Why filter your Press?

Here’s how a simple cotton filter can make your French press coffee smoother, cleaner, and even healthier.

If you’re a French press devotee, you already know the magic of a bold, full-bodied brew. And the press is simple and waste-free—no plastic machinery and no paper to throw away after each brew!

But you may also have heard that unfiltered coffee is harder on your heart and may raise your cholesterol (more on that below). And it’s oiler, too.

With a simple cotton filter insert, you get the best of both worlds—the rich, bold brew of French press with the right balance of acidity, but with less oiliness. And still no waste!

This simple upgrade can transform your morning cup into something smoother, cleaner and healthier.

Adding an organic cotton filter—The CoffeeSock

If you’ve been making French press for years, you may be new to the CoffeeSock concept. It’s an organic cotton filter that is exactly what it sounds like—a reusable cloth filter made from 100% organic, unbleached cotton. First designed for a classic pour over coffee, you can find a CoffeeSock for just about any brew method imaginable.

The newest addition is designed to sit inside your French press, trapping the fine coffee particles and oils that your metal mesh filter often lets through. The result? A cleaner cup with better texture and improved flavor.

Healthier coffee starts with the right filter

Coffee beans contain an oily, liquid compound called cafestol—a key chemical cocktail that causes active changes in a coffee drinker’s body. But are they good changes or bad?

Both, it turns out.

According to some research on cafestol, the compound can offer protection from cardiovascular disease. This is one the well-cited benefits of drinking coffee.

But, as ever, you can have too much of a good thing. Filtering coffee removes some of the oils associated with cafestol, and this balances your cup. Because those higher levels of cafestol can actually raise raise LDL (bad) cholesterol.

A cotton filter reduces the amount of cafestol in your cup—without sacrificing taste. The CoffeeSocks will absorb some of the oils, but not quite as much as a paper filter, giving you a balance between flavor, function, and health risks versus benefits.

You keep the deep, full-bodied character of French press coffee while ditching some of the excess oils and fine grounds that can contribute to health concerns.

Why should the filter be organic (and cotton)?

Let’s break it down:

No microplastics or bleach residue: Unlike paper filters or synthetic cloths, organic cotton is free from chemical treatments, bleach, and microplastics. So when you brew, you're not leaching unwanted extras into your drink.
Reusable and economical: One cotton filter can replace hundreds of single-use filters, and last for six months to a year, reducing waste and saving money.
Compostable and zero waste: Once your CoffeeSock has lived out its life, you can simply toss it in the compost. (Here’s our preferred method of composting your sock).

A cleaner cup and a cleaner press

Using a cotton filter doesn’t just improve your coffee; it makes clean-up easier too. No more scraping out coffee sludge from the bottom of your carafe. Just pull out the filter, compost the grounds, rinse your filter, and you’re done.

How to Use a Cotton Filter in Your French Press

**Insert the filter:** Place your filter into the Press so it covers and wrap the top of the Sock around the top of your Press.
**Add grounds:** Use the same amount of coffee that you typically use, and place the grounds right inside the CoffeeSock.
**Add hot water:** Add the same amount of water as normal, right over the grounds. Pour just enough water to wet the grounds, then wait 30 seconds for the coffee to “bloom.” (We explain the bloom, here). Finishing pouring in the water.
**Tie off your Sock:** Gather the top of the sock, twist it closed, then pull the small cloth loop around the top to secure.
**Steep as normal:** Let your coffee brew for 4–5 minutes, just like you always do. No need to add additional time.
**Plunge and pour:** Plunge slowly, all the way to the bottom.
**Pull out the Sock, compost the grounds, rinse and repeat:** Empty the grounds, rinse the filter, and hang it to dry.

Pro tip: Pre-wet your filter

Run a bit of hot water through your cotton filter before adding coffee. This helps remove any cottony flavor and preps the filter for an even extraction.

It’s a small, smart upgrade with big perks

An organic cotton CoffeeSock for your French press might seem like a small tweak, but the results are huge: cleaner flavor, fewer oils, less sediment, and a gentler impact on your health—and the planet. Whether you’re a coffee aficionado looking for a smoother brew, or your concerned about your cholesterol, you don’t have to pass on your Press.

A Filter for Your French Press? Yes, Please!