Modern Materials: Glass and Aluminum

Bottle of Club-Mate

Modern Mate set

The image to the left here is a bottle of “Club-Mate”, a very modern form of Mate. This type of Mate has gone beyond the traditional methods of preparation, since it’s a carbonated beverage, much like sparking water. It is also in a glass bottle, a material that hasn’t been used in correlation with Mate until the 21st century. Since it is in a soda-esk form, there is little expectation to share this beverage as communally as you would with traditional mate. This type of Mate has only emerged due to tourism in Chile, and is found only in highly urbanized areas. In the more rural lands of Chile, the traditional method of drinking Mate is still alive and well.

The next image is a set of Mate that can be purchased online today. Made of aluminum and plastic, this Mate set is obviously of the modern world. Aluminum is a perfect material for Mate sets because it conducts heat very well, being the perfect material for a thermos. In this modern day, travel is one of the biggest changes that the world has seen, which I think is a strong connection to why the materials used in Yerba Mate sets have changed as well. Being able to travel and keep the water for the Mate hot is crucial, which is why the use of the thermos has risen.