Meet Sipify Founder, Alice Stone

I never thought I would invent a product.  Then one day my dentist suggested I switch to iced coffee, because I could drink it with a straw and prevent stains. He promised my teeth would be whiter. But I love hot coffee. And hot tea, which can stain even worse.  I wondered why a straw in a hot drink scalds, and I set out to design a straw that would let you comfortably sip a hot drink. 

Several prototypes later I invented Sipify® and use it exclusively to sip coffee and tea. My hygienist noticed much less stain on the front of my teeth. And I no longer spilled coffee while drinking on-the-go, walking around town or getting jostled on the subway. Also, I kept my eyes on the road while driving, since I wasn’t tipping to sip. That’s a huge benefit since I live in Boston and the drivers are as crazy as they say.

It was important that my business have a charitable program and I decided to donate Sipifys to people living with Parkinson’s, many of whom drink exclusively from straws. The first patients who tried it appreciated sipping hot coffee with a straw, and they reported another benefit: they could control the flow and the sip size compared to a regular straw.  Some think the Sipify will lessen their chance of aspirating. I’ve been told by many people with swallowing challenges — due to a neurological condition, or a disability, or a stroke, or due to treatments for oral and other cancers — that the Sipify helps them drink more safely and confidently.

I also learned that swallowing is a dignity issue. If swallowing makes you choke or dribble, it can be uncomfortable to drink in public and this straw may help you drink confidently wherever you are. Sipify is a universal design and people from all walks of life can use it to sip with ease, whatever their reason.