Test 2024: 11 plastic straw alternatives compared

Let's start at the beginning: Straws themselves were used thousands of years ago. The first straws were made from dried rye and were used as tubes to hold drinks. The first "real" drinking tube made of paper was invented in 1888 by Marvin Stone, who wrapped a strip of paper glued together around a pen. It was not until the second half of the 20th century that plastic straws were mass-produced. They were much sturdier and cheaper than their paper predecessors.

Plastic straws are made of plastic, polyethylene or polypropylene. The shape, color and length can vary and there is no risk of breakage with the classic straws. In Mallorca's bar scene, for example, it is not uncommon to see straws that are three times as long as the average drinking tube. This means that these so-called "XXL Mallorca party straws" use significantly more plastic. Unfortunately, the waste is not separated properly and therefore cannot be processed or recycled properly. If you're not quite sure whether the till receipt belongs in the residual waste and the coffee filters really belong in the organic waste, then take a look at our overview of correct waste separation.

But even in Germany, straws end up in our drinks in excess every day. We use around 40 billion straws every year. Who hasn't had two straws in their drink without any clear intention of using them? If the straws cannot be recycled and litter the oceans, animals such as turtles can choke on them or mistake them for food. It takes around 500 years for the plastic to decompose and even then there are still millions of pieces of microplastic floating in our oceans. So it's high time to think about alternatives.

For this reason, we would like to show you a selection of different plastic-free and sustainable drinking straws with their advantages and disadvantages in this article.

1. paper straw - advantages & disadvantages

The alternative that exists in most designs and color patterns on the market so far is undoubtedly the paper version. Straws in all colors and patterns are suitable for theme parties, children's birthday parties and girls' nights out. The drinking tubes are not only made of paper, but also have a thin layer of wax for stability. Nevertheless, they can soften in the drink after a while and lose their shape. Making your own paper straws is therefore not a good idea.

Important when buying: Make sure you check how the straws were produced. Like plastic straws, they are also disposable products and must be disposed of after each use. If they are made from wood raw materials, they protect the environment when they are disposed of, but they require a lot of wood and therefore involve the clearing of trees. Due to their nature, the drinking experience with paper straws is not the same as with plastic straws. Paper straws are therefore an acceptable alternative, but they are not automatically environmentally friendly and, depending on the model, can quickly become expensive.

Advantages of paper straws

• Various designs and colors available
• low purchase costs (approx. 0.02€-0.25€ per straw)
• tasteless
• compostable
• unbreakable

Disadvantages of paper straws

• not environmentally friendly when made from wood raw materials
• can soften after some time in the glass
• comparatively expensive for single use, depending on price

2. #IAMPLASTICFREE drinking straw 2.0 - advantages & disadvantages

So there is no alternative with all the positive properties of the classic straw that is also sustainable? Yes, there is - and it really is completely plastic-free. As with bamboo straws, we use wood as a sustainable raw material for our #IAMPLASTICFREE straws 2.0 and add sugar and glucose to create a robust straw that doesn't soften and can even be put in the dishwasher a few times. When they need to be disposed of, they can simply go in the home compost, where they decompose in a few weeks, or in the residual waste. Either way, they leave no microplastics behind.

With the white print on the black straws, guests immediately notice that these straws are different. They immediately understand that the business is committed to sustainability and can share their experience on social media using the hashtag #IAMPLASTICFREE. In this way, you are making a sustainable statement all over the world in two senses.

Advantages of #IAMPLASTICFREE drinking straws 2.0

• Rather low acquisition costs (0.08-0.10€ per straw)
• Unbreakable
• Do not soften (even in hot drinks)
• Can be reused several times
• Biodegradable & compostable
• Easy changeover for restaurateurs and guests
• Production in Germany → Short delivery routes
• Clear statement for plastic-free gastronomy

Disadvantages of #IAMPLASTICFREE drinking straws 2.0

• No kink
• Only one color

3. #IAMPLASTICFREE drinking straw Wood - advantages & disadvantages

A sustainable drinking straw made of pine wood and natural glue - nothing more and nothing less. Like drinking straws made from bamboo or paper, the #IAMPLASTICFREE drinking straws "Wood" are made from wood. In an innovative production process, pine wood from sustainable forestry is cut wafer-thin and shaped into a drinking straw. Unlike paper straws, they can withstand hot drinks and do not soften even after hours in the drink. Despite being natural, the drinking straws have no splinters.

