If you love sipping a mug of hot tea and use store-bought tea bags, you may be drinking plastics that end up in the soil, water and…your body. 

Tea lovers take note—if you have a cabinet full of single-use tea bags, you probably have a cabinet full of microplastic too.

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that are smaller than a pencil eraser. You’ll find them in a surprising number of products, including single-use tea bags. We wrote all about them in our article on microplastics.

A key conclusion we came to in the article?

According to NatGeo, “In laboratory tests, microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells, including both allergic reactions and cell death. But so far there have been no epidemiologic studies documenting, in a large group of people, a connection between exposure to microplastics and impacts on health.”

I don’t know about you, but we’re not here to risk it, especially when loose-leaf tea is economical, more flavorful, and easy to compost. 

Let’s get into the details.

Microplastics in tea bags

Researchers at McGill University in Montreal found that “some plastic tea bags shed high levels of microplastics into water.” According to this and other research, many tea bags are made with a plastic called polypropylene, which is used to seal the bags and keep the tea leaves inside.

According to the BBC article:

Most tea bags are made from paper, with a small amount of plastic used to seal them shut. But some premium brands have switched to using greater amounts of plastic mesh for their product instead.

This is usually so that the tea bag is held in a pyramid shape, which producers claim helps the tea leaves infuse better.

When these tea bags are steeped in hot water, the plastic particles can leach into the tea and make their way into our bodies, potentially causing us harm. Microplastics have been shown to accumulate in the digestive systems of animals and can lead to a variety of health issues.

And—it’s not just we humans at risk. When we dispose of the bags, we’re sending those plastics into the soil and water. 

Some brands don’t use plastic, right?

One thing you can do if you buy single-use tea bags is to look for brands that don’t use plastic. 

That might be harder than you think. This 2022 article by Country Living identifies several brands that have made plastic-free commitments, but it’s a little unclear how far these brands have come to meet those commitments.

For example, the grocery chain Aldi committed to producing “biodegradable tea bags and removing the outer plastic packaging” of tea bags by the end of 2021. And this is a great start—but not a commitment to fully, plastic-free tea. And the store’s more recent sustainability updates don’t have easy-to-find information about their progress.

In a different example, the article lists several Twinings flavors as plastic free. And this is great news since Twinings is easy to find in most grocery stores. Unfortunately, the article also lists several Twinings flavors as “unclear” in their plastic status. And this is a common theme for many brands, who are making inroads to plastic-free but are not 100% there yet.

An economical and tasty alternative—loose-leaf tea

Want to be sure you’re not drinking plastics with your tea? Make the switch to loose-leaf and use a steeping tool or a reusable, organic cotton tea bag.

When you make the switch, you’ll get zero plastic along with a flavor boost. Loose teas typically contain larger tea leaves and herbs that impart more deliciousness. And you can use more or less tea to control the strength of your tea. You can even mix and match flavors to create your own favorite blend. 

The best news of all is that loose tea is fully compostable, with no plastic or chemicals to toss away after each cup. Simply wash your steeping tool or rinse your tea sock and hang it to dry. 

Here’s to a plastic-free cuppa!

Answer these two critical questions, and your perfect routine will build itself.

I thought I had it hacked. 

For years, I had my morning coffee routine optimized around an automatic drip machine.  A marvel of modern convenience, I supplied it with whole beans and set the timer before bed. The next morning, I woke to the smell and instant gratification of hot coffee. 

Until the morning the machine broke. 

Of course, I had the impulse to replace the coffee maker—stat—but I had started to suspect something was wrong with a culture that throws so much away.  I decided to rethink my coffee routine.

I asked myself these two questions:

• Why do I do this?

• If I want to keep doing it, how long should it take?

That’s the hack. Those two simple questions. 

Because here’s the truth—I had already been hacked. I had already chopped up my time to build a routine around the demands of bigger, better, faster, and more. My routines fed a machine that would never be full while leaving me empty and time-starved. The more I optimized myself in this direction, the more I relied on conveniences that stripped joy, ritual, and self-sufficiency from my day while adding more and more trash to the convenience-seeking world. 

Answering the first question: Why do I do this?

Apply this question to any routine or habit, and you may be really surprised by the answer. For myself, I learned that an uncomfortable number of habits were built around meeting a need or want in as little time as possible so I could get back to work.

As Jia Tolentino writes about the Sweetgreen salad chain: “...the worse things get, the more a person is compelled to optimize. I think about this every time I do something that feels particularly efficient and self-interested, like … eating lunch at a fast-casual chopped-salad chain, like Sweetgreen, which feels less like a place to eat and more like a refueling station.”

With coffee, I had to uncover whether my habit served any other purpose than optimizing my brain for speed and work. And. if not, was it worth continuing? 

My answer was nuanced. Coffee does provide my brain a jolt. And, yes, drinking coffee is a way to optimize myself for work. But it’s a jolt I truly enjoy regardless of the amount and type of work on my plate for a day. 

At its best, the morning cup offers a time to sit and touch base with myself, add ritual to my day, and add creative fuel that serves the work I choose to do as much as the work I have to do.

After thinking through the first question, I determined morning coffee was here to stay. 

Answering the second question: How long should it take?

When we slow things down to the time they would take in their least harmful form, then we are forced to value the acts differently.

Have you hand-washed all of your clothes? With modern, energy-efficient washers, I don’t know if it’s more or less sustainable, but the act of trying it makes you reconsider the number and type of clothes you own.

When it comes to coffee, a morning coffee routine at its least harmful might look like a sustainably sourced coffee bean, ground at a shared resource, such as a coffee shop or local store with a grinder, and then made at home with reusable supplies to produce only the amount you will drink.

The surprising result of this experiment is just how little time it really takes, and the ritual it brings to my morning.  Five minutes to boil water in a kettle. I usually take this time to brush my teeth, wash my face, and stretch. Another three to five minutes to pour the steaming water slowly over the grounds—a truly gratifying smell and process. In less than ten minutes, I’m sitting with my coffee.

Ten minutes. That’s all I was saving. That’s all the disposable machinery granted me. But what did it take away? In spending those ten minutes, I have reclaimed much more—placing far more value on my own time spent in ritual and on the environmental impact of rejecting false conveniences. 

It turns out that I was not in search of a morning coffee hack. What I really wanted was to be unhacked, unhurried, and de-convenienced. Not “inconvenienced” which tries to convince me that I should not need to be bothered by rinsing out a coffee filter when I could simply toss it in the trash, but de-convenienced, a notion that reminds me to take more time on the routines that sustain me, because those ten minutes I added to my morning have given me back far more than convenience culture ever offered.

From a simple filter on a wire to foldable camping drippers and gorgeous ceramic models—you have tons of choices to brew pour over coffee. This guide will help you choose yours.

It may be the question we get most often—which brew method is best? And which filter do I need? 

The answer is always: “It depends on you and your lifestyle.” The truth is, there probably is a best method for you, and it may be different in different circumstances and different from the best method for me or for the friend you’re buying a gift for. 

That’s what this Guide is all about. We’ll walk you through XX different pour over methods, and tell you how that method works, why you might prefer it—or not—and what filter you need to extract the tastiest brew. 

So many pour over methods

Since we began making filters nearly 12 years ago, we’ve discovered the deep well that is pour over methods, and little by little, we’ve crafted cotton filters for each method. 

To get the filter specs just right, we’ve had to learn the specific function, design and method of each type. We’ve tested hundreds of drippers in our CoffeeSock kitchen, some of which needed specialty filters. 

We’ve gotten to know the ins and outs of some methods so well, that we’ve written whole articles about them. We’ll link you to those below. 

Which pour over method is the best for me?

Let’s get this out of the way first—ALL of the brew methods in this guide make great coffee. We aren’t comparing based on which method works best as a coffee maker, rather which one fits your specific lifestyle factors. If a brew method doesn’t make great coffee—we don’t make a specific filter for it and it’s not in this guide. 

So, to figure out your ideal methods, you need to answer a few questions. You’ll use these answers to narrow down your choices in the list of brew methods, below. Keep in mind that you may have a different set of answers for different uses, such as home use or camping. 

Q1: Where do you plan to use the brewer? 

Will you use the brewer at home? If so, how much counter space do you have? Where will you store it? 

Will you take it to the office? Will you travel back and forth with it? Or leave it in the break room? 

Are you looking for a traveler to make coffee on the road? How will you pack it up? In a suitcase headed overseas? In your car camping kit? Or tucked into a lightweight travel kitchen for your big backpacking adventure? 

Q2: How many cups of coffee do you want to make?

This is a big one. If you regularly want to brew 4 cups of coffee, then you probably want to steer clear of single-cup drippers. And the reverse is true. If you’re looking to master the fine art of the single perfect cup for your morning routine, then a 6-cup Chemex is probably not your choice. 

Q3: Are you interested in the science of coffee making?

Some makers have spent years perfecting the exact function of their drippers, building in features that seem simple, but were designed by a team of engineers.  These methods might require a little study and practice to enjoy the nuanced richness of the method. If you’re a connoisseur, then the payoff will be worth it to you! 

Q4: Is style as important as function to you?

We always work with brew methods that make excellent coffee. Some of the brewers are also works of art. If you plan to leave the brewer on your counter and aesthetics are important to you, you have several beautiful options that match form with function. 

