Q&A: GlassDharma
Over the past few months I have been using my GlassDharma straws all the time and have added them to my OpenSky shop for you to get your own set. These straws are great and so easy to clean and are eco-friendly. Below is a little Q&A for the people at GlassDharama. Enjoy!
1. Why did you decide to partner up with OpenSky?
GlassDharma’s publicity began with Bloggers! Blog reviews of GlassDharma products brought about an appropriate forum. Not only to get the word out about a new idea (Glass Straws) but also to present the forward thinking that goes along with the creation of our products.
When Open Sky made it’s debut, Glass Dharma staff recognized an organization that could easily unite bloggers and product manufacturers in a way that gave bloggers opportunities for store fronts. After all, the bloggers promote the products, so why not sell to their own followings as well & increase their profits?
2. What is the inspiration behind GlassDharma?
GlassDharma has a mission – the power of a spiraling thought process goes with each product that leaves our manufacturing facility.
The thought process? REUSE!
Reuse it and you don’t have to throw it “away”.
Reuse it and you won’t have to “recycle” it.
Reuse and just say “no” to single use plastics.
Choosing a reusable straw is a small and simple act, but the decision leads to more decisions about much bigger things….
David Leonhardt, owner and founder, focuses his hard work and determination into creating quality products that have an impact on health and environmental issues. While caring for his customers with the highest level of integrity, David creates a product that benefits other people like himself and the quality of our world. His vision to create his own line of glass drinking straws stems from his 12 years of experience as a Lamp-worker.
In addition to becoming a part of the “green” movement with his product and his packaging, David also loves the elegance of glass.
GlassDharma is the result of a life long pursuit to follow “dharma” – that which upholds and supports the proper conduct of living.
3. Which is your favorite straw and why?
“I use every style and size of GlassDharma straws but my most used are the 10inch 9.5mm because I drink Iced Tea every day. At home I use tall Iced Tea glasses and on the go I use tall glass bottles. The 10 inch are the perfect size for both.
Every day I drink a fruit & veggie smoothie for breakfast and I always reach for a 12mm “smoothie size” Beautiful Bends Glass Straw.
Serving guests? The Decorative Dots are the favorite and the different colors help with drink identification.”
-Cheryl Newcomb (PR& Marketing Department at GlassDharma)
4. What are the benefits of GlassDharma straws?
There is the benefit of taste & feel when you use glass straws, the elegance of the fire polished glass…
The glass maintains a more constant temperature in both hot and cold beverages, there is not the condensation buildup and sweating that often occurs with stainless steel and aluminum straws.
The very best benefit is to reduce the need for single use plastics because of what plastic waste is doing to our Planet
5. How durable are GlassDharma straws?
GlassDharma Glass Straws are manufactured using a special annealing method:
David Leonhardt uses the highest standards available, provided by Corning, Inc. (the makers of Pyrex©) to anneal*. Under computer controlled conditions, all glassware created by GlassDharma (*a special heating process that reduces stress in the glass) produces “Vintage Pyrex” quality and durability. 100% inspection for Quality Control is implemented at each stage of manufacturing and packaging.
Please see video à http://glassdharma.blogspot.com/2010/03/glassdharma-difference.html
6. Lastly, I see that you are involved in fundraising as well, could you tell me more about this?
GlassDharma knows that the giving back reaches far beyond the manufacturing of a product that is environmentally friendly.
There are many worthwhile causes in our world and GlassDharma would like to provide platforms and opportunities for Fundraising by providing a user-friendly Fundraising Package of our products to allow profits from sales to be used for worthy causes.
