The Evolution Hoodie: Made from Recycled Coffee Grounds

Coalatree designs eco-minded gear and apparel for the adventurer in everyone, from athletes and photographers to your average city folks and weekend warriors. It’s their passion to bring elements of the outdoors and the city life together. Whether you’re summiting the tallest peaks or lounging around town with friends, their products are practical, stylish, and functional. Being ready for anything is what they’re all about.

But, a hoodie made from recycled coffee grounds and plastic bottles?  It's true! Spent coffee grounds are collected from local shops, processed to separate the oils, and finally are ground into nano-sized particles. These particles are mixed with melted plastic bottles and spun into the threads that eventually become the Evolution Hoodie!  The folks at Coalatree work hard to bring you the most innovative technology that supports a healthy you and a healthy planet. By utilizing discarded materials like coffee grounds and plastic bottles, they’re keeping our waste streams small and making our impact big!

THE EVOLUTION HOODIE:

REVOLUTIONARY SUSTAINABILITY
The Evolution Hoodie features a hidden zippered pouch to securely stash your valuables, plus two organizer pockets and a hanging loop for keys. Keep your goods safe so you can explore the streets of a new city worry-free!

PICK-POCKET PROOF
The Evolution Hoodie features a hidden zippered pouch to securely stash your valuables, plus two organizer pockets and a hanging loop for keys. Keep your goods safe so you can explore the streets of a new city worry-free!

QUICK DRY
The Evolution Hoodie is designed to be worn on-the-go. The material is constructed with small, microscopic pores which increase its surface area. This means moisture is spread throughout the hoodie and the drying process is accelerated!  Dries up to twice as fast as traditional hoodies

ODOR CONTROL
Play hard and stay worry-free! Coffee is a naturally odor-absorbing material and by weaving the grounds into the fibers, odors are trapped as you sweat. Because the grounds are embedded into the fabric, this feature is permanent and will never wash out!  Traps 3x more odors than traditional hoodies

UV PROTECTION
Keep your skin healthy from the sand to the slopes! The tiny pores in the fabric trap and block UV rays, turning the Evolution Hoodie into a chemical-free shield.  Nearly 6x more effective at blocking UV rays than traditional hoodies.

 

$62 + shipping.  Support them on kickstarter.  As of today, they have over $263,000 pledged.  Their initial $50,000 goal has been far surpassed by the nearly 3,000 backers.  Kickstarter fundraising ends 4/18.

As if this wasn’t enough of a reason to love this company, each year they use surplus fabric to create warm blankets for the homeless in their hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. They also partner with local organizations to maintain the hiking and biking trails we frequent and to protect the integrity of our watersheds.  www.coalatree.com

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Tea Soda: Organic Tea Company Debuts New Line

If you are already a fan of award-winning organic teas from Teatulia, get ready for some great new products this year that will really surprise you...The Denver-based tea company is poised to create even more customer demand as it launches Tea Soda, its first ready-to-drink line.

Tea Sodas feature real brewed tea, fruit, herbs and just the right amount of sparkle. The 100% organic and ethically-sourced effervescent drinks were originally introduced at Teatulia’s Denver-based Tea Bar and have been best sellers from the start.

“The overwhelmingly positive reactions we got at Tea Bar told us we were onto something big with Tea Soda,” said Linda Appel Lipsius, CEO and Co-Founder of Teatulia. “Lightly sweetened with cane sugar, Tea Sodas deliver pure refreshment and are a great alternative to natural soda, sparkling water and even energy drinks. We chose cans because they are infinitely recyclable and in line with the commitment to minimal waste packaging we’ve always had with our hot teas. Tea Sodas are spot-on trend with what today’s consumer is looking for.” 

Teatulia’s Organic Tea Sodas are served in 12-ounce sleek cans, designed with bright, eye-catching colors.  They come in four distinctive flavor combinations:

• Organic Green Tea Soda: Green Tea, peach, blackberry, lime and cilantro. Caffeinated
• Organic Black Tea Soda: Black Tea, pineapple, peach, lime and cucumber. Caffeinated
• Organic Lemongrass Tea Soda: Lemongrass Tea, wild berry, lime and lavender. Naturally Caffeine Free
• Organic Mint Tea Soda: Mint Tea and hibiscus lemonade. Naturally Caffeine Free

We tried them all….the most popular in our “test-kitchen” was the Organic Mint Tea Soda, followed closely by the Organic Black Tea Soda.  Each had a unique and refreshing taste, resulting in comments like “wow”, “delicious”, “love this”, and “so refreshing”. 

To learn more, visit www.teatulia.com

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7-Eleven Salutes U.S. Military Veterans with Exclusive 7Rewards® Offer

7-Eleven, Inc. salutes U.S. military veterans for their service.  The company is working with Veterans Advantage to offer exclusive benefits to the organization's members on the 7-Eleven app through the 7Rewards® customer loyalty program.

Founded in 2000, Veterans Advantage is a public benefit corporation that creates exclusive benefits and discounts for active duty, retired, veteran, guard, reservists and family members.