Pour over methods, explained

We’ve listed the options below in alphabetical order. 

Brutreck Collapsible

While Brutreck makes other coffeemakers, this one is a specialty pour over with backpackers in mind.

• Where to use: Made for on-the-go coffee. It collapses into a small waxed holder that fits easily into your backpack. 

• How many cups: 1 cup. According to Brutreck, the brewer “highlights the nuances of your favorite coffee grounds while enjoying the great outdoors.”

• Easy to master or sciency: Super simple. It’s designed for function on the go. It makes a great cup, simply and quickly.  

• Is it stylish: Simple and utilitarian. It’s made of silver stainless steel meant for durable function. 

Chemex Coffeemaker

This is the method we use at home. It makes multiple cups and ticks the most boxes for us. We wrote about the Chemex, here.

• Where to use: Mosty for home or office use. It will probably sit out on your counter—it’s a bit bulky to store. Most models are made of glass. While Chemex does offer a traveler, and we have certainly traveled with ours, the traveler would work best for a larger camp kit. 

• How many cups: Chemex brewers come in 3-cup, 6-cup, 8-cup, and 10-cup sizes. 

• Easy to master or sciency: Small learning curve. You’ll fnd that method matters with Chemex, and a little effort has big rewards. The very specific and iconic design of Chemex was patented in 1941 by a chemist in search of the perfect cup. He wanted to keep it simple and beautiful too. He designed a balanced brewer that won’t take you long to get just right . 

• Is it stylish: Classic, simple and beautiful. We can and do leave this out on our counter. 

Espro Bloom

The Espro Bloom is new to the CoffeeSock filter family. We’re excited to say we’ve perfected the fit, so if Espro is your choice, we’ve got you covered!

• Where to use: At home or on the go. The Espro is a small dripper made exclusively of stainless steel, so it’s safe to toss in a camp kit or store in a cupboard without worrying about breaking it. Easy to store, but if space is extremely limited when you’re camping, you should choose a different method.  

• How many cups: 1-2 cups. The Espro has lines that show you how much coffee to add for one cup or two. Helpful!  

• Easy to master or sciency: Science-backed and easy. The Espro has a tech-forward look and patented drip method. According to the company, “the 1502-hole flat bottom filter design makes evenly distributing water over your grounds simple for a fuller-bodied brew in as little as two minutes.” 

• Is it stylish: Sleek but utilitarian. You have only one choice of style for Espro, and if you like the cool and modern look of this stainless steel dripper, it might be for you!

Hario Drippers

When we want a single cup of coffee, we often turn to the Hario. We wrote about the V60, here.

• Where to use: At home or on the go. Hario brewers are small and come in ceramic or plastic options. They are drippers—so you’ll place the brewer right on top of your cup or you’ll need a decanter. Easy to store, but if space is extremely limited when you’re camping, you should choose a different method.  

• How many cups: 1-2 cups for most versions. Most Hario brewers are small and meant for a single cup of coffee, though we can squeeze out two good cups after some practice! They also sell decanters for brewers that make more than 1 cup.  

• Easy to master or sciency: Balanced approach. The Hario brewers all have ridges which, according to the company, slows the flow of water. That means you don’t have to pour as slowly, the ridges do some of the work for you. They also cite the specific shape of the brewer, which allows for “deep layering of coffee grounds.” 

• Is it stylish: Modern, stylish vibe. Over the years, Hario has produced their drippers in lots of stylish and fun colors, with glass, copper, ceramic and plastic options. 

Kalita Wave Dripper

Similar to the Hario drippers, the Wave has its own devoted fans due to its specific design.

• Where to use: At home or on the go. Kalita brewers are small drippers—so you’ll place the brewer right on top of your cup or you’ll need a decanter. Easy to store, but if space is extremely limited when you’re camping, you should choose a different method.  

• How many cups: 1-4 cups. While Kalita sells drippers, which means you need a cup or decanter to catch the coffee, they sell a few larger, 4-cup versions and also produce decanters and sets.  

• Easy to master or sciency: Simple with a side of science. Kalita proudly says their brewers will “satisfy both a beginner and a professional.” The brewer is designed with ridged waves and three drip holes to regulate the brew no matter how you pour the water. You can read about the design of Kalita wave, here. 

• Is it stylish: Simple, with a pop of style. Kavita prizes themselves on simplicity, with sleek models in stainless steel, copper, glass and porcelain. They have a newer series with colorful plastic brims.  

Miir Pouragami

Advertised as “the world’s smallest, most durable and portable travel coffee dripper,” the Miir Pouragami is a clever, folding dripper.

• Where to use: Made for on-the-go coffee. It folds up and can fit in your back pocket. This is a great option for backpackers. 

• How many cups: 1 cup. The Miir is purposefully small and meant to get you drinking your morning cup from anywhere in the world. 

• Easy to master or sciency: Super simple. The Pouragami is designed for function on the go. It makes a great cup, simply and quickly.  

• Is it stylish: Simple and “design forward.” The three, folding panels form a sleek and cool, looking triangle. But function is top priority here. 

Stagg X and XF Drippers

Stagg offers simple, 1- and 2-cup options with patented design meant to keep the heat in while you brew.

• Where to use: At home or office—can be used on the go, just make sure it fits your cup or carafe.  

• How many cups: 1-2 cups. The Stagg X makes 10 ounces of coffee and the Stagg XF makes up to 20 ounces. So, you could squeeze three small cups out of the XF.

• Easy to master or sciency: Simple with a side of science. Like some of the others in this list, the Stagg has a science-backed design that is meant to correct any pouring techniques so that the coffee comes out great for beginners and pros alike. Stagg calls this method “Pour-over without room for error.” They even include a “ratio aid” to help you add the right amount of coffee without a scale. 

• Is it stylish: Minimalist, black, stainless steel design.

Did you find the right pour over for you? What other factors do you consider when choosing your brew method? We’ll update this post when we add more filters. Until then, we’d love to hear from you!

Whether we give time or treasures, gifting is meant to sustain and nurture our most important relationships—to one another and the planet. This is the magic of gifting, and it can be simple and inexpensive. No Black Friday required.

Why do we give gifts during the winter holidays? There are, of course, many answers to this question. And they mostly boil down to historical traditions of sharing abundance during the darkest days of the year.

That abundance often took the form of food, candles to light the dark, small amounts of money, good luck talismans, and sweets—which once were rare. Whatever we gave, we did so to celebrate and sustain our communities and families. 

Now, sustainability has become a buzzword for “eco-friendly” or “green.” And those concepts are important facets of how we can sustain as a species on the planet. It’s much more than that too—a web that ties eco-friendly practices to human relationships at the family and community level.  

That’s why gift-giving season is a key moment in the year to consider sustainability. What we give and how we give can nurture our relationships, communities and planet. And it doesn’t require a lot of money, a trip to the mall, or a cyber sale. Yes you can enjoy those aspects of giving. But you can also skip it. 

Gift giving is meant to bring joy to recipient and giver alike. Here are 10 ways to give a joyful gift that sustains. 

Gift with love languages

Did you know there are at least Five Love Languages and only one of them is “receiving gifts.” If you aren’t familiar with the love languages, take the free quiz with the people closest to you and share the results with one another. 

You’ll find that some of those closest to you prefer acts of service and would be delighted to have you cook them a special meal, clean and decorate the house, or resole their favorite boots.  Maybe a child in your life most craves quality time and would value a day of fun with you. Perhaps your best friend lights up with words of affirmation and would treasure a handwritten, heartfelt letter. 

The simple act of taking the time to learn and acknowledge one another’s love language can strengthen your closest ties. 

Take the free quiz and pass it on.  

Give the gift of experience

When you look back on your fondest memories, what do you value most about those times? What made them so memorable? Who was there? How did you feel? 

In so many cases, the answer involves enjoying the company of another person, experiencing something unique, learning something new, or achieving something important. There may have been a gift involved, but that gift was likely memorable in that it contributed to an experience. The gift may have been a telescope, for example, but the memory was of you and someone special gazing at the stars. 

Giving experiences can take more time to plan and execute than a trip to the store for a gift. The feeling and the memory can last a lifetime. 

A few example experiences:

• Draw a town treasure map or set up a scavenger hunt that leads to your favorite community spaces. See who scores the best $10 find at the local thrift mall, enjoy hot chocolate at your favorite cafe, go on a leaf hunt at the park, and top it off with a home cooked meal. 

• Take your favorite friend camping, just the two of you. Build a fire, roast s’mores and remember all your favorite times together. 

• Throw a soup and board game potluck. 

• Go full kid mode with your favorite adult—play minigolf, go roller skating, make friendship bracelets, eat pizza and gummy worms. Ask yourself what your friend’s inner 10-year-old would enjoy, and do that! 

Go ahead and shop—but keep it local and small

There are more than 31 million small businesses in the U.S., according to the Small Business Administration. You can probably find a small business near you that sells just what you’re looking for—from handmade candles to clothing, cookies, coffee and more. 

And although small businesses are – well – small, they make a huge impact. 

The Small Business Administration’s; 2022 fact sheet states that, “small businesses generated 12.9 million net new jobs, meaning small businesses have accounted for 66 percent of employment growth over the last 25 years. 

More than large businesses, small business owners are more likely to be families, women, immigrants and people of color. They also tend to stay local, hire local, and support local civic life. That community connection keeps small businesses accountable to and engaged with the communities in which they operate. 

