The Silicon Koozie All Hipsters Have Been Waiting For July 17 2014, 0 Comments
The entrepreneur: Eric Harvey, 26
The idea: A silicone koozie for pint-size mason jars, from Oregon-based Mason-ry (mason-ry.co).
Progress: Objective: $7,500. End Date: Aug. 8, 2014.
The spark: Harvey initially came up with his idea for a mason-jar koozie about three years ago; last year, after coming home “freshly stoked” from the Eugene Startup Weekend, he was inspired to move forward. His goal was to create a hot/cold drink insulator that looked and felt great, and, most important, was eco-friendly and multi-use. He spent the past six months designing, refining, and prototyping the Mason-ry koozie, working with his 24-year-old sister, Nicole, and product designer Alex Caves, 23.
Why we like it: Fed up with disposable coffee cups and oil- and animal-skin-based koozies, Harvey decided on reusable materials for his endeavor. The koozie fits 16. oz glass mason jars and is made of silicone, which can withstand temperatures from below zero to over 400ºF—it can be microwaved, baked in the oven, and put in the dishwasher—is non-toxic, and contains no BPA.
It was important for Harvey to make a koozie that worked only with glass mason jars, as he believes products that aren’t multi-use are “horrifically un-environmental.” The mason jar, he reasons, is a product most people already own, and can be used for everything from coffee and beer to eating cereal to canning to a decorative vase. He is currently in the middle of a six-state tour of coffee shops and breweries in support of his project.