"At 7-Eleven, we recognize and value the sacrifice our nation's veterans have made to our country and are honored to offer a token of our thanks through our 7Rewards program," said Joe DePinto, 7-Eleven President and CEO. "We're proud to collaborate with Veterans Advantage on this exciting initiative and thank all U.S. military veterans for their service to our country."

Here's how Veterans Advantage members can access 7-Eleven savings and benefits:

• Visit veteransadvantage.com to link your account to 7-Eleven and take advantage of offers from both programs
• Receive a welcome offer of 800 points when registering for the 7Rewards customer loyalty program
• VetRewards level members earn 1,000 7Rewards points for every $10 spent* in any participating 7-Eleven® store by scanning the 7-Eleven app upon checkout
• On Memorial Day, July 4th, and Veteran's Day, claim a free coffee or Big Gulp® drink by scanning the 7-Eleven app upon checkout

In addition to its collaboration with Veterans Advantage, 7-Eleven supports veterans through its military-friendly franchising and hiring practices and military-focused philanthropy, including support for the George W. Bush Institute Military Service Initiative, the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, the UCLA Operation Mend program, and many others.    

7-Eleven is proud to work with Veterans Advantage, the provider of the No. 1 Secure Military ID, providing members a way to redeem military discounts at participating stores.  For more information on joining the Veterans Advantage rewards program, visit https://www.veteransadvantage.com/.

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Brooklyn Crafted Debuted New Line of Herbal Teas at the 2019 Coffee & Tea Festival

Brooklyn Crafted, part of Brooklyn-based manufacturer and distributor, Brooklyn Food & Beverage, met 6,000+ festival attendees last weekend and introduced them to their new Liang Cha Herbal Tea Line featuring simple and natural international ingredients.

Available in four unique flavors including, Brown Sugar Ginger Tea, Hawthorn Tea, Hibiscus Tea, and Prunella Tea, the new line targets millennials who are seeking the benefits of wellness teas in an accessible and convenient way.

• Brown Sugar Ginger. For centuries, ginger has been used in chinese medicine to boost immunity and improve digestion. By lightly sweetening with dark brown sugar & jujube dates, it’s a tea that’s sugar, spice, and everything nice.

• Hawthorn is a tart berry that is traditionally used to improve heart health and lower cholesterol. By adding a light touch of ginger and chrysanthemum, we’re adding a delectably sweet & floral finish to this classic recipe.

• Traditionally used for its detoxifying properties, Prunella tea is an age-old brew that is perfect for reducing bloat. By adding a light touch of ginger, we’re spicing up this classic recipe to deliver even more goodness per bottle.

• Hibiscus is a vibrant flower that has long been used to lower blood pressure and relieve anxiety. The recipe brews it together with pomegranate juice, ginger, and goji berries, making an antioxidant-rich hibiscus tea that is better than ever before.

Brooklyn Crafted has taken the work out of all your favorite homemade Liang Cha Herbal Tea recipes and are brewing them fresh with no artificial sweeteners or preservatives. Locally made, small-batch, and kept fresh in glass bottles. Just the way Liang Cha should be.

The new Liang Cha Herbal Tea Line is currently rolling out into stores within the New York market with potential for national distribution later this year.  Lucky festival attendees were among the first to give them a try.  Their booth had long lines all weekend long from anxious attendees looking to give this new product a try…and the buzz was extremely positive, these new products were a hit!  Find out more and where to buy at https://www.drinkbrooklyncrafted.com/liang-cha-tea

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Something Big is Brewing Within Single-Serve Coffee

Step aside, coffee pods. Take a rest, instant coffee. There’s finally a single-serve option available in the world of high-end coffee, and it’s quickly becoming a game changer.  The Steeped Coffee full immersion brew method means no machines, no waste, guilt-free packaging, and amazing taste.

Santa Cruz-based startup Steeped, Inc., one of the most promising and innovative companies in the industry, has launched its revolutionary Steeped Coffee brewing method to serious coffee drinkers across the nation. Brewed similar to tea, Steeped Coffee’s nitro sealed Steeped Bags, along with their guilt-free packaging made using renewable and compostable materials, achieve the unthinkable: freshly ground specialty coffee in a single-serving. Best of all, it’s barista-approved.

Steeped Coffee launched when serial entrepreneur and coffee lover Josh Wilbur decided to combine the convenience of a single-serving brew method with the premium quality of ethically sourced coffee. Wilbur wanted to redeem the environmental dilemma created by wasteful coffee pods. Happy to do the math, Wilbur points out over 10 billion unrecyclable pods accumulate in landfills each year – enough to wrap around the earth more than 110 times if placed side-by-side. Moreover, each type of pod depends on expensive and often moldy brewing machines, which are also unrecyclable.

