January 6, 2026 – A recent incident report details a recurring issue with the Contigo 13 ounce sippy cup, where the attached straw strap breaks off, leaving plastic pieces floating in the child’s drink. This defect has reportedly led to a child ingesting plastic, raising significant safety concerns about the product’s design and material quality.
Product Details
Incident Overview
The incident report, filed on December 12, 2025, describes a serious defect observed in a Contigo 13 ounce sippy cup designed for children. According to the report, the attached straw strap repeatedly breaks off from its connection point within the cup, disintegrating into small plastic fragments. These fragments then float freely in the beverage contained within the sippy cup.
The consumer reported that this issue has occurred multiple times, leading to their child ingesting some of these plastic pieces. The report explicitly labels the strap as a “safety defect, bad design, [and made from] inferior product materials,” recommending that the strap either be removed entirely or replaced with a safer alternative. The repeated nature of the breakage and the subsequent ingestion of plastic fragments by a child highlight a critical flaw in the product’s safety and durability.
Safety Concerns
The reported issue with the Contigo 13 ounce sippy cup presents several significant safety concerns:
- Immediate Dangers: Choking Hazard and Ingestion of Foreign Material: The most immediate and alarming risk is the potential for a child to ingest plastic fragments that have broken off the straw strap. These fragments, depending on their size and shape, could pose a choking hazard, particularly for infants and young children who may not have fully developed gag reflexes or the ability to clear their airways. Ingesting plastic can also cause internal irritation or injury to the digestive tract.
- Long-Term Health Risks: While short-term effects of ingesting small plastic pieces might include minor digestive upset, the long-term health implications are less clear but potentially concerning. Plastics can contain various chemicals, some of which are known endocrine disruptors or toxins. Regular or repeated ingestion, even of small amounts, could lead to unknown health consequences over time, especially in developing children.
- Who Might Be Affected: This product is specifically designed for children, making them the primary and most vulnerable population affected. Parents and caregivers who rely on sippy cups for their children’s hydration may unknowingly be exposing them to this hazard.
- Property Damage Potential: While the primary concern is child safety, the repeated product failure also represents a loss of utility and value for the consumer, indicating a poorly performing product.
What Consumers Should Do
Given the serious nature of this recurring defect, consumers who own a Contigo 13 ounce sippy cup should take immediate action:
- Immediately Stop Use: If you own a Contigo 13 ounce sippy cup, particularly one with an attached straw strap, discontinue use immediately. Do not allow your child to drink from it.
- Inspect the Product: Carefully examine the straw strap for any signs of cracking, fraying, or detachment. Even if the strap appears intact, the reported incidents suggest a potential for sudden breakage.
- Preventive Measures: Until the issue is resolved or the product is confirmed safe, do not use the sippy cup. If the strap is removable, consider removing it entirely and checking for any residual plastic fragments inside the cup or on the straw itself.
- Report Incidents: If you have experienced a similar issue with your Contigo sippy cup, please report it to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) at www.SaferProducts.gov. Detailed incident reports help regulatory bodies identify dangerous trends and take appropriate action.
- Contact the Manufacturer: Reach out to Ignite USA, LLC (Contigo’s manufacturer) to report your experience and inquire about potential remedies, replacements, or refunds.
Manufacturer’s Response
The incident report indicates a “Yes” for a manufacturer’s response, though the details of that response are not provided in this specific report. Consumers are encouraged to contact Ignite USA, LLC directly for information regarding this incident and potential remedies.
Legal Help Available
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product or suffered property damage due to a product malfunction, you may be entitled to compensation. The experienced product liability attorneys at Farzan Law understand the complexities of defective product cases and can help you navigate the legal process.
Contact us today for a free consultation: 424-325-3112
Our legal team has successfully represented clients in product liability cases involving defective appliances, automotive defects, medical devices, and consumer products. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay unless we win your case.
Note: This information is based on incident reports provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you find information that is incorrect, please contact us immediately so we can correct the post to reflect accurate information.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice. This article is based on publicly available incident reports. The incidents mentioned have not necessarily been independently verified or adjudicated.