map.

Can I sell the bottles at an event?

Yes, in either of the following circumstances:

a) You are already a refill partner with a permanent refill point on your premises and ideally can provide a temporary refill point at the event. Example: you are a dive shop with a refill point and travel to a dive expo. You can sell the bottles and provide water refills at your booth.

b) It is a recurring event (at least monthly), for example a local market. You can sell the bottles if you attend regularly and provide water refills at your stand.

You cannot sell the bottles at a one-off event unless you are already a refill partner, or you plan to use the Trash Hero bottle exclusively at that event, e.g. a festival (please contact us directly in this case).
Only refill points at recurring events will be included on our refill map.

Where do I order?

Is there a minimum order?

Yes. In countries where we have a bottle stock, there is a minimum order of 10 bottles. Orders over 50 bottles (1 box) are sold in multiples of 50* only, e.g. 100 bottles, 250 bottles, 450 bottles etc. For other countries, there will usually be a minimum order number of around 500, which can be shared between several businesses. Please contact us to discuss your options.

*60 in Thailand

Can I customise the bottle?

Yes, with a minimum order of ~500 bottles. There are two ways to customise the bottle. You can choose one or both:

1) Change the place name under the Trash Hero logo. By default this says “Love [Country name]”. You can change this to show your local area name (the place name only, not the name of your business), e.g. “Love Koh Lanta”. There is no additional charge for this.

2) Add your own laser-engraved logo on the opposite side of the bottle. Trash Hero will need to approve the design. There will be an additional cost for this, depending on the size and detail of the artwork. It is usually an additional US$0.15 – 0.20 per bottle.

It is not possible to add colour or any screen-printed artwork to the bottle: in our experience, this will peel over time, creating both microplastics and unhappy customers.

To customise their bottles without a minimum order, many refill partners have chosen to use stickers with their logo, at their own cost.

Do you offer the bottle in different colours / sizes / with insulation (stay cold / hot)?

Currently no, we are not able to offer these options.

Where do your CO2 claims come from?

The CO2 savings of refilling a Trash Hero bottle were assessed by a researcher at ETH-Zürich in 2019. The study compared the costs and carbon emissions related to the production and (re)use of a Trash Hero bottle vs. those of a single-use plastic bottle.

It found water refills (from the 18th time onwards) create 95% fewer emissions than plastic packaged water. This is in addition to the cost savings and pollution avoided. The findings are published here, along with links to calculators where you can work out your own climate impact from using the bottle, or that of your business.

Can I use the bottles in my hotel rooms?

Yes! Along with an easily accessible refill point, this is a great way to save money, as well as reduce plastic pollution and your carbon footprint.
We have successful case studies you can learn from, as well as materials to help explain the concept to your guests; please contact us for more information.