According to Ashoka Changemakers, a “global network of social entrepreneurs, innovators, business leaders, policy makers and activists” small and medium-sized businesses tend to be more environmentally friendly, because these businesses “typically have a deep connection to their communities’ and environments’ needs, and therefore often have an incentive to be good stewards of their surrounding environment.” 

So, if you’re looking to purchase gifts that support and sustain local relationships and the environment, skip Black Friday and hit Small Business Saturday instead!

What are the ways you sustain your relationships during the holiday season? We’d love to hear from you! 

Whether you’ve perfected your at-home brew setup or you’ve got a hand-me-down Mr. Coffee, brewing at home is less expensive and better for the environment. That doesn't mean you should give up your  favorite coffee shops. Here’s how to decide which to choose. 

Without a doubt and by a long shot, making your own coffee at home will save money, time and trash. When you add together the time it takes to get to the shop, the resources that went into getting there, the money you spend and how much trash the whole experience produces, it’s difficult to come to any other conclusion.

We haven’t given up on coffee shops though.

According to multiple sources, “Independent coffee shops bring in more than $12 billion in annual sales” (1) and a large chain like Starbucks brings in even more—around $25 billion in sales. Together, we spend at least $37 billion at coffee shops every year.

The thing is—we aren’t always at home when we’re craving a coffee. And even if we were, coffee shops can have a lot to offer—jobs, community, vibe, Wi-Fi, and a reason to leave the house when you work from home.  And maybe that’s worth a collective few billion dollars. 

So let’s take a look at the costs and benefits of coffee from home and coffee away. 

Adding up the dollars

Let’s put an actual dollar amount on the issue. Here’s what you’ll spend on a simple coffee with milk and a little sugar (café au lait if you like), made with high quality, organic coffee and oat milk.

At the local shop

We priced this drink at several coffee shops in cities across the country and came up with an average price of $2.50, not including a tip. We hope you tip at least 20 percent, so we’re going to round this one up to $3.00.

$3.00 for a café au lait at the local shop

Coffee at home

To price your at-home coffee, we’re including the cost of your brew method (CoffeeSock!). That’s about four cents per use, assuming a pack of filters will last about a year of daily use. If you’re making more than one cup at a time, you can divide that $0.04 even further by the number of cups you make.

$0.04 for your CoffeeSock

The most expensive element of coffee at home is the coffee itself. We’re being very generous here at grabbing a bag of high end organic and fair trade beans, which is $16 for a 12 oz bag. That’s about $20 for a pound, which makes 32 cups.  If you’re buying from your local grocer, you’ll probably spend less. 

$0.50 to $0.63 for the beans—$0.57 average.

Oat milks range in price and quality by quite a lot. Going for a mid-range average, let’s call it $3.00 for 32 ounces. For a traditional cafe au lait, you’ll use about 4 ounces of milk, for a grand total of 38 cents. 

$0.38 for 4 oz of oat milk

Finally, we get to the sugar. The range here varies by a lot depending on the type of sweetener you use and the amount. For about a tsp of sugar per 8 ounce cup of coffee, you’re looking at about 3 cents, on average. 

$0.03 for a tsp of sugar 

The total? $1.38 for a high-quality, organic 8 ounce café au lait made at home. Assuming a $3.00 comparison drink, and not including any gas or other resources you spend going to the shop, you’ll save a minimum of $1.62 per cup, or about $500 a year if you make the swap most days of the year. Use a less expensive coffee and skip the milk, and savings jump even higher, up to $1000 year for only one cup at home most days. 

The environmental savings

We’ve written A LOT about the environmental price of the single-use cups, lids, straws and other disposables. It’s truly an environmental nightmare. Of course, you can bring your own cup to the shop or stay and sip, using a washable cup. In fact, ordering “for here” has several benefits we’ll discuss below. 

The disposables aren't the only environmental issues. 

Studies show that at coffee shops and kiosks with drive throughs, a large portion of people use it. Ordering from a drive through means gas, idling, and yes, disposable cups, lids and straws. 

Many coffee shops also brew large amounts of coffee for quick services, but if it doesn’t get used by the time it hits peak freshness, it gets thrown out. And that waste contributes to depleted coffee resources, overfarming, and price increases. 

So, when should you choose a coffee shop?

We love our local coffee shops dearly. We love seeing the familiar faces who work there and the connections we make with them. The best cafes have that special vibe when you walk in—welcoming, warm, friendly. 

At community-centered cafes, people meet to chat, do business, catch up, and enjoy each other’s company. Local artists display their work and community members hang signs advertising gigs, roommates wanted, sofas for sale, fun events and fundraisers. You can read a local newspaper or settle in with a book. 

A coffee shop can be a magical place. And when you’re out and about and in need of a cuppa, you don’t need to go home to make it. 

Here’s our short list of when we choose a coffee shop:

• We’re closer to a local shop than we are to our home. 

• We’re at home and really need to get out of the house and clear our heads. 

• We have time to sit and stay awhile, enjoying the space that a shop creates.

• We want a vibey place to meet a friend, client or coworker.

• We want to support a community-embedded space.

• We have a poster to hang on the wall. 

The bottom line? Make your coffee at home when you can, your wallet and the environment will thank you. Save the shop for those times when only the local shop will do the magic. In other words, choose shop-bought coffee with intention.  And bring your own cup! 

Plastic makes up the majority of trash found in lakes, oceans and rivers. Over time, plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller molecules until they become microplastics, a tiny menace. 

Microplastics are pieces of plastic that measure 5 millimeters or smaller. That’s about at long as the tip of a sharp pencil. In fact, a typical pencil eraser is about 5mm all around. So, if a piece of plastic is smaller than that, it’s a microplastic. 

But so what? 

As scientists study the effects of these small pieces of plastic, they are finding just what you would expect—microplastics are bad for ocean life, which should be enough evidence against them. They likely have a directly negative effect on humans too.

Where do microplastics come from?

Some plastics were designed to be tiny and others become tiny when they break down. So, there are two types of microplastics: primary and secondary. 

The primary type is tiny by design. If you’ve ever used a face wash that contains tiny exfoliators, then you have an idea what this type of microplastic looks like. In fact, prior to 2015, many exfoliating beauty products contained these plastics until the U.S. banned microplastics in beauty products.

The secondary type of microplastics come from larger plastic items—bottles, beads, cups, caps and the rest. When these items find their way into waterways, they eventually break down into smaller and smaller pieces.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration breaks it down for us:

Most plastics in the ocean break up into very small particles. These small plastic bits are called "microplastics." Other plastics are intentionally designed to be small. They're called microbeads and are used in many health and beauty products. They pass unchanged through waterways into the ocean. Aquatic life and birds can mistake microplastics for food. 

How do microplastics end up in the water?

We’ve written before that much of the trash found in waterways is plastic.  It gets there when people litter in or near water sources, such as fish nets that stay in the water or water bottles left on the beach.

Litter left anywhere can end up in the water too when it gets swept away by wind and rain or when wastewater runs into the ocean through sewer systems and overflows.

Are microplastics dangerous?

If you’re a sea turtle,  fish or ocean bird, the answer is almost certainly yes. For humans, scientists have just started to research the short- and long-term effects of ingesting plastic.

According to National Geographic:

Microplastics have been detected in marine organisms from plankton to whales, in commercial seafood, and even in drinking water. Alarmingly, standard water treatment facilities cannot remove all traces of microplastics. To further complicate matters, microplastics in the ocean can bind with other harmful chemicals before being ingested by marine organisms. 

For humans, we definitely eat and drink microplastics. Statistica tells us that “The average person eats, drinks and breathes between 74,000 and 114,000 microplastic particles every year - and that is considered an underestimate.” 

Not all plastics are considered equal—the quality and chemical makeup varies widely. Some contain chemicals that break down readily and enter our body and others probably come out without much breakdown in the same way all other waste exits our system.

Turning again to NatGeo:

In laboratory tests, microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells, including both allergic reactions and cell death. But so far there have been no epidemiologic studies documenting, in a large group of people, a connection between exposure to microplastics and impacts on health.

If we know that plastics are harmful to sea life and cause problems—no matter how large—for humans, then we know we should take action. 

What can we do to reduce microplastics?

What can we do about it? This is both the simplest and hardest question to answer. 

The simple answer? We must severely reduce our use of plastic, if not eliminate it. We now have many alternatives to plastic, especially single-use plastic, including bioplastics made from organic material. 

The not-so-simple truth? Plastics are everywhere, and individual humans like you and I share only part of the blame. I’m sure you can guess who makes all and uses most of the plastic—big corporations.

Still, there’s plenty we can do.  If we simply limit single-use plastics, we can make a big difference. Globally, we use 130 million tons of single-use plastic and, by design, we throw it away.

In 2021, the New York Times reported that “The average American uses and throws away 110 pounds, or roughly 50 kilograms, of single-use plastic every year. Only Australians currently match American scales of waste.” And at the time of this report (just last year), “Only about 8 percent of plastic gets recycled in the United States.”

Inventory your plastic use

Take a walk around your house looking for plastic. Jot them down on paper, snap pictures with your phone or make a voice recording.

Go room by room looking for all of the visible plastic. The flower pots in the window, the reusable containers in the fridge and pantry, the board game pieces, the picture frames—all of it. Then sit and contemplate your list.

