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 containers are completely freezer safe. Our thick silicone will not get brittle from freezing it frequently. 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 sauce, curries, watermelon, cooked carrots and other red/orange foods. Soaking in bleach water will remove most stains. Alternatively, rub and let sit in a baking soda and water mixture. Rinse well and then wash as usual.

Zip Top containers seal differently than traditional plastic zippered baggies which have tiny, hard, flat plastic zippers. Zip Top containers have large, soft, rounded zippers that flex. Because of this, your containers may, at times, leak a small amount of air if squeezed. In addition, once sealed, because of the pull of the wide, rounded opening, air will sometimes want to seep back in. If so, the small amount of air in your Zip Top will act like air trapped in a typical lidded container.

Zip Top containers are designed to hold liquids upright in a kitchen environment. This is why every container says on the back to “keep liquids upright" (which is simple since all Zip Top containers stand up due to their sturdy flat bases).  When kept upright, Zip Top containers are completely leak proof.  Zip Top containers were never designed, for instance, to fill with water and hold upside down or for taking liquids on the go.

Zip Top containers are not designed for taking liquids on the go. Just like you would typically not take soup in a plastic zippered bag in your backpack, Zip Top containers are designed to hold liquids in a kitchen environment. This is why every container says on the back to “keep liquids upright” (which is simple since all Zip Top containers stand up due to their sturdy flat bases). Zip Top containers are wonderful on the go for leftovers, sandwiches, dry snacks, veggies, fruit, nuts, etc.

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 completely submerging Zip Top containers in water for sous vide or other applications. Due to the flexible zipper seal, some water may, at times, seep into a fully submerged bag. However, if kept upright with the zipper seal out of the water, Zip Top containers can be used for sous vide (some clip their Zip Top containers to the lip of the sous vide pot to hold the zipper out of the water). Zip Top containers are also great for steaming and cooking where the zipper seal may fully or partially be left open while heating.

Zip Top pre-orders began shipping in September 2019 and all are anticipated to ship by mid October 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.

The amount you paid for shipping covers our cost to transport your perks to you. Some countries will also assess Duties and Taxes upon entry to your country. This is your responsibility as it varies greatly by country. Please review the detailed information on our FAQ page under the heading of "How are international taxes and duties collected?" so that you are not surprised by these charges.

Our Kickstarter campaign ended in November 2018 and Indiegogo ended in September 2019. We appreciate all those who backed our campaign and helped us launch our invention. While the crowd-funding pricing is no longer available, 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.