With their natural look, the pinewood straws fit into any beach bar or restaurant with a natural flair.

Advantages of #IAMPLASTICFREE drinking straw wood

• Low purchase costs (0.07€ per straw)
• Do not soften (even in hot drinks)
• Biodegradable & compostable
• Robust & unbreakable

Disadvantages of #IAMPLASTICFREE drinking straw Wood

• Slightly woody aftertaste with plain water
• Can hardly be used several times

4. glass straw - advantages & disadvantages

Glass straws not only look stylish, but also impress with their reusability. In addition, glass is tasteless, so nothing stands in the way of carefree drinking pleasure - if it weren't for the cleaning.

The problem: most dishwashers cannot clean glass drinking straws completely. For this reason, they often come with an adapted brush that has to be used to clean the straws by hand. This takes more time, which is rarely possible in everyday catering operations. And even if really good glass straws are made of extremely sturdy special glass, the straws can of course break or at least splinter if they fall out of your hand, for example.

The glass drinking straw is a nice alternative that is increasingly being used in higher-priced restaurants and in the home kitchen, for example for smoothies. It is also plastic-free and therefore helps the transition to a plastic-free gastronomy. Nevertheless, the properties of glass straws pose a crucial problem: true to the motto "One bar, one drink, one gift", some guests are happy to let the stylish straws end up in their own pockets. This is doubly annoying, especially because of the higher purchase costs.

Advantages of glass straws

• Recyclable
• Chic & high-quality handling
• Neutral taste

Disadvantages of glass straws

• High purchase costs
• Time-consuming to clean
• Not 100% shatterproof
• Are often stolen

5. stainless steel straw - advantages & disadvantages

If the risk of breakage is too high with glass straws, stainless steel or metal straws are a good choice as they are uniquely stable. Otherwise, the basic advantages and disadvantages are very similar to those of glass straws: they make a high-quality impression on guests, so are also pleasing to the eye, and are largely tasteless.

At the same time, however, cleaning in the dishwasher is usually not enough, even if stainless steel straws are dishwasher-safe. Additional cleaning with a special brush is therefore necessary, which of course means more work behind the bar. An additional disadvantage: unlike a glass straw, where you can check the cleanliness with the naked eye, you cannot simply look through a metal straw. Guests therefore have to rely on the catering establishment to ensure appropriate hygiene.

Many bar visitors are therefore reluctant to use these straws. And last but not least, the problem with metal or stainless steel straws is that they are often pocketed and taken away by guests - with comparatively high purchase costs.

Advantages of stainless steel straws

• Recyclable
• Chic & high-quality handling
• Neutral taste
• Shatterproof

Disadvantages of stainless steel straws

• High purchase costs (0.70€ - 3€ per stainless steel straw)
• Time-consuming to clean
• difficult to check for cleanliness
• are often stolen
  
  

6. bamboo straws - advantages & disadvantages

Cocktails always exude a kind of vacation feeling - with tropical fruit, paper umbrellas, ice cubes and other decorative elements. The bamboo straw fits perfectly into the picture, of course. Who wouldn't be transported from their balcony to a beach paradise at the thought of half a coconut with a fruit skewer and bamboo tube?

The stalks, which are mostly made from bamboo wood in Asian countries, are not only pleasing to the eye, but also make sense from an ecological point of view - if they can be proven to have been produced under fair conditions. If this is the case and the straws do not contain any plastic or pesticides, ideally come from natural, renewable cultivation and are also produced locally, then the bamboo straw is a great alternative to the plastic straw.

Unfortunately, the bamboo straw is also not a practical solution for the catering industry. Once again, the time-consuming cleaning process is one of the main reasons. Once again, the owner has the choice between rinsing with the extra cleaning brush and washing in the dishwasher, whereby the longevity is considerably reduced. The straws are also not tasteless and can easily be stolen unnoticed.

