Frequently Asked Questions

Zip Top containers are 100% platinum-cured silicone ("platinum silicone" for short), the highest grade available that passes all U.S. and European safety standards. It is food safe, oven safe (to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, 220 degrees Celsius), microwave safe, freezer safe, and dishwasher safe. Other products may claim that their product is "food safe" but unless it is pure platinum silicone, you should be cautious of how it can be safely used.

Traditional plastic containers are petroleum based and can contain harmful chemicals. Because Zip Top is made from 100% platinum silicone, it is free of BPA, lead, phthalates and PVC. It is also hypoallergenic.

Zip Top containers are built to last and can potentially be used thousands of times replacing disposable plastic bags and containers which will reduce waste.

Yes, at specific silicone recyclers. We are also working on a "take back" program where we will take back used Zip Top containers and ensure that they are properly recycled.

All Zip Top containers are made in the United States. 

Yes! Microwave, bake up to 425°F (220°C), or steam in a pot of boiling water.

Yes, Zip Top is ideal for freezing. Our thick silicone protects your food well. Note: watch the fill line to make sure there is room for liquid expansion.

YES! They were designed for the dishwasher, so all Zip Top containers have large rounded corners for easy cleaning. Most importantly, all Zip Tops stay open for better cleaning and drying! They are top or bottom rack safe.

Yes! Zip Top containers are completely microwave safe. And because they do not contain any plastics, they will not leach harmful chemicals when used in a microwave.  If you leave the zipper partially or completely closed during heating, be careful when opening the zipper due to accumulated steam.

Most foods will not stain your Zip Top containers. There are a few foods, however, which can stain pure silicone such as tomato sauces and carrots. Soaking in bleach water will remove most stains. Alternatively, rub and let sit in a baking soda and vinegar mixture. Rinse well and then wash as usual.

We have worked tirelessly to design and engineer a high quality silicone seal and we are very proud of our patent-pending design. However, due to the nature of the flexible silicone zipper, your containers may, at times, leak a small amount of air if squeezed. 

We recommend that liquids be kept upright (which is simple since all Zip Top containers stand up due to their sturdy flat bases). Because silicone zippers are softer than the hard plastic zippers found in disposable plastic bags, squeezing or pressing the sides of the container with excess pressure could result in the zipper seal opening, causing a mess.

We do not recommend taking liquids on the go. For all other non-liquids, Zip Top containers are great to take in your bags, lunch boxes, and "on the go" anywhere.

In general, no. From our internal testing as well as our personal use over the past year, we have been thrilled with how well the seals hold during typical scenarios such as being knocked over. Because of the flexibility of silicone, they are durable and malleable when sealed. However, as stated in this FAQ, we recommend liquids be kept upright to be safe.

We do not recommend Zip Top containers for sous vide. Due to the thicker side walls and the possibility that some small amount of air may leak into the bag, they are not ideal for sous vide applications. However, we do encourage using them for steaming and other cooking applications where the zipper seal may fully or partially be left open while heating.

Zip Top launched on Kickstarter in October 2018. As a reward to our earliest backers on Kickstarter, we have committed to shipping all of their rewards before shipping rewards for anyone else.  We have spent the last couple months getting all Kickstarter rewards shipped. We are nearly complete with those shipments which means that your Pre-Orders are the next to ship.  As a result, we estimate that Pre-Orders placed on Ziptop.com start shipping in September 2019.

We are prioritizing our shipments based on when they are placed. If you want to be one of the first people to receive Zip Top containers, place a pre-order and secure your priority position in our shipping queue.

We are currently taking pre-orders for shipments around the world. At first we will be shipping from our fulfillment center in the United States so international shipping rates will be high. Soon, we hope to open a fulfillment center first in Europe and then in strategic locations around the globe to facilitate more economical and timely shipments. If you sign up for our newsletter, we will alert you when new markets are opened around the world.

Products purchased on our website, ziptop.com, can be exchanged or returned within 14 days of receipt if they are in new, unused condition and in the original packaging. Qualifying refunds are issued for the purchase price and any taxes paid. Shipping is not refunded. If you would like to return an item you received as a gift, it's our pleasure to offer an exchange for an item of equal or lesser value, subject to availability.

Our prices DO NOT include VAT, GST or other country taxes.

Our terms of sale for international orders are FOB destination. This means that you pay all freight and duties or taxes. As we are shipping these products all over the world, it is impossible for us to build in the various duties, VAT and GST tax for each location through Kickstarter.

If you would like to estimate your duties, you can use this online tool (remember to convert the U.S. dollars to your local currency):

https://www.simplyduty.com/import-calculator/

For international customers who are required to pay customs, you will receive an email from your local customs authorities asking for payment to have your order processed through customs. Unfortunately, there is no legal way around customs (including marking an order as a gift, which we cannot do). Once you make that payment to the customs broker your order will be processed for final delivery.

First of all, thank you for supporting us. It is largely because of you that we are able to bring Zip Top to market. We have committed to shipping to our Kickstarter backers first. We are currently in the process of shipping these rewards and anticipate that all Kickstarter rewards will ship out by early September 2019. We will send you an email to let you know when your order is preparing to ship. Please make sure that you have filled out your survey and provided a current shipping address.

First of all, thank you for supporting us. It is largely because of supporters like you that we are able to bring Zip Top to market. We have committed to shipping to our Indiegogo Perks as early as possible. We currently anticipate that we can start shipping these perks in September 2019. We will send you an email to let you know when your order is preparing to ship. Please make sure that you have provided a current shipping address.

Our Kickstarter campaign ended in November 2018 and we appreciate all those who backed our campaign. The Kickstarter pricing is no longer available. However, we are offering discounted sets on our Indiegogo Campaign. Also, if you sign up for our newsletter, we will notify you if any sales or discounts become available. 

We are already in the process of selecting our first group of partners to sell Zip Top in their stores. When they are available, we will have a store locator on our website to help you find a store in your area.

It has come to our attention that numerous websites have popped up purporting to sell Zip Top® containers, sometimes at a significant discount. The only way to purchase authentic Zip Top® containers is either from our current Indiegogo Campaign or on this official company website, https://ziptop.com.

We have covered this issue in much more detail (including information for those who may have been deceived into purchasing from a counterfeit site) on this page on our site.

We are in the process of setting up our account on Amazon but are not yet selling there. Any similar items available on Amazon are not us and some are knockoffs that have stolen our copyrighted images and content to promote their counterfeit items. If you subscribe to our newsletter, we will let you know when we are live on Amazon later this year.

Currently, the only way to purchase authentic Zip Top® containers is on this official company website, https://ziptop.com.  We will prioritize pre-orders placed on our website and ship them prior to shipping any items through Amazon.

If you are concerned that you may have bought a counterfeit item either from Amazon or another site, we have covered this issue in much more detail on this page on our site.

We would love to discuss your store and the possibilities of partnering to sell Zip Top to your customers. Please send information about your shop to support@ziptop.com and we will contact you shortly.

We love bloggers and appreciate all of the positive reviews Zip Top has received. If you would like more information about our blogger program, please send information about your blog along with audience statistics to support@ziptop.com.