07 May 2025 What is the ‘Zebra Striping’ trend?

Here’s another term and trend featuring in the burgeoning realm of sobriety and and reduced drinking….

One particularly interesting approach to alcohol is “zebra striping,” which has taken hold on TikTok and beyond over the last six months. This method promises to bring a host of physical and social benefits to those who try it out.

What is zebra striping?

“‘Zebra striping’ is a name for when a person alternates between drinking an alcoholic beverage and then a non-alcoholic beverage, and back and forth,” Erin Moran, a licensed mental health counsellor and vice president of operations at Sophros Recovery, told HuffPost. “One stripe is alcohol, and one stripe is not.”

She noted that this method helps people avoid overindulging by slowing down their overall alcohol consumption in a given outing.

“Many people who drink lose track of how many drinks they have due to each drink increasing their intoxication level, and sometimes a person might drink more alcoholic beverages than they intend to, due to the desire to have a drink in their hand during a social event,” Moran added.

Although zebra striping is a newer term rising out of the social media sphere, this general practice has been around for much longer.

“It’s a strategic approach to practicing what is known as harm reduction, which originated in the 1980s,” said Suzette Glasner, an associate professor and researcher with the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs.

“The concept of harm reduction developed as a movement away from viewing excessive drinking or other substance use as a reflection of a moral failing that necessitates rehabilitation, and instead emphasising the importance of reducing the harmful effects of drinking or drug use.”

She noted that the alcohol-free beverages people alternate with their alcohol can also be called “drink spacers.”

“Some people also refer to this practice as ‘spacing,’ or ‘pacing,’” said Aaron Baker, brand director of Dale’s and Oskar Blues Brewery. “Zebra striping is the more active and interesting terminology for sure.”

Think of this practice as a more mindful approach to drinking, fostering a sense of balance and relaxation.

“Zebra striping is more than a trend — it’s a shift in how we think about drinking,” said Chris Sedgwick, the head of PR and communications for Italicus and Savoia. “It reflects a wider move toward conscious consumption.”

What are the benefits?

“The benefits of zebra striping are essentially decreasing the number of drinks you have in an evening and improving hydration,” said Nick Padlo, a mental health expert and founder of Sophros Recovery. “When you decrease the alcohol and increase the water intake, you effectively decrease the ‘cost’ of drinking on your body and during a hangover…”

“The benefits of zebra striping are essentially decreasing the number of drinks you have in an evening and improving hydration,” said Nick Padlo, a mental health expert and founder of Sophros Recovery. “When you decrease the alcohol and increase the water intake, you effectively decrease the ‘cost’ of drinking on your body and during a hangover.”

Given the role dehydration plays in causing hangovers, zebra striping is a powerful counterbalance as it decreases the amount of dehydrating alcohol you consume and ups your hydration with water, juice or mocktails….

For Mingle Mocktails founder Laura Taylor, zebra striping also represents an exciting cultural change.

“Being alcohol-free is no longer seen as a punishment ― it’s a personal choice, and ‘zebra striping’ is a prime example of how the culture is becoming more inclusive,” she said. “As someone who grew up when non-alcoholic options were few and far between, it’s a joy to see the shift from peer pressure to choosing to drink moderately as a popular, positive lifestyle trend.”

Are there any downsides?

“The interesting thing about zebra striping and the idea that it is centered around being mindful about wellness is that it seems like an oxymoron because alcohol isn’t healthy and has many dangerous effects,” said licensed clinical social worker Jennifer Kelman.

“So while the trend is interesting and may help people cut back on the amount consumed, it really isn’t about wellness because true wellness would mean no alcohol, not just a drink after a soda, over and over through the night — which in fact could lead to more drinks consumed over the course of an outing as the wanted effects wane.”

She emphasised that there are ways to connect with others and have a good time without alcohol, even if our society tends to push drinking as part of socialisation. Zebra striping still plays into the notion that alcohol is an essential aspect of the experience.

HuffPost: Read the full article here

Related reading:

With ‘damp drinking’ and ‘zebra striping’, Gen Z are embracing moderation – not abstinence – from alcohol

Fewer young Australians are drinking. And when they do drink, they are drinking less and less often than previous generations at the same age.

It’s a trend happening all around the world.

The proportion of young people who drink infrequently is growing in the long term. In 2001, 13.6% of Australians aged 18–24 drank less than once a month. That’s since increased to 20%, or one in five.

The proportion of young people who’ve never consumed a full glass of alcohol has also more than doubled since 2001, from 7.5% to 16.3%.

But for many, abstinence is not necessarily the goal. An interest in mindful drinking means trends that encourage moderation – including “zebra striping” and “damp drinking” – have taken off on social media.

So, what are these strategies for cutting down? And are they really something new?….

The Conversation: Read the full article here