There are a lot of options for straws these days, but which one do you choose?

Below are Pros and Cons on 4 popular drinking straws materials: bamboo, paper, metal, and silicone.

As far as which is best, it’s definitely a personal choice. Personally, I like the collapsible metal ones with a silicone tip because it’s easy to clean and fits in my pocket – but that’s just me.

I grew up with paper straws in the 1960’s and can attest to the fact that they could be a tricky proposition. They were great fun at the start of the drink but there was always the inevitable collapse when they became saturated.

When plastic straws came on the scene it was a boon to soda and shake drinkers everywhere – no more collapsing! Back in the 60’s and 70’s, many people would wash and reuse them. My family saved so many of them that they began edging out the other utensils in the drawer. Eventually, we started throwing them away as everyone did, and still does.

Today, according to industry statistics 500 million plastic straws are used by Americans per day and tossed. And that’s just straws and just in the U.S.!  The numbers from around the world are just too staggering to think about. It’s reported that roughly 8.3 billion straws litter beaches and waterways worldwide – and that truly does suck in a bad way.

1. Paper Straws

You can get a 100-pack of heavy paper straws at Amazon for around $5. Click here for the link.

Pros

• Paper. They decompose very quickly in the landfill or anywhere for that matter.
• There is a wide variety of cool paper straws on the market to choose from.
• Best used with reusable cups with a large hole for the straw.

Cons 

• They can collapse after being wet for too long. A thick frozen drink might require a couple of straws to finish up with.
• Printed paper straws can compromise the flavor of your drink from the ink used in the prints, or even from the finishing process of the paper itself. I recommend unprinted.
• You can’t chew on them like a plastic straw. There are always sacrifices 🙁
• Paper straws get crushed by the lids (with crosscut holes for plastic straws) on convenience store and fast-food drinks. The cup might be paper but the lids are usually plastic.
• I recommend reusable cups that have built-in holes for straws.

2. Stainless Steel Straws

You can get this 4-pack at Amazon for around $9.  Click here for the link.

Pros

• Made from stainless steel these straws can be recycled or reused in a myriad of other ways.
• Convenient to store in purse or pocket as they collapse down to about 3 inches long (7.62cm).
• Some have silicone tips making it more comfortable in your mouth.
• Variety of Styles: Straight, slightly bent, and telescopic straws in cases.
• Portability. Many come in small cases with brushes for cleaning.

Cons

• Hard feel in the mouth – less friendly, all business – unless it has a silicone tip.
• Cold, but that could be a good thing on a hot day with a cold drink!

Personally, I own a couple of thin, steel, telescoping straws with purple silicone mouthpieces that I keep in my bag and my car – love! They’re very handy.

3. Bamboo or Wood Straws

You can get this 10-pack of Bamboo Straws at Amazon for around $10.  Click here for the link.

Pros

• Sustainable, compostable.
• Bamboo is naturally hollow.

Cons

• Bamboo is only anti-bacterial up to a point.
• Bamboo is a woody substance and dries much slower than stainless or silicone.
• Bamboo straws will need to be kept very clean and dry to keep them from having a bacterial-buildup.

4. Silicone Straws

You can get a 12-pack at Amazon for around $7.  Click here for the link.

Pros

• Silicone is more compostable.
• Most silicone straws come with bushes for cleaning as well as travel cases or bags for portability.
• Different Shapes and Colors. These come straight, or slightly bent. Loads of colors.
• Sizes. I have seen them in both regular and large sizes – which are nice for bubble teas and thick frozen drinks.
• The feel in your mouth is more like a regular straw unlike the rigidity of wood or stainless steel.

Cons

• A bit squishier than normal but so what.

In Conclusion

I like the idea of having a personal straw. It’s kind of cool – like having a custom-made pool cue (only not as large).

No matter which one you choose, congratulations on taking action to reduce the use of plastic. Let’s all continue moving forward to keep this planet healthy.

Just for Fun: Brief History of Straws

As one would imagine, different types of tubes for drinking beverages have been around for thousands of years. Archeologists have found 5000 year old drinking tubes made of gold and even lapis lazuli. Of course it seems reasonable that there were less noble versions for the masses made of wood, bamboo and even grass tubes for just as long.

Jumping ahead to the 1800’s, rye-grass tubes were the all the rage for drinking one’s favorite beverage. Unfortunately they had an unpleasant habit of melting in drinks and leaving a kind of sludge at the bottom of your glass.

The story goes, that a man named Marvin C. Stone was smoking his cigar and drinking his mint julep when he finally became fed up with the melted goo in the bottom of his glass from a rye-grass tube. He knew he could come up with something better and he did.

With a background in the cigar industry, Mr. Stone developed a similar technique that was used on cigars. He wrapped paper around a pencil and applied a thin layer of glue to hold it together.

He further refined his invention in order to strengthen the straw so that the glue wouldn’t melt in the strongest of alcoholic drinks. In 1888 he obtained a patent for the first paper straw.

The standard paper straw was a hit and continued to gain in popularity.

Then in 1937 a gentleman named Joseph Friedman took it to the next level and came up with the paper “bendy straw”. Versions of it are still with us today. Everybody knows the corrugated straw that bends at the top that our moms give us to drink with when we’re too sick to sit up in bed. It’s still used in hospitals around the world. Brilliant invention!

The next significant change for straws came after World War II ended. This is when wartime plastic was no longer needed and new markets were being sought out. At the time, plastic was cheap and easily shaped into anything making it very handy stuff.

By the 1960s the number of plastic straws being mass produced continued to rise, and well… here we are today.

Remember to Stay Positive!

Even though the world’s plastic problem seems overwhelming, together we can and we are making strides forward. Even the smallest of efforts by everyone will help slow down and minimize our continued plastic impact.

And, it can start with just one straw at a time – every time.