Your Matador FlatPak Toiletry products are serious pieces of gear for serious travelers. If you use and care for them properly, they’ll serve you well for years. Below you’ll find some instructions, tips and tricks to help you get the most from your FlatPak Toiletry products.
Basic Use Instructions:
Rinse before first use. Unscrew low-profile cap to access large fill opening. Squeeze bottle slightly from the sides to open up the bottle, then fill with any soap or paste. Screw cap on tightly to fully engage seal. Flip cap lid will align with the front of the bottle when properly tightened. Flip lid open to dispense contents. Write in contents on the snap loop with permanent marker.
Washing your FlatPak Bottles:
Wash the bottle by hand only. Fill it with warm water and massage from the outside to clean the bottle. Do not wash the bottles in a dishwasher or washing machine.
Filling your FlatPak Bottles:
Make sure the lid is screwed on completely after filling. When properly tightened, there will be no obvious gap between the bottle and the low-profile cap. The front of the flip cap should squarely align with the front of the bottle when fully tightened.
Your bottle will work with toothpaste! You can fill the bottle with toothpaste by firmly pressing the opening of the toothpaste tube against the large fill opening of your FlatPak Toiletry Bottle to form a seal. While firmly pressing the two ends together, squeeze the toothpaste tube so the contents are transferred into the FlatPak bottle.
To fill the bottle with normal fluids (shampoo, bodywash, etc.) first unscrew the low-profile cap to access the large fill opening. Then squeeze the fabric bottle from the sides to open up the cavity and and pump, squeeze, or pour the desired contents in through the large fill opening. You may need to shake the contents down to the bottom of the bottle a time or two during filling if the fluid has a high viscosity.
If the bottle still has a little fluid inside that is causing the fabric walls to stick together, simply pinch the fabric on opposing flat sides of the bottle and pull the walls apart to open up the bottle cavity for refilling.
Tips, Tricks, Troubleshooting, and Additional Information
Pumice, Exfoliants, and other scrubbing soaps:
When using soaps that contain pumice or other granular media, rinse the open lid before snapping it shut. This granular media suspended within the soap can interfere with the snap closure and cause the lid to be difficult to close if not rinsed away first. Forcing the lid closed with pumice or granular media in the closure can damage the lid. This abuse is not covered under warranty.
Put your toiletry bottles in a plastic zipper bag for extra peace-of-mind
Your FlatPak toiletry bottles should handle anything that’s thrown at them. They’re made from some of the industry’s most durable materials and construction methods. The lid snap is also engineered to prevent/minimize accidental openings. However, it’s impossible to predict what can happen when you’re on the road. Those baggage handlers can be brutal, bags get run over by airport trucks, or an inspector can open your bottle and not close it back up. Anything can happen, so we recommend you put your toiletry bottles in a plastic zipper bag for that extra bit of insurance.
My fluid dried up inside the bottle:
Some drying may occur if you use the FlatPak bottle for long term storage of a fluid. This is a common occurrence with toiletry bottles, including traditional silicone bottles. If the contents thicken or harden over time, simply add a little warm water and massage the bottle from the outside until it softens up. Repeat as needed. Storing the FlatPak bottle in a plastic zipper bag can help prevent the contents from drying during those long storage periods.
The hinge on my lid turned white and I'm worried it may break:
Don't worry, this is totally normal. This type of hinge is called a "living hinge" and it is normal for them to turn white when they are made from dark colored plastic. When the hinge is bent for the first time the plastic stretches and the distance between the dye particulates in the plastic increases, causing the color to lighten. This hinge is very durable and will last for thousands and thousands of uses.
Chemical Compatibility:
We have made extensive efforts to ensure the FlatPak bottles are compatible with the vast array of cosmetic creams, pastes, and fluids on the market. While we've tested as much as we can, it's virtually impossible to keep up with the ever-changing array of ingredients, chemicals, and compounds used in cosmetic products. As with all toiletry bottles, there is a chance that an ingredient in one of your cosmetic products could damage the bottle material. If this happens, please take note of what was inside the bottle and contact customerservice@matadorup.com to get a warranty replacement.
Chemicals currently known to damage the bottle include: Ethanol (drinking alcohol) - may be listed in cosmetics as "ethyl alcohol"
Can I use this as a flask for alcoholic beverages?
No. Under no circumstances should this product be used to store or transport alcoholic beverages. Ethanol (the type of alcohol found in beer, wine, and spirits) can attack and destroy the lining of the bottles. Use of this product to carry alcoholic beverages (ethanol) will void the warranty.
Can I use this to store food or drink products?
We do not certify this bottle to carry food or drink products.
Leave No Trace Principles:
When bathing in the outdoors, please take care to use biodegradable soaps and rinse soapy residue 200 feet from the water source.
Warranty:
In the off-chance you have an issue with your FlatPak toiletry bottle it is covered by the Matador 2-year Warranty. Please check out the Warranty section on the Customer Service page for more details and instructions on filing a warranty claim. Link:
https://matadorup.com/pages/customer-service