For some people, plastic items are life savers. Sometimes literally. If that includes you or someone you love, then please count those plastics that help you as the absolute best reason to preserve the use of plastics. Those products that make life livable for people who would have struggled before—those are plastics living their best lives. We’re here for that. 

So, we’re not going to get rid of every single plastic item. And that’s not the goal anyway. We;re suggesting that you look for the most easily avoided and simple-to-replace items on your list and start there. Swap them out one by one, over time. And when it’s time to get rid of a plastic, ensure it gets recycled if you can.

Because those water bottles now will become tiny plastic particles later. And instead of drinking from them, you’ll be drinking the plastic itself.  

Whether you use paper towels regularly or only break them out for parties and spills—the Swedish dish towel will come in handy. A cloth/paper hybrid, it can take on the messes without all the waste.

Even as the U.S. spends more each year on environmentally friendly goods, we still lead the world in use of paper towels. 

According to a 2018 article in The Atlantic, “the U.S. spends nearly as much on paper towels as every other country in the world combined.”  And it isn’t just because we have a larger population than many countries. We spend more on paper towels as a whole, and also as individuals. 

The U.S. “stands apart on a per capita basis as well. In 2017, the average American spent $17.50 on paper towels. The closest competition on this measure comes from Western and northern Europe, led by Norway at $11.70 per person.”

Of course, that was four years ago. Where do we stand now? The short answer is that we now use more paper towels than in 2018. 

Aren’t paper towels compostable? 

You might be wondering why this matters. Paper towels are usually compostable and some brands are made with recycled paper. So, doesn’t that make them OK to use? 

It’s true that a single paper towel contributes very little to overall environmental decline. It’s also true that the trouble isn’t with an individual paper towel, but with the use of paper towels in the aggregate. 

In other words, our collective use of paper towels adds up to a serious environmental problem.

A few facts:

• Many paper towels are bleached or colored with chemicals. So, while they are compostable, we don’t want those chemicals in our compost or water supply. 

• Being compostable does not mean zero waste on its own. Most people do not place used paper towels in compost bins, so they add to landfills where they do compost, eventually. 

• You can’t recycle a used paper towel back into more paper. So, the resource is not renewable. It requires trees to make more paper towels. 

• Production of all types of paper requires large amounts of water. 

According to the EPA, “Tissue paper and towels (not including bathroom tissue) amounted to 3.8 million tons of waste in 2018. 

The bottom line? We use a lot of paper products in our houses, and it takes tons of trees, water, chemicals and more to make, ship, sell and manage their waste. 

Paper towels, why can’t we quit you?

Our paper towel habit likely boils down to habit, similar to our plastic bag habit before they were banned or shunned in many cities. 

And there’s no denying the convenience of paper towels when it comes to cleaning day, the grossest spills, parties and campouts. Just as most of us became accustomed to reusable grocery bags, we can make the switch away from paper towels. 

Here’s the good news—if we just started by cutting our use in half, we’d make a huge difference.  

A middle ground swap—the Swedish dishcloth

You might not be ready to go 100 percent paper towel free. We get that. We’ve got a roll stashed around our house too, just in case.  As anyone knows who has children, dogs or clumsy people around, some messes beg for the most absorbent and easy to clean (or toss) process. 

Enter the Swedish dish cloth. They’re made with an absorbent combination of cellulose and cotton that rivals the spill-cleaning power of the best paper towels. They’re reusable, biodegradable and easy to clean. Just wash them off in warm water for minor cleanup, toss them in the laundry for a deep clean, or boil them to get them back to new. 

What makes them “Swedish”? They were invented by a Swedish engineer in the 1940s and have been popular in Sweden and neighboring countries for decades.  It looks like the U.S may be starting to catch on. 

We’re here for it!

Swedish Dish Cloth

$5.99

Swedish Dish Cloth

A Swedish Dishcloth is an eco-friendly cleaning cloth that replaces sponges and paper towels. One Swedish dishcloth can actually replace 17 rolls of paper towels.

Perfect for coffee spills!

Quantity:

Add To Cart

You might be surprised to hear that some disposable food packaging is better for the environment than unpackaged food. Not all food trash is equal. Here’s where you can focus for the greatest environmental impact. 

I recently went down a bit of a rabbit hole reading articles by Dr. Hannah Ritchie, the lead data scientist at Our World in Data. Her articles focus on the impacts of the world’s food systems on the environment. And some of her conclusions may surprise you.

For example, though we often hear the advice to “eat local,” research shows that, on average, what you eat is more important than how far it travels. Why? Because some types of farming cause more greenhouse emissions than transporting the food. 

Another surprise? Some food trash, especially in the form of packaging, prolongs shelf life and prevents food waste while providing food for more people. It means we can transport farmed foods, reducing the total number of environmentally intensive farms.

Of course, not all food trash is equal. And research also shows that some types of food trash do cause more problems than solutions. 

Here are three types of food trash to eliminate for more impact.

The trash that leads to deforestation

According to Dr. Ritchie, “Since the turn of the millennium, the world has been losing around 5 million hectares of forest every year. Nearly all of this occurs in the tropics; almost half of all deforestation takes place in Brazil and Indonesia.” (Source)

And what causes this massive loss? 

“Beef production is responsible for 41% of deforestation; palm oil and soybeans account for another 18%; and logging for paper and wood across the tropics, another 13%. These industries are also dominant in a few key countries.” 

Since this blog is focused on the trash that comes with food, I’ll focus here on the implications for food packaging and the disposable items we use to prepare our food and beverages. And I’m specifically looking at paper. 

From paper plates and cooking supplies to paper coffee filters (CoffeeSock’s personal villain) and cups—where possible, we can avoid them. Where they already exist, we can recycle them.

The trash that ends up in rivers and oceans

Seven of the ten most common items found in the world’s rivers and oceans come from food waste. And I’m not including the 7.6 percent of trash that comes from fishing. 

Rope, fishing gear and industrial packaging make up 18.9 percent of trash in the water, compared to 43.1 percent that comes from plastic bottles, food containers, plastic cutlery, lids, glass bottles and cans. Then there’s bags—making up a whopping 14.1 percent of trash in the water. 

Source: What are the most common items of waste found in rivers and oceans?

What can we do with this information? As Dr. Ritchie points out, some of this food packaging has less impact when it comes to preserving shelf life and keeping the whole food items out of the trash. 

For you and me? It means focusing on eliminating the trash that doesn’t promote shelf life—that includes all plastic utensils, plastic cups with their lids, and plastic bottles where possible. 

The trash from beverages other than water

In the case of both deforestation and trash in the water, we see that the paper and plastic we use for beverages comes up again and again in the forms of bottles, cans, and cups.

Also telling is the information that certain beverages: cow’s milk and (eeek) coffee, can be environmentally intensive to grow and distribute. 

I was surprised to learn that coffee is unique in that the packaging used in the industry accounts for a larger portion of its overall emissions than for almost any other food or beverage. (Check out the chart on this page.) While the packaging is less of an issue than the farming itself, it’s still significant. 

If you’re a big coffee fan (that’s why you’re here, right?), then it’s worth it to look into the packaging associated with your favorite brand. 

In terms of milk, the article points out that dairy milk “has significantly higher emissions than plant-based milk.” We also see that nuts are at the bottom of the emissions list, in part because growing many nuts means growing trees. 

 That’s nut milk 2, cow’s milk 1. And to rack the points up higher, you can make your own  nut milk to completely eliminate the plastic or glass containers that you purchase the milk in. 

A short action plan for less food trash

OK. I just hit you with a lot of data. What should you actually do? Of course, that will depend on your personal preferences and lifestyle. 

Because we believe in simple and economical solutions, here’s what we suggest:

• Ditch paper coffee and tea filters (of course!)

• Carry reusable food and beverage containers and cutlery with you when you can

• Make your own nut milk or oat milk

Luxury is ease, abundance, comfort and pleasure—and it can come from simple and nourishing places. Here’s how more luxury is better for you and the planet.  

We rush around so frequently that nourishing ourselves feels more like a chore that happens on the way to some other event. Maybe we order coffee at a drive through and drink it on the way to work, or pre-prep a wrap so it’s ready to eat during a busy working lunch. 

We often frame those most essential parts of our lives as necessities in need of convenience. We seek to minimize time spent cooking, cleaning, grooming, dressing and exercising. And what does this leave us more time to do exactly?  

What if we flip the script? What if we spend our time focusing on the art of those things we actually need to live? What if we frame necessities as spaces of luxury and seek conveniences elsewhere?

And the cool thing? When we inject luxury into the necessary daily acts of living, the planet benefits too! 

Here are 2 ways to nourish your body, soul and planet.

Luxurious mornings 

Coffee and tea are two of life’s simple pleasures, and perfecting your cup can be a fun, simple and sustainable way to enjoy the craft of a simple brew. 

We’ve written before about the healing power of slow coffee. All it takes to inject luxury into your morning caffeine is your five senses. 

To anchor in your senses brings you out of the jammed space of your head, out of the past and away from the future, and back into real life now. It’s a transformative habit, this pause. It offers clarity, calm, and healing. There are many ways to experience this. By far one of our favorites is the ritual of slow morning coffee. It’s a daily act of self care that costs little money and requires no special tools. When the world feels overwhelming, it provides 10 daily minutes of calm.  