It took Wilbur seven years to innovate the proprietary Steeped Coffee system that delivers fresh roasted, pre-portioned, precision ground, micro batched coffee in customized Full Immersion Filters. “Premium coffee roasters have shied away from offering their specialty beans in single-serve packaging because it’s been nearly impossible to keep ground coffee fresh, which quickly ruins the taste,” said Wilbur. “With our Nitro Sealed bags, oxygen is replaced with nitrogen, so the coffee stays fresh as if it was ground moments ago.”

“Steeped Packs are the easiest way to make a delicious cup of coffee,” Wilbur Says. “You shouldn't need to perform chemistry before you’ve made your coffee.” Simply steep each Steeped Bag in hot water for about five minutes to allow the coffee to develop its distinctive body and flavor. There is no machine, no noise, no cleanup, no destructive waste.

As for flavor? Even the most discerning coffee connoisseurs in the industry are singing the praises of Steeped Coffee. Barista Magazine is a believer: “Like a tea bag—but for coffee? This new product from Steeped Coffee might just be one of our fave new ways to brew coffee on the road.”

“Finding Steeped has changed my coffee drinking life,” raved one reviewer on Producthunt.com. “It's my favorite new brewing method and I can't believe more people haven't heard of this yet. It is going to be huge.”

Entrepreneur’s Handbook concurs: “You’re likely going to see the Steeped Coffee methodology in hospitals, offices, hotels — places where single-serve coffee reigns — and perhaps on your next flight.

Features of Steeped Coffee include:

• 100% Specialty Coffee: quality coffee ethically sourced directly from farmers
• Nitro Sealed: removes oxygen, stopping the clock on freshly ground beans
• Ultrasonic Edges: no glue, staples, or wasted materials for max steeping
• Full Immersion Filter: non-GMO filters that regulate ideal water-in and maximum flavor-out
• Guilt-Free Packaging: made using plant-based renewable and compostable materials
• Micro Batching: roasted locally in small batches
• Precision Ground: consistent water-cooled grinding to the micron
• Pre-Portioned: consistent SCA recommended water-to-coffee ratios
• Just Add Water: single-serve convenience with no machines required
• Barista Approved: tested by multiple independent specialty coffee Q-graders for freshness, quality, and taste

The Steeped Coffee brand is available in five roasts: light, medium, dark, French roast, and a single-origin Swiss Water Process decaf. You can get your hands on Steeped Coffee packs at www.steepedcoffee.com, various luxury hotels, top company break rooms, by asking your local retail stores to start carrying Steeped, or through any of the partnered specialty roasters now offering their own Steeped Packs with their coffee.

With so many coffee gadgets, machines, and accessories flooding the market these days, this simple unplugged Steeped Coffee brewing method might be just what you're looking for to take your moment, while at home, at work, or on-the-go.

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Strengthen Your Health & Wellbeing with Candid Tea

For Candid Tea founder Courtney Alexandria, what began as a novel approach to connect with women spawned into a true passion for tea and a thirst for knowledge regarding its ever-growing list of wellness benefits. She started researching tea in 2016 which prompted her to enroll into the World Tea Academy to further her tea education. She officially launched the company in May 2017. As a true tea enthusiast who relies on tea’s stellar 5,000-year reputation and research backed results to empower women to lead healthier lives, she believes raising awareness about the value of tea will be a gift that keeps on giving.

“Can a hot beverage inspire wellness? If it’s a hot cup of tea, you bet it can! In fact, tea can do so much more!” stated Alexandria.  She’s now using her “expertease” to empower women to lead healthier lives through her collection of teas and tea-infused products.

The signature line known as the Identitea Collection was created to empower women by highlighting the unique and incredible qualities that they have. The collection is comprised of spiced, herbal and fruit teas that have inspiring names such as:

• The Role Model – Decompress by ditching the anxiety and stress. Made with herbs like rosehip pieces, ginger, peppermint and hibiscus, The Role Model is sure to indulge your senses and whisk you away from the trenches.

• The Game Changer – Feeling a little blah and looking to get your mojo back? Try the Sencha Green Tea. The steamed leaves are rich in antioxidants and other nutrients too resulting in a remarkably smooth, fresh and flavorful cup.

• The Power Player – A caffeine-free delight, this lemon infused Rooibos tea is rich in minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, zinc, magnesium and alpha hydroxy acid.

• The Millennial – The Millennial is a bold yet refreshing mix of berries that easily becomes one of your favorite flavors. Delicious hot or cold, this tea never gets old. Highlighted with currant pieces and hibiscus too.

Each name has a more significant meaning as they were created to represent the differences that make each woman uniquely beautiful and are symbolic of the diversity, magnificence and fortitude of individuality.

“Tea to me is a metaphorical representation of all women. It is grown in regions all over the world, it ranges from light to dark depending on the type and yet every variety is beneficial,” Alexandria explains.

Her mission is to educate women on the use of tea beyond the cup to help enhance their health and wellbeing. For example, did you know that preparing salmon with tea leaves adds antioxidants, nutrients, and extra flavor? ”Tea is commonly used to fight off the flu but it can also soothe sore muscles and help with skin conditions. It’s also great for cocktails!”  Info and more at www.candidtea.com

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