Zarf: Ottoman Luxury to Coffee Sleeve | JQJO

The zarf, a Turkish word meaning "envelope," historically refers to ornate holders for hot coffee cups, symbolizing Ottoman luxury. Used since the 17th-18th centuries, zarfs ranged from simple metal to jeweled designs. While modern Turkey rarely uses them, the word's meaning extends to the ubiquitous cardboard coffee sleeves, though purists object to this usage. The invention of the coffee sleeve, originally to prevent burns, faces competition now from cheaper imports and the growing iced coffee market.