To bump up the luxury factor

Any store-bought coffee will work for this daily ritual. Of course, coffee from your local roaster is a good way to experiment with different flavors, roasts and smells. And even a more expensive bag of $15 beans comes out to .50 cents per cup. 

How it helps the planet

Coffee at home saves movie and time while keeping trash out of landfills. When you’re skipping a takeout cup, replacing paper filters with reusable cotton, and choosing beans grown at sustainable farms, you’re doing yourself and mama earth a daily favor. 

Fine dining

Food is so much more than a necessity that happens in the stoppages between life—before school, on a short break, after work, on the way somewhere. Food is life itself.

Similar to a 10-minute luxurious morning brew, cooking can nourish the senses and provide a space to gather together with loved ones and enjoy time together.

Cooking for one another is an act of service and love, nourishing our relationships. Cooking together nourishes relationships in a different way, giving us time together in a meaningful shared experience that is wrapped into our daily lives and not a separate event. 

The brilliance of cooking is that you can engage the senses with simple and inexpensive ingredients—a go-to lemony pasta or a homemade pizza sauce cost less than a drive through meal. 

To bump up the luxury factor

Transform your $5 pasta dinner for four with a weekly farmer’s market find or go shopping in the cheese section of your grocery store. A $6 hunk of fancy cheese will last for a few meals and bring fun, please, and experimentation to the meal. 

Try growing and drying herbs and experiment with herb blends in your soups and sauces.

How it helps the planet

If you’re eating in more and out less, or if you’re buying less convenience food, you are doing your body and the planet a huge favor by tossing out less trash and eating fewer processed foods which require more resources to produce. 

Bonus points if you’re experimenting with making your own milk, soup stock and other essential ingredients that use lots of packaging. 

And for every trip to the farmer’s market or purchase of local foods, you support more sustainable agricultural practices! 

Luxury is everywhere

We’ve come to a collective habit of seeing luxury as a distant and periodic goal, or worse—as something only a few people can attain (think fancy cars and trips around the world). 

What if we’ve got it all wrong? Whether you’re slowing down to soak in a tub instead of jumping in a quick shower, or you’re savoring a new playlist on the walk to your daily commuter bus, you can inject more ease, comfort and joy into your everyday life. 

Where do you find daily luxuries?

We love a morning coffee or tea ritual. It’s a delightful way to wake the senses. But some mornings just don’t go to plan. Here’s your simple, sustainable backup plan.   

School starts tomorrow here in Austin, and like many families, we have multiple humans, all headed in different directions each weekday morning, and pets to care for before we leave.

For us, it’s two kids in two different schools, two adults with two different workplaces, three dogs, a few chickens, and assorted birds, fish and guinea pigs. (OK, we may have a few more pets than most).

We aspire to those calm and easy mornings with a ritual pour over coffee and easy chats. Mornings where everyone is on point, all shoes located, all backpacks ready, all homework complete, all hair brushed and breakfast eaten with time to spare. But yeah, that doesn’t always work out. 

We’ve always got a backup plan for breakfast (grab a cereal bar) and a backup plan for a failed packed lunch (money on the school lunch card). And for coffee? The usual backup plan is a trip to the local coffee shop or to simply do without it. 

If you’re trying to save time, money and paper, and “doing without” is not ideal when it comes to your morning caffeine of choice, we’ve gathered a few options for you. 

When you’ve got 10 minutes

We love a slow morning. And making our favorite coffee is a ritual part of that time. And while the slower the better is how we feel on the inside, sometimes (frequently), it’s just not an options. 

The good news? You can have a soothing morning coffee or tea ritual in about 10 minutes. We know because we’ve timed it and given you some detailed instructions! 

The healing power of slow coffee

IN A WORLD OF FRACTURED ATTENTION AND CONSTANT MOVEMENT, THE PRACTICE OF SLOW COFFEE OFFERS A DAILY MOMENT TO REFOCUS AND REGROUND.

Read more

When you can take those few minutes, it really changes your perception of how much time you truly have. 10 minutes at the beginning of the day can be enough to completely change your approach to everything that comes after. 

Try it if you can!

When you can only spare 5 minutes  

You can bust out a cup of our favorite pour over in about five minutes. Same goes for a cup of tea. Just be strategic! 

Get the kettle going and grind your beans at the same time. Prep your coffee sock and place a drip brewer right on top of your to-go mug. Then go attend to your other morning needs until you hear the kettle. 

Pour the first round of hot water over your grounds. Take 30 seconds to toss your things in a bag. Finish pouring the water and go!

When you have a few minutes…yesterday

If you’re not drawn to the ritual of coffee making, or if time is often short, you might have one of those automatic machines with a timer that brews the coffee for you and has it piping hot and ready for you when you wake up.

No shade from us! We’re glad you found your method. And there’s a reusable coffeesock for that!  Sock on, friend!

When you’re just out of time completely

There is nothing easier and faster than cold brewed coffee or cold brewed tea already sitting in your fridge. For us, a batch of cold brew lasts 3-4 days. It does take about 10 minutes to prep—but only once or twice a week. 

We always have cold brew in the fridge. On a truly busy morning, just pour and go. PRefer hot coffee? Nuke it for 30 seconds. The bonus here is that cold brew lasts for up to a week, and it’s fantastic as a shot for that afternoon pick-me-up, or to splash coffee in your chocolate dessert recipes.

What’s your busy morning caffeine trick?

Wait! Instead of tossing that last swallow of coffee down the sink, you can use it in clever ways that will have you thanking yourself later. Here are a few of our favorites.

If you’re like us, there’s always a little coffee left in the brewer and a little more left in the cup. Maybe some of it is black and some has a splash of milk and a little sugar. If you typically toss it down the sink when it’s time to clean up, try saving it instead. 

Why bother? Because in the future, you are going to want it, and it will be there for you. Trust us. Try a few of our favorite uses for leftover coffee—even small amounts. 

Use it in your chocolate desserts

We’ve written before about how to use coffee in your cooking. If you have some coffee already in the fridge, you’ll be ready to go the next time you need it. No need to grab your cold brew or make a small amount of fresh coffee for a recipe. 

Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate, balancing the sweetness to deepen the taste and complexity. If you’ve never tried it, now’s your chance. 

Things you can do with ½ cup or less of leftover coffee:

• Swap ½ of water or milk in the recipe for ½ cup of black coffee. 

• Add a couple of tablespoons to a frosting or ganache recipe.

• Make coffee-hinting chocolate chip cookies!

Make ice cubes for your drinks…or your face

Whether your leftovers are black, milky, sweet, or flavored, you can add coffee ice cubes to so many drinks for an unexpected flavor punch. 

Of course, you can use it instead of regular ice cubes to flavor your cold brew so it’s never watered down. Or you can add the ice cubes to sparkling water or these cold brew and tonic mocktails. 

If you’re freezing black coffee, you can even use those cubes on your face for a quick depuff. Caffeine is a known vasoconstrictor (it shrinks little veins) and so is ice! Together, they can be a nice skin pick-me-up. 

Try tracing a frozen cube of coffee around your face and under (but away from) your eyes. You don’t need to use up the whole cube. Just give it a few circles around the forehead, cheeks and chin. It’s bound to feel extra good on a hot summer day. 

Flavor a smoothie or oatmeal

If you enjoy a cup of coffee with a morning smoothie or bowl of oats, try a breakfast mashup by replacing some of the liquid in your smoothie or oats with an equal part of leftover coffee. 

• Our chocolate peanut butter smoothie makes a devine breakfast or afternoon treat. 

• For the oatmeal, try creating overnight oats with one part oatmilk and one part coffee. If your leftovers already have a little sugar and milk, you can probably just use the coffee alone. 

How to save your leftover coffee

If you’re making ice cubes, we recommend you set aside one cube tray that you only use for freezing coffee. If you fill it before you’re ready to use it all, pop the cubes into a labeled, reusable freezer bag. 

To save the leftovers for baking or smoothies, grab a mason jar and some masking tape. Label the jar “leftover coffee” and add your leftovers in the same jar each time. As long as you use the coffee consistently and wash out the jar once a month or so, you’ll always have a few tablespoons ready to go when it’s treat-making time. 

Looking for a new way to ditch plastic?

Us too. Here are our three favorites for the summer.

Do you dream of a world with less trash? Us too. In fact, it is our mission to help eliminate single-use paper coffee filters, clean up our local beaches, and minimize the trash we create as a family and a community. 

We’re always looking for ways to reduce our footprint further without investing in expensive, time consuming or complicated products and strategies. 

That’s why we’ve sung the praises of simple and economical things—mason jars, the French market bag, and DIYing your own veggie stock and plant-based milk. And we’ve slowly been adding to the list of favorites, tried and tested by our family and friends. 

Here are three more favorite—inexpensive and simple—reusable products to help eliminate trash. 

See-through, glass, reusable straws

If you need or prefer to use a straw when you drink,  and if reusable is an option for you (we know it isn’t for everyone!), there are many reusable straws on the market. We’re in love with these glass straws because they solve some of the issues we’ve had with other types. The biggest one? Seeing that they are clean. 

If you’ve used a metal straw for a smoothie and didn’t clean it right away, then you know the anxiety of wondering if you’ve gotten it fully cleaned out. Even with the straw brushes, you can’t always tell. These clear, glass straws mean you can see clearly. 

