Hampshire engineer invents alternative to the straw
Icebloc is a new eco-friendly alternative to straws, that stops ice and bits in your drink hitting your lips and teeth. Made of plants, re-usable, easy to clean and compostable, the clever design fits any glass and let’s your drink’s flavour flow.
Hampshire-based Adrian Potter has invented a new drinks gadget to take on the single-use straw. He came up with the clever design at the age of 17 while struggling with his gin and tonic at a golf club in Hong Kong “There was so much crushed ice, lemon and garnish in the G&T, I couldn’t take a swig”. He fabricated a design out of cardboard on the spot that enabled him to finally enjoy his drink. It wasn’t until 30 years later, spurred on by the need to replace plastic straws that Adrian started to perfect his design and research eco-friendly materials.
Ice can get in the way of a good cold drink, but plastic straws are choking our oceans and paper ones go soggy. Besides, drinking through a straw blocks the aroma and flavour of your drink.
Adrian says: “If you want your drink to flow, the Icebloc gives you a better drinking experience”.
- No more straws
- Iced drinks made cooler
- Designed to make iced drinks swiggable
- The eco-friendly alternative to straws
The Icebloc has been successfully market tested by Pimms and is now available on their website and on Amazon. They’re looking to partner with other drinks companies to improve their customer’s drinking experience and are actively seeking agents and distributors. Adrian says: “It’s fully brandable, so drinks companies can now get their name in the glass, without spending money on expensive glassware.”
The Icebloc is made of CPLA (basically plants), a bioplastic which uses 50% less energy to produce than oil-based plastic. It’s treated to withstand dishwasher temperatures, so the Icebloc can be reused again and again, and then composted when you’re done. And unlike re-usable straws that need a fiddly brush, the Icebloc can just be rinsed under the tap.
Diffords Guide, the bartender’s bible, states “Drinks taste better when you drink from the rim of the glass rather than a straw, as most of the flavour comes from the drink’s aroma.” So Adrian and his team insist the Icebloc gives you a better drinking experience over using a straw.
“Whilst I wanted to come up with a practical and useful design, the environmental element was also key to me. The Icebloc is made of plants and is completely re-usable. However, I still wanted to contribute more.” says Adrian Potter.
Supporting Marine Conservation
The UK government announced a ban on single use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds from April 2020, so Adrian hopes a cultural change to re-usability will highlight the benefits of the lcebloc. To underline its sustainability credentials, 1p for every Icebloc sold is donated to the Marine Conservation Society, the UK’s leading marine charity, working for seas full of life (www.mcsuk.org).
Anne Thwaites of MCS says “We’re delighted to team up with Icebloc which is providing a re-usable solution to fighting plastic pollution in our oceans. At MCS, we know that changing behaviour is the most effective way to turn the tide on plastic pollution. We need the help of businesses such as Icebloc to bring about the cultural changes required to clean up our world.”
Visit icebloc.co.uk for further information and follow @icebloc_ on Instagram.
Icebloc is available on Amazon at £3.99 for 6 units or £6.99 for 12 units.
For samples, high res imagery and anything else, please contact Adrian Potter on +441730858936 or email adrian@icebloc.co.uk
ENDS