A new choice for natural straws

Plastic straws have been restricted since July. Glass, stainless steel, or paper straws have become popular products, but each has its own limitations. Vietnam has developed a plant straw that does not add chemicals and preservatives, and can be reused, becoming the latest alternative to plastic straws.

The plastic straw restriction order went on the road in early July (2019), and substitutes for plastic straws became a hot search product. However, glass straws are easy to break, stainless steel straws are not easy to clean inside, and paper straws are not durable. Some British netizens even signed a request to McDonald's to reuse plastic straws.

There are always some problems with each alternative. Recently, a new type of straw appeared in Vietnam, which seems to be able to solve these problems: the straw made of natural plants, the production process does not add chemicals or preservatives, and because it is taken from the earth, it can return to the earth.

Fresh and natural straws

This is a plant straw made by the Vietnamese company Ống Hút Cỏ. Using Lepironia Articulata (Lepironia Articulata). This wetland plant, which is abundant in the Mekong Delta, has a hollow stem, which is suitable as a straw. They hired local rural women to pick wild cattails and make them within 24 hours to make straws that couldn't be more fresh and natural.

The production process is very simple. The founder Tran Minh Tien was interviewed by the local media "VN Express Internationa" (VN Express Internationa) and clearly stated the method: "After harvesting, it is cleaned and cut into 20 cm straws and reused inside. The metal rods are cleaned, and after they are cleaned, they can be packaged in banana leaves.”

Currently, they offer two versions: fresh and dried. The fresh version of the straw can be used for one week at room temperature, and the shelf life is two weeks if it is refrigerated. If you want to store it longer, you can boil it in boiling water with a little salt, dry it, and store it in a cool, dry place.

The production process of the dry version is a bit more "complicated": it needs to be naturally dried for 2 to 3 days, and then dried in the oven, which can be stored at room temperature for up to 6 months!

Straws that can be reused

The straw straw can also be reused. In the restaurant, it must be used once for hygiene reasons, but consumers at home, as long as they are cleaned after use, dried and put back in the refrigerator for storage, they can be reused several times. "We believe you will not be willing to throw it away after only one use," the company's official website suggested.

What's more amazing is that you can still eat straws directly, after all, this is made of natural plants. "Chewing this straw after eating can help you clean your teeth and gums," the official website suggested.

Will it be expensive? The pricing standard is disclosed on the official website. The basic order quantity is 500 pieces, the fresh version is priced at 0.012USD per piece, and the dry version is 0.02USD per piece. Of course it's still more expensive than plastic straws, but it's not much more expensive. However, the positive environmental benefits that rush straws can create are unmatched by plastic straws.

At present they are only targeting the Vietnamese market and are also studying the possibility of exporting the dry version.