Ordering fresh fruit juice so that your health is intact, only to realize that the plastic straws you were using for this long are chemical.
On average, one person consumes 34,000 plastic straws during his lifetime. Single plastic straw takes about a hundred to five hundred years to disperse and affects about 600 species. This is not the legacy any one of us wants to pass on to the next generation.
The year 2022 is a crusade against toxic plastic products, and the revolution against plastic straws is no different. The straws are typically made using polypropylene, which leeches liquid resulting in the release of compounds that affects estrogen levels.
Even the so-called ‘Disposable’ straws can be used for a few minutes, then exposed to nature and like all other plastics, contaminate the earth for centuries.
However, many restaurants have started replacing plastic straws and commenced serving straws made from bamboo, wheat or stainless steel.
While it may be difficult to eliminate plastic straws completely from our lives, we can take alternative steps.
Mad4india informs you about 4 Indian brands that replaces plastic straws and doesn’t let you sip chemicals
1. Paivi
The Passion for climate change and sheer vitality gives you a firm like Paivi and concepts like edible drinking straws.
Paivi was founded in the year 2019 by Ruchi Jain. A bootstrapped startup has sold more than 2 million straws in just 2 years. Ruchi, who comes from a service background, was always passionate about starting a business. Having worked in the e-commerce sector and real estate sector, Ruchi always had her heart on the business end.
The drinking straws are made from bamboo, hay, paper, and stainless steel. The packaging itself is made up of agro-waste such as wheat and wood husk.
Paivi is currently supplying to more than 50 hotels in India.
Price Of Straws – Paivi India 6Mm Pink Paper Drinking Straws (Pack Of 200 Units) – Rs. 236
2. Evlogia Eco Care
Evlogia Eco Care Private Limited offers alternative plastic straws with the name Leafy Straws 100% organic, made from fallen dried palm leaves. They do not require exterior coatings, remain in liquid for several hours, and have a shelf life of one year.
The method for making coconut straws may surprise you. We all know that the center part that holds the coconut leaves is used to make brooms, while the leaves are discarded on farms as a waste of agriculture. The straws are made from discarded leaves that have been thoroughly cleaned.
By converting dried palm leaf litter into useful leafy greens, Evlogia also helps reduce air pollution. Evlogia also provides sustainable employment and business to women’s support groups, small farmers, and other small business owners.
These Coconut straws are as strong and durable as paper straws. In the past, customers of paper straws complained about the straws being soggy and moist. But with these coconut leaf straws, there’s no scope for any complaints.
Price Of Straws – Coconut leaf straws – Natural, Organic, Biodegradable, Eco-friendly, Sustainable straw (50) – Rs. 189
3. Bambrew
Vaibhav Anant, who is an animal lover, once saw a tortoise toiling in pain due to a straw clasped in its nostrils. This made him read reports and articles about plastic straws and how much havoc has been created.
He was aware that there had to be another way to manufacture straws that did not harm the environment. After more than a year and a half of research, he concluded that bamboo is a very efficient and effective method.
In India, bamboo is also widely available as a raw material.
This prompted him to launch Bambrew in 2018. The Bengaluru-based startup began with bamboo straws and is now expanding into disposable bamboo food packaging.
Today, the company exports these straws to countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and France.
Vaibhav also decided to relocate to the northeast, where bamboo was abundant. He discovered that there were approximately 140 varieties of bamboo, and after further research, he concluded that only 3 or 4 of those types could be used.
He met with various tribes in northeastern India for three months before deciding to work with them. They earn Rs 1.75 to Rs 2.50 per straw, and bambrew sells each piece for Rs 3.50.
Zomato, The Lalit Hotels, Byg Brewsky, Big Pitcher, Bangalore Brew Works, and the Arbor Brewing Company are all customers of Bambrew. These customers purchase these straws every three months, with an average order size of 5,000 straws.
Price Of Straws – Bamboo Paper Straws 6mm (2000 PCS)- Rs. 1125
4. Myonearth
Founded in 2020 by Nitika and Sameesh Nayyar, this Delhi-based startup (Myonearth) makes all its products out of eco-friendly means. The products are only made of coconut shells, cork, and bamboo.
A journey that started with using a bamboo toothbrush has passed its way to gently remind people that we have only one earth and we should do our best to conserve it.
Myonearth caters to customers that are looking for affordable alternatives to plastic straws. This B2C startup cites the product from artisans from their place of heritage. The overall quality check, assembling, and curation are done in the warehouse in Delhi.
The expedition to success wasn’t easy for both the female founders. The journey included quitting high-paying jobs, convincing parents and an ‘unusual business’
Today the business rakes more than 50 lakh in revenue and has served more than 8000 customers.
The brand is not just an alternative to plastic straws but has a wide collection of eco-friendly products under one roof.
Price Of Straws – Bamboo Straws with Cleaner – Pack of 2 – Rs. 149
Feature Image – Flickr
If you liked reading about ‘alternatives to plastic straws’, click here to read more about 5 Indian Brands That Will Throw Plastic Plates Out Of Your Kitchen – Plastic Alternative
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