Foam vs. Neoprene: The Winner is Revealed!

Nearly five years ago, a diplomatic blog post outlined the differences between two of the world’s most popular materials for koozie construction: foam and neoprene. Although neoprene has always been the preferred choice of Uncommon Covers, some basic information was provided for each option. Now with more than seven years of experience under the belt, a winner in the debate has been declared.
For those of you who are already proud owners of Uncommon Covers products, you already know the answer. To the new people: Welcome! And the winner is neoprene! We thank foam for its participation but it’s time to run along now. Here’s why.
    • Even in storage, foam breaks down quickly. Original UC neoprene koozies are still going strong today, even after extensive use and laundering.
[caption id="attachment_8351" align="aligncenter" width="300"]first gen cup sleeve Uncommon Covers First generation cup sleeve on an ice cream pint.[/caption]
  • If you’re not into wet hands, the wicking of moisture with neoprene is far superior.
  • Foam flunks at movement. Neoprene can stretch and retract in many ways.
  • Neoprene is vastly less bulky than foam.
  • Loose fit koozies defeat the purpose of using a koozie. Neoprene offers the snuggest possible fit.
[caption id="attachment_8053" align="aligncenter" width="300"]upcycled drinkwear b&w stripe Snug fit on the Striped Upcycled Drinkwear.[/caption]
  • As use of neoprene expands wildly (like in fashion), color and design options are increasing too.
  • Wetsuits are made from neoprene, therefore, UC koozies pair perfectly with water activities.
  • For the DIYers, neoprene can accept heat press of vinyl designs – just make sure to use stretch vinyl!
At Uncommon Covers, we’ve found the superior product and are proud to utilize it! All in-house custom koozies are either type 'B' or 'K' neoprene. These are typically constructed of two outer layers of a polyester or lycra blend fabric between different rubber varieties. Even the Upcycled koozies have neoprene! Go with the product that lasts, choose UC neoprene. Have questions? Send over a message or order your own to compare! Or visit Uncommon Covers virtually at the Boerne Handmade Market on November 14th from 12 to 3 p.m. More info soon!
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