And yes, they are sturdy—stronger and more break resistant than regular glass. The six pack comes with three straight and three curved, plus a cleaning brush.  

Thrifted or sewn napkins

This may be one of the easiest, cheapest and most overlooked reusable we know. The next time you’re at a thrift store, estate sale or secondhand shop, go looking for cloth napkins. You can usually snag them cheaply and in bundles. You may find soft cotton, cute vintage or classic linen cloths in every color. 

Buy more than you think you’ll need and put a few in every bag you own. You will use them. 

If you’re crafty, they are super easy to sew from old sheets, shirts and other spare cloth. 

Utensils from home

For ages, every single time I ordered takeout and opened a pack of plasticware, I cringed. I’ve seen several travel packs of flatware, chopsticks and other utensils, and finally bought myself one. 

Then two things happened: The flatware that arrived was not as sturdy as I had hoped and a spoon broke off in a particularly cold scoop of icecream. Looking for a more sturdy replacement, a friend laughed and pulled out her own set of flatware—from home. She literally took a fork, spoon and knife from home, wrapped them in a cloth napkin, secured them with a band and placed them in her bag. She’s brilliant, and you can stop what you’re doing and put some  in your bag right now. 

Don’t want to grab your good stuff from home? You can buy utensils at the secondhand shop too!

Every leap you take, you take it together. To strengthen your corner of the country this Independence Day, start with your community.

In 2011, I decided to quit my job and become an independent business owner. The full-time job I held at the time no longer worked with the life I wanted to create for myself and my family. I knew I wanted more time—with my family, my friends, my community. And I knew I wanted to contribute what I could to my corner of the planet. 

I had been brewing up the idea of CoffeeSock, and I was ready to make a go of it. And I haven’t looked back since.  Do you know what else I haven’t done? 

I haven’t been independent. 

An interdependent business

My family and friends were there cheering me on, even helping to cut and sew those early socks. Then there was my Sock team, a group of amazing makers out creating their own stories when they weren’t at the factory bringing the business to life.  (You can meet them, here!)

And of course there was and is the coffee community, from the shop owners and baristas who championed our product and helped make it better, to the roasters and distributors. And yes, the coffee drinkers who were thirsty for a more sustainable, simple and ritualistic way to enjoy their brew.  

The truth is, no person or business is ever fully independent. No family and no community is fully independent. We rely on each other. Sometimes a little and sometimes a lot. 

We are interdependent. And we celebrate that beautiful fact this July (and every month, really). 

Independence requires stronger ties

What does it mean to be independent? Does it mean you do everything yourself? Does it mean you never rely on anyone else? Does it mean you have no limitations or outside controls? 

I don’t think so. Not exactly. To be independent means to understand the nature of your ties and choose them for yourself. It means you choose to whom you are bound, on whom you rely, what limitations and controls you freely accept as a means to live the life you choose. 

It might sound strange to say that you can be freely bound. But it’s true. As a mother and wife and daughter and sister, I choose to bind myself to my family in ways that support and nurture them and me. This may sometimes mean I take on burdens and limitations that strain me in the moment. It also means that we all can rely on each other in turn, as we need it. 

It’s pretty obvious to see with children and elders. They can enjoy more freedoms and choices the more community they have to support them. Our elders can enjoy independence for longer when we support them more frequently. Our children can grow more independent when we provide the scaffolding and limits they need to succeed.

And it’s true for all of us, regardless of age and ability. We are each more free and independent because of our ties. 

To strengthen your corner of the country this Independence Day, strengthen your community

These last few years, few months, few weeks—they have been EXTRA. At times, I have felt hopeless and wondered if we are irreparably broken and divided as a society. In those times, I find great solace in my chosen communities. Those whom I live with and near, and those much farther away who I connect to through my business or our shared love of beekeeping or sustainability. 

I find solace in the Earth herself, my beloved Texas beaches and the forests and mountains I visit every chance I get. 

These places and people make up my community, and in my moments of deepest doubt, they lift me up and make me stronger and remind me to grow myself and grow my community. 

If you’re reading this, you are part of it too. Thank you for making me stronger and more independent. May you be stronger in your ties and grounded in your independence, too.

In a world of fractured attention and constant movement, the practice of slow coffee offers a daily moment to refocus and reground.  

What if you stop reading this and notice the miracle of your senses? Yes, right now. All five of them. What do you see? Do you hear anything? Listen harder. Touch something nearby, and notice its texture. Are there smells? Tastes?

Whether you’re sitting comfortably at home or on a crowded train, to anchor in your senses brings you out of the jammed space of your head, out of the past and away from the future, and back into real life now. It’s a transformative habit, this pause. It offers clarity, calm, and healing.

There are many ways to experience this. By far one of our favorites is the ritual of slow morning coffee. It’s a daily act of self care that costs little money and requires no special tools. When the world feels overwhelming, it provides 10 daily minutes of calm.  

Slow coffee as pause

To pause requires patience in a world accustomed to convenience and distraction. Deliberate slowness is an act of resistance. I find this especially true at breakfast, a time when the pleasures of crispy toast and strong coffee are easily turned into mechanized experiences meant only to fuel some future productivity.

Slow coffee is a daily rebellion. A moment to give your brain a chance to reset—a reprieve from yesterday’s messes and today’s  to-dos. 

Here’s how to slow down and take back your morning coffee.

• Go analog. Silence your notifications. Leave your phone in a different room. Try to give yourself these minutes distraction free, if possible. 

• Savor the smell. You may grind your own or buy it pre-ground. Either way, coffee smells amazing. Notice it. Give yourself at least five full seconds to soak it in. 

• Look and Listen. Watch the water pour from the pitcher or the tap. Listen as it fills the kettle or the brewer. Don’t look away. Water is one of nature’s most powerful forces. Appreciate the heck out of the fact that you have it right here in front of you. 

• Feel all the textures. The ground coffee, the water, the kettle or brewer, your favorite mug—they all have a different texture. They are all made up of elements, just like you. Notice the differences. Notice the sameness. 

• Wait. Now for the hardest part. You wait. The brewing or boiling of water takes its own time. Resist the urge to check your phone. Don’t prep your to-do list or get a head start on absolutely anything. Your only activities are for the present moment. Do some gentle stretching. Sit and watch the kettle slowly warm. Count your breaths. Notice the sights, sounds, and smells of the brewer.  

• Pour and watch. If you use the pour over method, there’s still the whole process of slowly swirling the water from the kettle over the grounds and watching it drip through and turn into liquid magic. So satisfying!

• Savor. This may be the best moment of all—time to pour the brewed coffee into your favorite mug and enjoy the rising steam. In another act of patience, you must wait a minute or two before drinking so you don’t burn your tongue. Savor the smell, the heat, the dancing steam. 

• Express gratitude. When it’s time for the first sip, really notice the flavors and the chain of efforts that brought this moment to you. Consider  saying “thank you” out loud.  Because it’s all a modern miracle when you really think about it. 

When life interrupts your slow coffee

It’s inevitable. Unless you live deep in the woods away from all distraction, life will insert itself into your slow coffee. The dog will bark, a child will wander into the kitchen demanding cereal. Your partner will need to find a missing paper. Someone will knock on the door.

All is not lost. Pet the dog. Hug the toddler. Kiss the partner. Answer the door if you must.

This is your chosen life. Your one and only. Give it the attention it deserves. Then soak right back into your moment. Because now is always here for you. Right up until the day that it isn’t.

Hint: It involves coffee-flavored ice cubes, pre-mixed flavorings, and our forever favorite—the mason jar pour spout.

As May turns to June and the northern hemisphere warms to summer, many of us will head to the closest body of water to relax and keep cool. And while water is the beverage of choice to stay hydrated, a cold, lightly sweet coffee drink makes an exceptional afternoon and after swim treat.

We’ve compiled our three favorite tricks to keep your cold brew actually cold, not watered down, nice and sweet, and ready to pour.

Make coffee ice cubes

Depending on how much you want to bring, the cold brew container can take up valuable cooler real estate. Use the cold brew to make ice cubes and problem solved.

You can go about this a few ways. If you make the cubes with sweetener, then you can skip the sweetener on the side. If you pack your jar with mostly ice cubes, then you don’t need to put the cold brew in the cooler at all—at least not at first. Just pack a large mason jar full of the ice cubes and let it slowly melt to cold, slushy coffee.

How to make coffee ice cubes

• Make your cold brewed coffee (see our basic instructions or check out our many recipes.)

• Add simple syrup to taste, flavored or plain, if you want the melty cubes to sweeten your drink

• Pour into an Ince cube tray and freeze

Add your coffee ice cubes to your mason jar, fill with cold brew, and add to the cooler. With the ice cubes inside the coffee container, it will help keep everything else cool too! Or, like we said, just make ice cubes out of the whole batch.

Premix your favorite flavors

If you like your cold brew straight, then you can skip this part. If you want the whole batch milky and sweet, then mix it right into the container. If your group is like ours, then everybody wants their coffee custom made.

Fair enough. You can premix a couple of options and have them at the ready. Here are our favorite post-swim coffee mix ins:

• Simple syrup is always a favorite. You can flavor it with just about any flavoring and it does not need to be kept cold. Simply mix 1 part sugar and 1 part water and heat together on the stove until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, orange, mint, more coffee… the choices are endless. Let the mixture cool and pop it into a container with a tiny spout—like the kind you use to dispense mustard.

