Brita GmbH is a German company founded in 1966 by Heinz Hankammer with headquarters in Taunusstein, Germany that specializes in water filtration products. The company has production facilities in Germany, Great Britain, India, and Switzerland. Brita products are distributed worldwide, reaching more than 60 countries. The company is the world's market leader in portable household water filtration.[citation needed] Brita products include water jugs, kettles and tap attachments, all of which use silver-impregnated activated carbon and Ion-exchange resin disposable filters as their primary filtering mechanism. The activated carbon used in Brita filters is produced from coconut shells. The company manufactures its pitchers from styrene methyl methacrylate copolymer.
In Britain, Hinari manufactures an electric kettle incorporating Brita technology.
The Brita filter is not intended to purify water, and should not be used with water that is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality without adequate disinfection before or after the system. Often, the charcoal also ends up in drinking water[citation needed]. Individuals requiring water of special microbiological purity should follow the advice of their doctor or local health officials regarding the use and consumption of their tap water and Brita water.