Advantages of bamboo straws

• Biodegradable
• Longevity
• unbreakable

Disadvantages of bamboo straws

• high purchase costs (approx. 0.70€ - 1.70€ per bamboo straw with brush)
• if cleaned in the dishwasher and used for long periods at a time, the lifespan decreases considerably
• can be stolen
• not tasteless
• can become discolored
  
  

7. straw - advantages & disadvantages

It's back to basics with straws made from dried grain. Following the model of the past, there are now manufacturers who make the tubes from straw. The solution is as simple as it is straightforward: the remains of the harvest are used, the appropriate parts of the straw are sorted out and then processed with hot water and steam. The straws are usually produced directly by farmers in Germany, which means that they are also at the forefront of the eco-balance. Straws made from straw can also be made by yourself if you wish: After harvesting, you can collect the straws, cut out a piece between two growth nodes and then clean and dry them.

Straws made from cereals are also very climate-friendly, as only natural resources are used in their production, as they are waste products of an ecological process. However, the straws have one major disadvantage: they can fray in the glass and lose their stability and aesthetics after a while. In addition, some models only allow a limited amount of liquid to be absorbed, which significantly impairs the drinking experience and makes them unsuitable for thicker drinks such as smoothies and shakes.

Advantages of straws

• compostable
• do not soften
• low purchase costs (0.01€ - 0.20€ per straw)
• neutral in taste
• very stable

Disadvantages of straws

• depending on the model, limited liquid intake possible
• can fray in the drink

8. pasta straw - advantages & disadvantages

Who hasn't tried to play the flute on a macaroni or blow on someone through it as a child? After all, the popular XL pasta is hollow on the inside. It is precisely this property that is exploited in pasta straws. The straws are made, who would have thought, from the popular pasta. There are also manufacturers who produce special drinking straws from pasta in the appropriate length, but macaroni from the supermarket can also be used as a straw.

A little dexterity is required here for the ideal drinking experience: the straws can be broken into shape and adapted to the height of the glass, making them an inexpensive and sustainable alternative. Anyone who has ever accidentally left pasta in cold pasta water knows that it softens after a short time. Unfortunately, this is also the case with drinking tubes made from pasta. After a short time, the part in the drink loses its stability, so its useful life is limited. If you like, you can of course nibble the pasta straws after drinking, but they are not necessarily still edible after a few minutes in the cool drink. Pasta straws are therefore a sustainable alternative, but not a very practical one. Particularly with regard to the regular use of straws, you should ask yourself whether you really want to waste the food for this purpose.

Advantages of pasta straws

• low purchase costs (approx. 0.03€ - 0.10€ per straw)
• degradable

Disadvantages of pasta straws

• not break-proof, can break when bitten into
• soften after a short time and are then no longer tasteless
• Waste of food
  
  

9. apple straw - advantages & disadvantages

There's no question that cool juices and spritzers and the occasional light cocktail are a must in summer. Enjoyed relaxed on your own terrace or with friends in a café, they invite you to spend chilled afternoons or evenings - freshness kick included. How practical a straw would be to underline the sparkling character of your favorite drink! There is also a suitable alternative to plastic straws: straws made from apple pomace, the leftovers from apple juice production, are relatively new on the market.

A few other natural substances such as cereals are added to these straws for stability. The straws are edible after use or can be composted. At first, the alternative tastes like apple-flavored fruit gum, but after a while it takes on the taste of the drink. With its sweet and fruity kick, this variant is a sustainable alternative to plastic straws, especially for children, and is also ideal for parties. Do you need tips on how to celebrate and be sustainable at the same time? Then our 4ideas for a plastic-free party are certainly something for you.

It is only suitable for catering to a limited extent due to the dominant note - after all, not every guest likes the artificial apple flavor. Another disadvantage is their stability, which decreases after a short time in the drink. Although apple straws are a sustainable alternative, they remain a matter of taste in the truest sense of the word and are therefore not a convincing alternative.

