Silicone and plastic are the two most compared materials in product design.
Temperature: silicone works from -60℃ to 230℃, while common plastics max out around 100-120℃.
Safety: food-grade silicone is BPA-free, preferred for baby and food-contact products.
Feel: silicone is soft and elastic with a warm touch; plastic is rigid and usually cheaper.
In short: choose silicone for heat, food contact, softness and durability; plastic for rigid, cost-sensitive parts.
From a sustainability angle, silicone costs more than plastic but lasts far longer with lower replacement frequency — aligning with eco-friendly concepts long-term. More US/EU brands explicitly require "silicone over plastic" in baby, kitchen, and electronics — an important design trend ahead.
Of course, silicone is not right for every case. If rigidity, impact resistance, or extreme cost sensitivity dominate, plastic remains a fair choice. The key is balancing materials for use environment (temperature, contact, food-grade). LXYSILICONE offers silicone+plastic overmolding/two-shot to combine both strengths.