Have you ever experienced a time where you’re drinking an ice cold bottle of beer with nothing to cover your hand while holding it? It feels like freezing your hand directly to the bones, right? That is one of the many reasons why this ingenious product known as a stubby holder was invented. The other was to keep that drink cold while you waited for that fish to bite.

Thanks to Malcolm Lock who had the brilliant idea of creating these little beauties out of a waste disposal problem. In 1972, Malcolm contemplated on disposing of a considerable amount of neoprene rubber but because of his business oriented mind, he came up with a “stubby cooler” just to recycle the neoprene materials.

The Science behind Stubby Coolers

Stubby holders are made from neoprene rubber that is an artificial rubber which is able to trap the internal temperature while protecting it from the external temperature using tiny bubbles within the material. Wetsuits are the most common and popular application or use of neoprene rubber. It is very light and buoyant, resistant to chemicals, waterproof, stretchable, and also resistant to abrasion, making it an ideal material in keeping the bottles right where they need to be without losing the drinkable temperature.

The Evolution

Today, stubby holders can be made from a variety of materials. They started out being made from Styrofoam, which then quickly changed to Styrofoam with a plastic casing. This method enabled the maker to have the logo on the outside and then the insulator on the inside. After a few years it came to be made from wetsuit material also known as neoprene. Because of its elastic nature this enabled a slim tight fit and further insulated the drink, far more than the fixed foam stubby which was never a tight fit.

Screen printing soon then became the norm with this the main way of getting your logo or design onto a stubby. While this was effective, the costs to print multiple colours made it hard to do any more than a couple of colours per design. Screen printing ink also cracks over time so this was another downfall, but with the rise of sublimation printing the stubby holder found a new life when people started heat pressing full colour images onto them. Neoprene being a synthetic material, then enabled the outside to have an image heat pressed onto it. Photos of products started to emerge on the outside of coolers and this printing method is more cost effective and can last longer. Most companies today use the stubby holder to promote their businesses because of the versatility of this promotional product.

There used to be one style of stubby coolers because they previously just served one purpose. Today, you can find several great designs of stubby holders, there are reversible foldable types, some with bases, fishing reel covers and also a style with a “glove like” design so you never lose your drink. These products are now designed to match the needs of the companies and their customers and with great printing options you can have a customized product that your customers will surely love.

Sporting events are an important part of Australian culture. There are a number of sports that are enjoyed throughout the nation. This article takes a look at some of the most common types of sport currently played in Australia.

1. Cricket – Cricket is a popular sport which involves two teams battling it out against one another. It is a bat and ball game, which involves players acting as batters and fielders. The aim of the game is to get the most amounts of runs in an innings. A run is scored by hitting the ball and then running down the wicket to a crease at the other end of the pitch. If a fielder catches the ball before it touches the ground, then that player is out. This game originated from Southern England in the 16th century. It later became the national sport of England and it is now enjoyed all over the world. It is strongest in many Commonwealth countries or previous English colonies. The Ashes are one of the most famous sporting events of all time. The Ashes are played between the English and Australian teams biannually.

2. Golf – Golf is a ball sport whereby players use a club to hit a small ball across a series of holes on a course. Golf originated from Scotland in the 15th century; although some people believe it dates back much further to the Roman era. Australia has approximately 1500 golf courses. Some of the most famous golf competitions include the Masters, the PGA Championships, and the US Open. Royal Melbourne West is said to be one of the best golf courses in Australia.

3. Rugby – Rugby is a contact sport, where two teams of players battle it out to get a rugby ball over a try line. There are two major types of rugby: Rugby League and Rugby Union. Each of which has its own rules and regulations. Some of the famous Australian rugby team includes the Qantas Wallabies, Kangaroos, and the Qantas Men’s Sevens.

4. Horse Racing – Horse racing is an equestrian sport, whereby horses race one another to reach a finish line. Often there are a series of hurdles that they will have to jump over to get there. The most famous horse race in Australia is the Melbourne Cup.

5. Netball – Netball is a type of contact sport which is played with two teams, each of which has seven players. In many ways it is similar to basketball but with no dribbling. The idea of the game is to get the ball through a net at the opposite end of the course, without having the ball stolen from you by a defender. Netball games last for 60 minutes. The ANZ championship takes place in Australia and New Zealand. Netball is a sport typically played by women; however some men’s teams do exist.

6. Australian Football – Australian football or popularly known as AFL or footy is like a cross between the American football, Gaelic Football and soccer. Many Australians love and follow football. This game has different sets of rules from the standard American football and Rugby.

These popular sporting events are great ways to get your company some much needed exposure. By giving out great promotional items like caps, drink bottles and even stubby holders with imprinted company or brand logos. You can surely get that much needed exposure for your product or company.