Advantages of apple straws

• low purchase costs (approx. 0.05€ - 0.20€ per straw)
• edible after use
• are compostable

Disadvantages of apple straws

• not tasteless
• lose stability after a short time
  
  

10. silicone straw - advantages & disadvantages

Silicone straws are another alternative. Some practical helpers made from this flexible material can already be found in German kitchens today. They are particularly popular for cake and baking tins. Like the paper alternative, silicone drinking straws come in different colors and designs. The straws can be bought not only in your own favorite color, but also as a substitute in the design of a bamboo tube, for example.

Unfortunately, there is another price to pay for the miracle straws: drinking tubes made from the elastic material are suspected of containing the plasticizer BPA, which gives the tubes their incomparable flexibility. BPA has a proven effect on the human hormone balance and can be a real danger for both children and adults. Particular attention should therefore be paid to the ingredients when using them at home, especially if you want to use them for children.

In addition, the straws are real dust catchers due to their static charge and can no longer be cleaned properly after a short period of use. Although they can be cleaned with special brushes or in the dishwasher, it is still difficult to clean them sufficiently hygienically. This makes them impractical for use in the catering industry.

Advantages of silicone straws

• unbreakable
• Various colors and designs available
• moderate purchase costs (approx. 0.50€ - 2€ with brush)

Disadvantages of silicone straws

• time-consuming cleaning, wear out quickly in the dishwasher, not very hygienic
• difficult to recycle
• can get dusty
• suspected of containing BPA
• Unstable material
• Slight off-flavor
• can be stolen
  
  

11. PLA drinking straw - advantages & disadvantages

So we need an alternative that has the same positive properties as disposable plastic straws but is not made of plastic. One solution seems to be straws made from polylactides, or PLA for short. PLA is a bioplastic that is made from renewable raw materials and is also compostable. In particular, the starch of the maize plant is used to produce the plastic, whereby soils that are not suitable for growing food maize are used for maize cultivation. Another advantage of bioplastics is the low amount of carbon dioxide produced during cultivation. Similarly, only the CO2 from the growth phase is emitted by the plant during incineration. In addition, after recycling, the plastic not only has the same properties as when new, but there is also no need to grow new plants - PLA straws are therefore a sustainable alternative that undoubtedly comes close to classic drinking straws in terms of its properties.

However, the problem with this bioplastic is that the plants used are usually grown in China. This involves a long transportation route, which in turn has a significant impact on the eco-balance. It is also difficult to determine whether the biogenic waste materials really could not be used as food and are not planted specifically for the manufacture of products. If PLA straws are used in the catering industry, for example, it is difficult to distinguish them from classic plastic straws. As a result, you quickly run the risk of the guest not noticing the environmentally friendly idea at all and perhaps even rating the establishment more negatively out of ignorance.

Advantages of PLA drinking straws

• Low purchase costs
• identical properties to plastic straws > therefore easy to switch, both for customers and restaurateurs
• biodegradable & compostable
• unbreakable
• do not soften

Disadvantages of PLA drinking straws

• Difficult to recognize because easy to confuse with plastic straws if not printed on straw
• Differences in quality in terms of starch content with Asian manufacturers

Conclusion

So there are many alternatives to plastic straws - now it's just a matter of finding the right one for you. You should weigh up how often you use the straws and whether the purchase costs of some models are really worth it. After all, delicious drinks are part of a good meal, an aperitif or just a short break in between. They are therefore the perfect opportunity to make a simple commitment to sustainable gastronomy.

Our comparison has shown: With straws made from biogenic waste materials, you come close to the properties of classic drinking tubes and avoid plastic faster than you can even say the word "straw". With the hashtag on our straws, you can communicate your use in a contemporary and clear way with your guests and easily spread the word.

The #IAMPLASTICFREE straws 2.0 and Wood are our clear favorites for the sustainable catering and event sector. Pro tip: The combination of both straws for different cocktails (e.g. Wood for non-alcoholic and 2.0 for alcoholic) helps your employees and guests to tell their cocktails apart.