I have a new favorite water bottle. Seriously, I never thought I could love a stainless steel water bottle. Most stainless steel water bottles I’ve tried in the past have given me that metaly taste in my mouth, have had caps that are annoying to screw on and overall just didn’t excite me at all. I admit, I have been prejudiced against stainless steel water bottles.
Sarah Kauss, creator of the S’well water bottle, thought I might be converted if I tried her bottle. She sent me a beautiful ocean blue bottle, and I must admit, it was definitely like at first sight. Not love yet, because I hadn’t used it – but definite like. I was digging the design.
The first thing I noticed about this bottle was the cap. Since most of the stainless steel water bottles I’ve used in the past have had caps that bothered me, this one got my attention. The cap is actually simple to use, has a clean & fresh design, and tight enough so no liquid can escape. NICE!
With high spirits, I filled the 17 oz bottle with cold water, easily popped a few ice cubes in, and sipped. My first reaction was total surprise. There was no metal taste. I sipped again. Still nothing. Ok, this bottle is reeling me in!
I read up about the company and it turns out that S’well’s mission is to provide clean water to those in need, and eliminate the number of plastic bottles that are discarded every year. Over 200 billion plastic bottles of water are consumed globally each year, and less than 20% of them are recycled. In addition to that, I found out that almost 1 billion people in the world don’t have access to safe water. By partnering with the organization Water Aid, S’well aims to improve that so more people can have clean water.
OK, S’well, I know we haven’t been together long, but I’ll say it! I love you.
The more I used my S’well and the more I read about the company, I knew I had to get to the bottom of all of this awesomeness. Creator Sarah Kauss and I were able to have a great chat, and I got some answers for you!
Jenny: Ok – first things first. Why is there no metaly taste?!
Sarah: Some bottles are either a lower quality stainless steel, or lined with plastic, so when the plastic starts to wear away, you get that metaly taste. The S’well bottle is made of the highest quality stainless steel possible, so it doesn’t leach into your drink. There are 2 walls of stainless steel, so it keeps hot drinks hot all day long without being hot to the touch on the outside — and if you add ice cubes, it keeps your drink cold for 2 days.
Jenny: Whoa! Awesome. So I know you spent about a year & a half designing the S’well. What were the main things you learned during the process?
Sarah: The reason people buy bottled water is for the convenience – you want water that’s cold when you need it to be, and you want to be able to carry it around. I wanted the S’well bottle to look and feel good, be clean and functional, and to have insulation so it keeps drinks cold and hot.
Jenny: There are so many water bottles out on the market — what inspired you to create a new one?
Sarah: Well, I went to Boulder for undergrad so I did a lot of outdoor activities. One day I was on a hike and my water was warm. I had an “a-ha” moment – I knew there had to be a better way to keep your drinks cold on the go!
Jenny: What has the feedback been like so far – what are people saying makes S’well different from other bottles?
Sarah: The non-metaly taste, the double-insulation, no condensation on the outside of the bottle, you can take your coffee/tea with you without the bottle heating up….and the colors! People love the colors. We also do custom orders for companies who want to discourage using plastic bottles in the workplace.
Jenny: Tell me about Water Aid — how did you choose to partner with them? What % of sales goes towards the organization?
Sarah: I did a lot of research into water organizations. Water Aid is 30 years old and the impact of its projects is great. 10% of our sales go to Water Aid, and every bottle sold equals a year’s supply of clean water for someone in need.
Amazing, right?
If you’re convinced just like I was to make S’well your new favorite water bottle, you can purchase one here! Here’s to being healthy, helpful & happy!
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