I've been a fan of Klean Kanteen for a long time now. But my love has definitely grown for them since I've been working to align my values with the zero waste philosophy.

When I think of what I want in a company, this is the mental checklist I rundown:

Creates a high quality products
Operates with a high level of ethics socially and environmentally
Reduces or eliminates waste wherever possible.
Gives back to communities and/or to the planet in some capacity

Klean Kanteen not only meets, but exceeds these standards. Which is why they are easily one of my favorite companies.

Remember when stainless steel water bottles weren't a thing? I do. And so does Klean Kanteen®. They took a revolutionary step in 2004 towards ending single-use plastic by creating the first stainless steel, BPA-free, reusable water bottle. Obviously many have followed suit, but they've continued to be trend setters, make high quality products, and operating with the same determination to eliminate waste that got them started. This is why I love them.

Trend setters, you say?

Damn straight. Part of why I love Klean Kanteen is that they aren't sitting at the sidelines watching what other's put out and copy-catting. They're coming up with products that I don't see anywhere else. Here's a few of my favorite examples:

1. The Straws

If you're reading this you've probably heard of stainless steel straws, many zero wasters have and use them. But have you (or a friend) ever thought "Gee, this is great, but it's just not the right texture, I wish it could be both soft and reusable!"

This was the first complaint I got when I tried to introduce stainless steel straws into the lives of my friends. And Klean Kanteen® is the only brand (that I know of) that has stainless steel straws with silicon tops. They are also the right width both for normal liquid drinks and smoothies!

Also the cleaning brush that comes with the straw is plastic free!

2. The Tumblers

I'm OBSESSED with these tumblers. When I first wrote this post in 2017, pretty much no one else had tumblers like these. Other brands have come out with similar items since, but as far as I can tell Klean Kanteen was one of, if not the, first to produce these types of products!

The 8 oz size is absolutely perfect for: small cup of coffee, espresso drinks, whisky drinks by the fire, all the good things in life. I gave out four of these as stocking stuffers last Christmas!

The 16 oz size : cup of coffee or tea, smoothies (it has a different cap to accommodate the straw), and as a pint glass for that happy hour beer (or campfire beer)! Yes, this cup takes you seamlessly from morning till night!

3. The plastic free water bottle

In 2010 Klean Kanteen launched a line of completely plastic free water bottles, and they have expanded to growlers and pint glasses as well! Their Reflect line products are made from just three materials: stainless steel, sustainably harvested bamboo, & food-grade silicone. No paint. No plastic. No toxins. Everything I want in a product.

social and environmental accountability

Certified B Corporation - Collectively, B Corps lead a growing global movement of people using business as a force for good. Honestly, Klean Kanteen® describes it best: "B Corp certification is to sustainable business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee or USDA Organic certification is to milk." B Corp holds companies to the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. The whole idea driving this is an aspiration to use the power of economic markets to solve social and environmental problems.

1% For The Planet - $1 for every $100 purchased. It's as simple as that. To date, that's $1.5 million from Klean Kanteen® directly to environmental organizations dedicated to preserving and restoring wild places.

Green Packaging & Shipping - Klean Kanteen® uses packaging, boxes, and all other shipping products made from recycled post-consumer waste or from materials certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. They also offset the carbon emissions and oil used by their shipping via their Green Shipping Program. They use a portion of shipping costs to purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), energy created from renewable sources like wind and solar and carbon offsets (from projects that capture and absorb carbon) equal to their use.

This post was not sponsored by Klean Kanteen, but I have received some Klean Kanteen products for free. I've paid for many more. All thoughts and opinions are my own.