Urban Drinkware

Like all the best ventures, Urban Drinkware came about from one of life’s lightbulb moments. I was an electrician by trade. Most of my work led me to city offices, shops, museums, schools and universities, and in-between jobs, I loved to people watch. Glancing around these high-traffic environments, it always struck me just how many single use bottles were being consumed by workers, suppliers, staff and students. They served a purpose, but they were only ever destined for one place: the bin. I wasn’t much of an eco-warrior back then. I was buying lots of plastic water bottles, too. Sometimes one or two every single day. I hated the way that my drink would lose its straight-out-of-the-fridge coldness, so I kept reaching for a new bottle as soon as my water became warm. It wasn’t until one of them broke in my backpack, destroying loads of important documents, that I realised I needed to search for a more durable alternative – and this also led me to think about ways I could reduce my plastic consumption by investing in reusable products instead of relying on throwaway containers. I wanted a durable, temperature-controlling, eco-friendly water bottle that I could personalise. It didn’t sound like a big ask, but I just couldn’t find what I was looking for. So, knowing that if I wanted something to be done right, I had to take the bull by the horns and do it myself, I started researching ways of designing and manufacturing the kind of product I wanted to see on shelves. Urban Drinkware was born! Now, I’m on a mission to help other people buck the trend for disposable plastics and take charge of their carbon footprint by making one small yet sustainable change: investing in an eco-friendly water bottle that is durable and versatile, yet also reflects their own sense of style.