LifeStraw

We make water safer to drink.
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Our Mission

We’re on a mission to redefine the safe drinking water space.

Through technology, innovation, product quality, and design, we work with governments, donors, and individual consumers, to understand the need for safer water.

what makes us different

impact

LifeStraw is in business to bring safe drinking water to those who need it most. We are a humanitarian company with a retail program; impact drives everything we do.

responsibility

We innovate technology powerful enough to prevent some of the most harmful diseases and emerging contaminants in the world and we back it with the most rigorous testing in the business.

beautiful design

We use simple, Danish design that ensures our products are beautiful, functional, and sustainable.

technology & innovation

We recognize our obligation to measure our footprint and minimize our environmental impact and we commit to ensuring that respect, diversity, inclusion and equity are a conscious part of all of our work.

The Story of LifeStraw

LifeStraw was built on a partnership with The Carter Center. Our story starts 25 years ago...
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1994
LifeStraw begins working with The Carter Center, creating a simple mesh filter to remove Guinea worm from drinking water.

A nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in more than 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy and human rights; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care.

2005
The award-winning portable LifeStraw personal water filter evolves from the Guinea worm filter. It removes bacteria and parasites, the main causes of waterborne illness.

“Their first reaction was no, we’re not in the business to make and sell retail products to the American market,” she recalls. “We’re in the business of improving the health and quality of life of people in low-resourced countries.”

Alison Hill, CEO of LifeStraw

LifeStraw’s parent company, Vestergaard, builds and finances the Emusanda Health Center to ensure access to health services, including HIV/AIDS treatment.

Vestergaard is built on the foundation of humanitarian entrepreneurship – that doing good is good business.

They believe that investing in the development of new technologies and establishing new markets within hard to reach or under resourced populations presents both great business opportunities and be an incredible force for good.

2008
2011
The LifeStraw Carbon for Water campaign uses carbon financing to provide 4 million people in Kenya with sustainable access to safe drinking water.

“What has made our impact program successful sits within our communities. Our LifeStraw team members live in these communities, have their own kids in these schools and run the program — they are the leadership behind that.”

Alison Hill, CEO of LifeStraw

LifeStraw launches a Give Back program through which, for every LifeStraw sold, one school child in need receives safe water for an entire school year.

For every product purchased, a child in need receives safe water for an entire year. This unique program is fully operated by LifeStraw through local staff and partners.

2014
At the end of the year, the LifeStraw Give Back program reaches over two million children.

“Our long-term investments in these communities build value for the company by delivering unique impact to our customers, by enabling an environment where we receive continuous product feedback, by empowering our own employees across the globe to participate in our humanitarian work, and by authenticating the brand’s ability to deliver safe water globally.”

Alison Hill, CEO of LifeStraw

2018
2019
LifeStraw Home, a water filter pitcher that addresses serious tap water quality issues is introduced. It is the first LifeStraw product to enter home, lifestyle market.
LifeStraw becomes a Carbon Neutral company, offsetting all annual greenhouse gas emissions. Our Give Back Program reaches over 4.6 million kids with a year of safe water.

"LifeStraw achieved carbon neutrality and we are working on building science-based targets to grow responsibly. We took steps to reduce plastics from our packaging."

Alison Hill, CEO of LifeStraw

2020
2021
LifeStraw officially becomes B Corp certified.

Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

Our Technology

How LifeStraw Works

Microfiltration Membrane

LifeStraw's membrane microfilters are made of hollow fiber membrane technology, a similar technology used in kidney dialysis.

0.2 Micron Pore Size

These membranes are made of small straws that contain microscopic pores of 0.2 microns in diameter.

Bacteria & Parasites Cannot Pass

Bacteria, parasites, microplastics, dirt, silt, sand and cloudiness are blocked and unable to pass through because they are too large. 

Only Clean Water Goes Through

Dirty water enters one side of the straws and clean water passes through the pores.

1

Dirty water sucked through bottom of the straw.

3

Clean water sucked through top of straw.

Cleans 99% of bacteria and viruses.

2

Our Impact

Each water droplet represents LifeStraw's impact over the globe.

Guinea Worm Eradication
Give Back Program
LifeStraw and Corporate Partners
Emergency Response
Humanitarian Projects

United States

1,170

angola

29,000

ghana

12,948

mali

31,200

fiji

10,000

indonesia

43,000

malaysia

1,245

vietnam

30

myanmar

235,800

bangladesh

2,000

india

58,684

ethiopia

160,900

somalia

6,595

kenya

1,256,933

tanzania

8,169

uganda

2,500

south sudan

131,500

chad

90,000

switzerland

100

canada

100

puerto rico

1,200

colombia

1,000

nicaragua

5,500

el salvador

2,700

honduras

2,300

guatemala

1,200

mexico

3,856
Guinea Worm Eradication
Give Back Program
LifeStraw and Corporate Partners
Emergency Response
Humanitarian Projects

You can make an impact too.

For every product purchased, a child in Africa receives 5 years of clean water.