• Presweetened milk does require cooler space…but it’s worth it if vanilla coconut milk cold brew or maple spiced cold brew make you smile. Again, make the flavored milk at home, add it to a pourable container, and stash it at the ready.

Bring a pour spout for your mason jar

Mason jars do absolutely everything. They are sturdy, inexpensive, high quality, and nice looking. Yes, they are glass, which you might not want to bring to the pool. If that’s the case, consider shopping for a quality plastic version. The size it perfect and you can mix and match the lids with standard mason jar lids.

And the best part is this: You can add a pour spout to the jar.

We’ve been using our Cuppow mason jar pour spout for years. You just remove the inner circle from the lid and replace it with the Cuppow spout. It’s genius and we wish we would have thought of it.

Enjoy your poolside or beachside coffee!

Pre-swim, post-swim…during swim? Either way, we hope this inspires you to try cold brew at your next outing. Don’t forget the plastic tumblers to drink out of and sure, little umbrellas if that’s your thing.

Enjoy!

Cuppow® Wide Mouth Lid

$10.99

They’re easy to store, have a million uses, and expand to hold all the produce you want to buy. That’s why we love French market bags—they’re an earth-friendly forever classic.

You probably have a lot of reusable bags. There’s the bags by the front door, the ones in your pantry or under your sink, the ones you have handy for your plane, train, or automobile commute, and the ones you have stashed inside of other bags!

And if some of those bags are the retro French market variety, then you already know what we’re about to say. These bags are some of our favorites.

Why? Because they’re inexpensive, super easy to stash anywhere, expand to hold a lot, and they double as air driers.

Need to be convinced? This is our ode to the French market bag.

Small but mighty

These string bags have been around for more than a century—for good reason. Fishermen have known for ages that the woven string structure can support a lot of weight as they haul up literal tons of wet fish each day.

The story goes that in the 1800s in Normandy, France, some genius started using the same material to make bags for carrying goods back and forth to market. And these iconic bags are still made in France, though we’ve caught on here in the states too.

Unfilled, the bags are small and can fit just about anywhere. When you’re ready to shop, you can load a high-quality market bag with 30+ pounds of goods. (Although we wouldn’t want to carry a bag that heavy home from market.) This flexibility is key for shopping, as anyone knows who has tried to arrange items from the store into less flexible bags.

They double produce storers

Once you’ve got those onions and potatoes home from the market, the best storage method may be the same one you used to bag them up. Lots of veggies prefer to be stored in a cool, dark and ventilated space. If you can hang a mesh bag of onions in a cool place away from direct sunlight (think a pantry, cabinet, or shadowy kitchen nook) the air flow will help them last longer.

They triple as air driers

When I was a kid in Girl Scouts, we brought our own reusable dishes and eating utensils in mesh bags. After we used our personal set, we washed them, put them in the mesh sack and strung them up to dry. No dish rack needed and definitely on paper plates or plasticware.

Same thing for our wet swim suits and other washable cloth. Just toss them in the bag and hang on a tree branch and they’ll be dry and ready wear by morning. (But do check the forecast for rain.)

Bonus: They’re affordable, cute, and will last a long time

Of all the products you can buy with the “eco-friendly” label, not many will cost you less than $10 and last you for years. But our favorite French market bag costs $7.

Interested? You can pick one up right here at CoffeeSock.

Zero Waste Grocery Bag

$7.99

Coffee grown in the sun produces more coffee faster, but it’s not great for the life and livelihoods of those who grow coffee, for the environment as a whole, or even for the flavor of the brew. 

If you love coffee, you already know that quality beans matter. But did you know that the way the beans are grown matters too? 

The coffee plant first grew in forested, shady areas. As farmers began to cultivate and grow coffee to sell, the demands of the market led to more and more sun-grown varieties. Why? Because sun-tolerant plants grow faster, leading to more crop yields. And if you can clear away trees for more land, then you can grow more coffee too. In other words, the sun-grown variety brings short-term profits. 

Sun-grown coffee varieties can have their place in a sustainable coffee farming ecosystem, but on their own, they can deplete the land, ruin local ecosystems, and impoverish the farmers that grow them. 

Here’s three reasons to choose shade-grown coffee.

Shade-grown coffee preserves local ecosystems

In forested areas, shade-grown coffee means that farms do not need to clear out trees. Instead, the forest canopy that shades the coffee plants, provides habitats for local birds and other wildlife. This is why the Smithsonian’s Migratory Bird Center developed the “Bird Friendly certification” for coffee and cocoa.

According to the organization, “When you purchase Bird Friendly® certified coffee or cocoa, you preserve critical habitat for birds and wildlife, fight climate change, protect biodiversity, and support farmers committed to conserving bird and wildlife habitat by farming sustainably.”

And what is good for the wildlife is good for the local and global environment, maintaining the rainforests, reducing carbon emissions, and preserving the soil. 

Tree-filled farms offer additional food and income for farming families

According to Food4Farmers, “Coffee is not enough.” When farms produce only coffee, then they lose income when prices drop and can be devastated by crop failures and diseases. And even those farms that produce certified fair-trade coffee rarely bring in enough income through coffee alone. As a result, coffee farming families can go hungry even as the world demands more coffee.

The trees in and around farms that grow shade-grown coffee provide a wealth of food and income opportunities. With support from organizations such as Food4Farmers, these farms can develop practices such as agroforestry and beekeeping. 

Through agroforestry, local communities select and cultivate trees that bring specific benefit to that community, such as fruit trees for more food options, shade trees for the coffee plants, and even trees that can eventually be used for lumber. 

As for beekeeping, the practice provides additional food and additional income. And the trees that shade and surround the coffee farm provide an ideal environment. 

While coffee itself provides few nesting sites and food for bees, bee diversity and abundance depend on the presence of trees inside or around the coffee farm — demonstrating an additional benefit of shade-grown coffee.

In short, the trees in and around shade-grown coffee farms help ensure the farmers have livelihoods that don’t depend entirely on the coffee market. 

Bonus: Shade-grown coffee tastes great

For the environment and the livelihoods of farming families, we’re sold on shade-grown coffee. So, it’s a real bonus that it tastes great too. 

Of course, many factors determine the taste of the coffee in your cup, from the roast of the beans to the tools you use to brew. But it all starts with the bean. 

Consider these factors of shade-grown coffee:

• The coffee is grown in an environment that resembles its natural environment, producing high quality beans.  

• The soil on a shade-grown farm is likely healthier soil in a more biodiverse environment. 

• The plants grow slower, producing a fully mature bean.

While there’s no scientific proof that it tastes better in the cup, there’s plenty of proof that shade-grown plants are grown in biodiverse farms using more sustainable practices to produce a high-quality bean. 

CoffeeSock supports Food4Farmers through 1% for the planet

Did you know? CoffeeSock is a member of 1% for the Planet. That means that 1% of our sales—and more during certain times of the year—goes to support Food4Farmers and their work at Maya Ixil coffee cooperative, a group of 205 coffee farmers in the northwestern highlands of Guatemala.

Read all about it. We thrive when farmers thrive: Our commitment to the Maya Ixil coffee cooperative.

When we support small, femme-owned businesses, we support issues that affect everyone—pay equity, child care, equal opportunity, and civil rights for all. Here’s how. 

Corina Guillory, founder and owner of CoffeeSock

In 2011, Corina Guillory started sewing and selling CoffeeSocks from her house. It was both a finish line and a beginning. As a young mother and wife with a big dream, she knew there was a more sustainable way to have her dream career while also being present for her beloved family. So she quit her full-time job and invested fully in this new venture. 

Her dream? A sustainable world for herself, her family, her community and the world. She believed then and now that big, global changes radiate out from communities of individuals. It’s how we heal people and the earth. 

When we support small businesses owned by women, like CoffeeSock, we invest in the means for women’s autonomy. It’s pretty simple—women will hire other women. They will pay women equally to men. They are more likely to support family-friendly work environments. And they are more likely to invest in the surrounding community and promote equal opportunity across all intersecting racial, cultural, and sexual identities. 

Don’t take our word for it. Consider these facts:

• According to a 2013 U.S. Trust Insights on Wealth and Worth report, “successful women are more likely than successful men to own a business so they can pursue a personal passion and to make a positive impact on the world.”

• Global Women’s Entrepreneurship Research reports that women are 1.23 times more likely than men to start businesses based on environmental principles rather than economic ones. 

• According to MetLife’s Employee Benefit Trends Study, “female small business owners are more likely to recognize when employees are stressed, tired, or burned out.” 

• That same study shows that female small business owners are more likely to recognize the importance of employee benefits that meet the needs of diverse employees and employees in different life stages, including those who are parenting, sick, or caring for aging parents. 

• Research on startups shows that “a company with a female founder and a female executive will hire 6x more women.” 

• “Studies show women reinvest up to 90 percent of their income in their families and communities, compared to 40 percent for men,” according to Women Owned. 

• Nerdwallet reports that in 2020, “40% of US businesses are women-owned” and in 2019, “64% of new women-owned businesses were started by women of color.”

To own a business can be liberating. It can also be an economic necessity. The pandemic pushed far more women than men out of the workplace, and ongoing discriminatory policies and corproate environments lock still other women out, especially women of color, trans women, and women with disabilities. When women own their businesses, they have the means to own their lives.

