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glassybaby crafts iconic, hand-blown glass votives and drinkware in a radiant spectrum of custom colors. Hand-shaped in the Pacific Northwest, these vibrant, weight-held glass keepsakes bring warmth, color, and timeless light to any space.   

The story of glassybaby began in Seattle during a time of personal challenge for founder Lee Rhodes. Diagnosed with lung cancer in 1995 while raising three young children, she spent three years undergoing grueling chemotherapy treatments. Amidst those difficult years, her then-husband brought home a small, colorful, hand-blown glass cup from a glassblowing class. When she placed a small candle inside, the interplay of vibrant color and glowing light offered a profound sense of comfort and calm.   

During her time in chemotherapy clinic waiting rooms, Rhodes noticed that many fellow patients were struggling with basic expenses, missing essential appointments because they couldn't afford parking, childcare, or time off work. That realization sparked a powerful mission: she could sell these comforting glass votives and give a portion of the proceeds directly to support patients in need.   

With that vision, Rhodes officially launched glassybaby in 1998. Stepping into entrepreneurship without a formal business background, she learned the ropes as she went—seeking out local Seattle glassblowers to produce the cups, selling them out of her garage, and hosting pop-up gatherings for family, friends, and neighbors.   

In 2001, determined to scale her vision and support local craftspeople, she took a bold step and built her first dedicated glassblowing studio in Seattle. The brand hit its stride in the mid-2000s, refining its uniform shapes, introducing distinct, story-filled color names, and building a loyal following across the region. Breakthrough national media recognition soon followed when a gift of glassybaby votives caught the eye of Martha Stewart in 2005, leading to a televised appearance that generated thousands of nationwide orders overnight. The rapid surge in popularity helped fuel significant expansion, attracted investors, and allowed the company to build larger facilities, hire full-time craftspeople, and provide comprehensive health benefits to its team.   

Over the two decades since, glassybaby has expanded its operations with state-of-the-art hot shops across the Pacific Northwest, employing over 150 team members and skilled glass artisans. Every glassybaby is hand-blown from molten glass and sand, featuring a heavy glass base, rich color formulas, and a signature mark of authenticity stamped into the bottom.   

Alongside its artisan production, the company was built on a mission to give back—donating a portion of proceeds to charitable organizations that promote hope, healing, and community support, totaling over $16 million donated to date. Today, glassybaby remains a celebrated Pacific Northwest institution, transforming raw elements into hand-blown glass works that bring warmth, color, and lasting light to homes everywhere.