Teenager Adam Liszewski is the brains behind these all-natural fire starters. They’ve grown from their original DIY Christmas gifts into a cottage industry—and beyond—in just a few years.
This enterprising teen began making Stokes after realizing the firestarters for his family’s wood burning stove didn’t light quickly enough. After a few prototypes he landed on the perfect combination of ingredients: sawdust, paraffin wax, and recycled egg cartons. That’s all you need (plus a match) to light a charcoal grill, fireplace, or even a campfire.
Stokes leave out all the nasties commonly used in firestarters, like kerosene or accelerants. The response was so positive, Adam soon recruited his family to keep up with demand. They worked an assembly line in the basement. When they outgrew that space, he partnered with The Charles River Center, an organization that connects mentally and physically impaired adults with employment.
Adam’s invention lights fires while helping his local community and the environment . . . and he’s only a teenager. We can’t wait to see what sparks his interest next.