As Women’s History Month 2022 comes to a close, you can invest continually in femme futures by shopping from femme-owned small businesses. 

We’re so glad you’re part of the CoffeeSock community. We are proud to offer simple, sustainable, and economical products across the globe. We employ a rad group of women artists and leaders to produce products that add value to our community far and wide. And we’re proud to support the Austin, Texas economy and contribute to the city’s civic life. That’s what small, femme-owned businesses do all over the globe.

Sources

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/geristengel/2016/02/03/women-entrepreneurs-fuel-social-change-and-economic-growth/?sh=428d65f2c593

• https://www.womenownedlogo.com/about-women-owned

• https://www.law.upenn.edu/live/files/9464-womens-economic-empowerment

• https://www.metlife.com/workforce-insights/small-business-strategies/women-at-work-how-resiliency-and-well-being-are-fueling-female-owned-small-business/

If you’re looking for a coffeemaker that’s simple, beautiful, and makes a whole pot of coffee, meet the Chemex.

Let’s just get right to the heart of the matter—the Chemex brewer is simple, beautiful and makes a great cup of coffee—or eight. For these reasons, the brewer has a large and dedicated fan base. And it’s why the Chemex is the brew method we use at home.

That’s the short version of the story. The longer version is about your own needs and values when it comes to coffee. For us, we drink multiple cups of coffee daily, so we need a brewer that produces several cups at a time with a consistently great flavor. And we value simple, economical and ecological things, with huge bonus points for being beautiful.

What are your coffee making needs and values? This explainer can help you figure out if Chemex is the brew method for you.  

(We’ve also written about the Hario V60, the Aeropress, the automatic coffeemaker, and cold brewing. Check those out too!)

Your needs and values = your best brew method

For most of human coffee-drinking history, we used simple brewing methods that involved boiling water, mixing it with ground up beans, and putting the results through some kind of sieve. There were not a ton of options.

It was hundreds of years later—the early 1900s—when Melitta Bentz invented the first paper filter in an attempt to remove some of the bitterness of the brew, though her filters were not widely used until a few decades after that. From there, the world’s coffee making options multiplied, with methods that used some combination of pressure, steam, electricity, filters, plungers, and gravity. 

In short, nothing about your preferred brew method is a given. Instead, you can choose the brew method that best meets your needs and matches your values. 

Do you need multiple cups on a daily basis? Is speed important? Precision? The ability to use a kitchen scale to get the water-to-grounds ratio just right? How much storage space do you have? How important is simplicity? Do you have a kettle?

You get the idea!  

What is a Chemex and why would you want one?

According to the Chemex company’s website, the Chemex was invented in 1941 by chemist Dr. Peter Schlumbohm. He wanted a brew method that combined simplicity, excellent coffee, and art.

“Schlumbohm desired to not only make brewing the perfect cup simple, but also to have the vessel be a thing of beauty. Being a chemist, he studied and understood clearly the chemistry behind the extraction of flavor and caffeine from coffee beans.” 

It’s hourglass shape is designed with coffee science in mind to brew a great cup. And it’s probably the only coffee maker regularly featured and sold in art museums. 

Here are the advantages of the Chemex:

• It’s simple. Add a filter, ground beans and hot water. That’s it.

• It’s beautiful. You can leave it sitting on the counter and it looks great. 

• It’s economical. It will last for decades and costs less than $60 for an 8 or 10-cup classic brewer. Even if you decide to be fancy and buy the $150 13-cup handblown version, it’s a steal considering its durability and beauty. 

• It’s a pourover option for multiple cups. Whether you have multiple coffee drinkers in the family or guests visiting, you can easily make 6, 8 or 10 equally delicious cups.   

What about the special Chemex filter?

If you’re familiar with Chemex brewers, you’ll know that Chemex makes their own special paper filter. According to the company, they use “bonded filter paper to remove bad fats, bitterness, acidity and sediments that all other types of filters leave behind.”

Because CoffeeSock values simple, reusable, and ecological materials, we designed our organic cotton Chemex filters to work just as well as the lab-grade Chemex paper filters, but without the paper waste. In fact, organic cotton produces a brighter brew with a more balanced acidity level than paper.

Each organic cotton filter lasts from six months to one year, depending on how often you use it. And a three pack costs only $14. You can even buy a 3-cup or 8-cup Chemex brewer with filters directly from CoffeeSock!

How to brew coffee with your Chemex

With Chemex, you’ll start with a medium ground coffee, on the coarser side if you’re using their paper filters. 

For four cups of coffee, use around 50 grams of ground coffee and 750 grams of water. 

 From there:

• Boil your water in a gooseneck kettle.

• Dampen your cloth or paper filter with warm water and discard the water. 

• Line your Chemex with a filter and place on a kitchen scale. Zero the scale.

• Add 50 grams of ground coffee to the filter.

• Using a wide circular motion, pour about 100 grams of the boiled water onto the grounds and let stand for 45 seconds to one minute. This is the “bloom” when the coffee de-gases.

• Pour the remaining water using the same large, slow circles, pausing occasionally to let the coffee drip through a bit before continuing. 

• After pouring all of the water (measuring by weight) allow the coffee to fully brew and drip through. 

• Toss the grounds in the compost. If using cloth, rinse the coffee filter and hang to dry for next time. 

• You can keep your coffee warm by placing it on a glass stove top or gas flame on low.  (Don’t put it on an electric coil stove! Use this wire grid if you have a coil stove.    

How to clean the Chemex

Most Chemex brewers go right into the dishwasher. Or you can hand wash with a gentle dish soap. Be sure to read the instructions that come with the brewer you select. Treat your Chemex brewer well and you’ll have it for a lifetime.

Chemex® Style

$14.99

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Kaffeeklatsch comes from the German words for coffee and gossip, and was long known as a women’s group that partook of both. “Gossip” in these groups was really just talk of domestic importance, which was talk of just about everything. These days, we might be missing out on the best parts of those informal gatherings. It’s time to bring back the coffee klatch.

If you were a man in the late 1600s, living in Paris or London or Hamburg, you may have been among the first to drink coffee at a European coffeehouse. You may have enjoyed a cup while discussing mathematics with Sir Isaac Newton or poetry with Jonathan Swift. You may have helped found the London Stock Exchange. 

If you were a woman in the late 1600s, living in Paris or London or Hamburg, maybe you too found yourself at a coffeehouse, though probably not, unless you were engaged in some kind of work. For all but the most wealthy of women, you more likely witnessed the coffee revolution from your home.    

As the centuries rolled on, coffeehouses and at-home coffee gatherings continued. In both cases, the location itself set parameters on the conversation. Where you drank dictated, to a degree, what you discussed. 

While coffeehouses specialized around topics such as science or business or literature, at-home gatherings, especially those hosted by women and for women, focused on domestic life. And here’s the thing about domestic life that still holds true today—our day-to-day life is as affected by the politics of the day as it is by childcare and our favorite recipe for roast chicken. And so women then as now discussed it all.  

What about happy hour?

It’s true that happy hour may be the modern stand-in for the coffee klatch. At happy hour, we gather to discuss the news of the day, our work, our home lives, our plans. It’s a time carved out to be in community, something we desperately crave and need. It’s also a time to drink booze, with a focus on “happiness” that doesn't always gel with our current realities.  

And there’s an interesting connection between booze-centered gatherings and coffee-centered gatherings that may have changed the history of the world. 

According to Michael Pollan “Before caffeine came to Europe, people were drunk or buzzed most of the day. People would have alcohol with breakfast. Water was contaminated with disease, but alcohol, because of the fermentation process, would kill a lot of microbes.”

In other words, before we started drinking lots of coffee and tea, and when we lived in cities without access to clean water, all of our gatherings were booze-centered gatherings. Historians like Micheal Pollan speculate that coffee changed more than what we drank together—but also what we talked about and did together. 

Drinking coffee lends itself to clear thinking and higher productivity. Drinking alcohol…doesn’t. It’s no wonder that coffee-fueled conversation tended towards big ideas and the means to see them through. 

There’s something else about happy hour that functions in a very different way than coffee gatherings. Happy hour is, by design, a time to sever ourselves from the stresses of work life and domestic life.

We are told we should enjoy a glass of wine or a stiff cocktail and relax. The concept hinges on the separate spheres of work, home, and play. If these spheres were ever truly separate, those days are two years gone now. 

Let’s bring back the klatsch

The coffee klatch doesn’t ask you to put aside life, and you don’t even need to be happy. In fact, you can hold a coffee klatch on a Monday morning before your first Zoom meeting.

The purpose is community and the topic is that which is on the community mind, from navigating school closings (again!) to strategizing a career switch, swapping plant-based dinner recipes, or attending the City Council hearings about the budget. (Really only one of you needs to go for all of you to be informed.)

Happy hour can still hold court for those times when wine and celebration fill the need of the day. Let’s bring back the coffee klatsch for its own sake and in its own place. To fortify our communities, strengthen bonds, swap ideas, inspire and encourage each other, and then get it all done. 

Maybe you’ll be talking to the next Marie Curie or Toni Morrison at your next klatsch. Maybe you’ll help found the Austin Sock Exchange. 

(Oh, and you can also make coffee mocktails if you want to do a happy hour/coffee klatch mashup.)