Americans get through half a billion drinking straws daily, enough to fill127 school buses. And remember, what are straws made of?
That’s right: plastic. To put it bluntly, plastic straws suck—in just about every way.
Instead, take a sip of a planet-friendly drink and explore thebest eco-friendly straws.
So what is an alternative to plastic straws?
We prefer to sip from something made of a durable reusable or natural and biodegradable material.
Fortunately, our eco cup overfloweth with plastic straw alternatives to make your favorite beverage even better.
Our Favorite Eco-friendly Straws
Klean Kanteenis best known for selling the US’s first BPA-free stainless steel bottles, and has expanded into sustainable straws to help kick single-use plastic.
WithJungle Culture’s bamboo straws, eco-friendly frappés and smoothies are always on hand, since these come with an adorable carry case to keep yours on-hand, as well as clean and protected in between beverages.
Feeling thirsty?
Luckily, there are loads more eco-friendly straws to choose from, so you can enjoy a refreshing twist on the age-old tradition of sipping drinks with plastic.
Prepare to pucker up and make a difference, one drink at a time.
Whether you’re a squeezed-juice lover, iced coffee enthusiast, or simply enjoy tasting every drop of your favorite drink, we have some eco-friendly straws that will fit your needs.
Discover the crème de la straw-ème in the world of sustainable sipping solutions.
Our Curated List of The Best Sustainable Drinking Straws
1. Final
Price Range:$13–$20 |Shop Final
Final’s Eco-Friendly Reusable Straw Range
Finalburst onto the market in 2018 with their version of the sustainable drinking straw, offering an easy-to-clean, transportable alternative to plastic straws.
The patented collapsible Final Straw (get it?) comes in a stylish carry case made from recycled plastic, while the straw is manufactured from stainless steel and platinum silicone. All hard-wearing materials that last much longer than plastic or paper straws and look great dangling from your purse or keys.
You’ll find both regular sizes andeco-friendly wide straws(called theBiggie Straw) for boba and more serious sipping power.
The brand was born from anger at our planet’s sea of single-use plastics, primarily made of cups, straws, and water bottles.
As a result, the Final encourages consumers to confront and minimize their plastic consumption while on the go and enjoy eco-friendly drinking.
2. Klean Kanteen
Price Range:$8–$15 |Shop Klean Kanteen
Klea Kanteen’s Non-Plastic Straw Range
In the early 2000s,Klean Kanteenspotted a gap in the market (and a problem on our planet) and produced the first BPA-free stainless-steel bottle in the US.
Fast-forward a couple of decades, and the internationally-recognized brand has inspired dozens of other companies to make reusable stainless steel products—likeeco-friendly stainless steel straws.
They’re made from high-quality 18/8 stainless steel that’s 90% recycled, with a safe, food-grade, removable silicone flex tip.
The straws also come in different sizes, designed to fit with the brand’s other products, while the multicolor options mean they go perfectly with all styles. We especially love the neon-bright selection, perfect for slurping smoothies on hot summer days.
3. Jungle Culture
Price Range |£6–£164 |Shop Jungle Culture
Jungle Culture’s Eco-Friendly Drinking Straws UK Range
For those seeking a natural or organic sustainable and reusable straw,Jungle Culturehas the answer.
The brand partners with small artisan bamboo straw producers and makes all its reusable bamboo straws at one family-run farm in Northern Vietnam. The natural drinking straws are made from organic and natural bamboo treated only with water.
The handmade bamboo straws come with a large jute carry case and individual hessian pouch, so your sipping device is kept clean and protected.
Alternatively, you can order them in huge bulk packs for events and such.
While designed to be sustainable and reusable straws, they’re also fully biodegradable at end-of-life.
4.S’well
Price Range: $12 |Shop S’well
S’ well’ Plastic Straw Alternative Range
S’well’seco-friendly metal straws are a single and elegant swap for unsightly plastic straws.
The straws are great to use on their own or with the brand’s iconic plastic-free water bottles and cups, while flexi silicone straw necks make for comfortable sipping.
When cleaning, you can rinse your stainless steel straws with soapy water using the included brush or even pop them in the dishwasher—incredibly handy.
With a sleek look and an even prettier price tag, your eco-friendly straws supports S’Wells sustainable mission.
The brand helps displace millions of plastic bottles worldwide and assists organizations that help global communities. Sounds s’well indeed!
5.Simply Straws
Price Range:$8.50-$85 |Shop Simply Straws
Simply Straws’ Eco-Friendly Straws Range
Eco-friendly glass strawsare the next big thing—you heard it here first.
Technically, you heard it atSimply Straws, a sustainable straw company offering alternatives to planet-clogging plastic straws.
Glass straws are reusable, eco-friendly, and durable, as well as being dishwasher and microwave safe.
The see-through quality makes them easy to clean, as you can spot any build-up (unlike stainless steel or other metal straws). They’re even said to help reduce tooth staining, sensitivity, and erosion.
Perhaps most importantly, they also look fabulous. Simply Straws come in many beautiful colors, perfect for weddings, parties, events, or even jazzing up your homemade iced coffee.
6. Love Is Global
Price Range:$1.50–$12| Shop Love Is Global
Love Is Global’s Eco-Friendly Reusable Straw Range
Love Is Globalhas an expansive eco-friendly reusable straw selection, offering a delightful array of designs, styles, and custom etchings.
Choose from stainless steel, bamboo, or eco-friendly boba straws, and keep them safe and sound in a handmade linen pouch (the animal prints are incredibly adorable).
If you’re looking forenvironmentally friendly co*cktail straws,Love Is Global has you covered. TheReusable Short Strawsare a fun way to serve a special drink to party guests.
The shop also donates 10% of its proceeds to charities, usually focused on animal or environmental conservation.
7. Naturalik
Price Range: $8–$330 | Shop Naturalik
Naturalik’s Eco-Friendly Paper Straw Range
We’ve covered lots of eco-friendly reusable straws, butare there biodegradable straws?
You bet the bottom of your drink (which you can easily reach thanks to your straw) there is!
Naturalik’s biodegradable drinking straws are made from paper that’s responsibly manufactured using sustainable and eco-friendly raw materials.
With the option to bulk-buy eco-friendly paper straws, Naturalik is a perfect choice for eco-friendly straws for restaurants, offering several colors, lengths, and widths. The individual-wrapped straws are great for bars and clubs, and the brand also sells environmentally friendly co*cktail straws made from paper.
The company ensures its operations meet the best standards for quality, safety, fair labor, ethical business practices, and environmental responsibility.
The compostable straws are helping to drastically address the amount of plastic waste and encourage businesses to step away from single-use produc
How We Chose The Best Alternatives To Plastic Straws
When choosing our favorite non-plastic alternative to straws, materials were our main consideration.
First, it had to be, well, non-plastic, but here’s how we broke down the materials more.
Are Reusable Straws Eco-Friendly?
Absolutely! Reusable straws are a fantastic eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic straws.
By choosing bamboo, silicone, or metal straws (ideally recycled metal), you’ll reduce the amount of plastic waste in landfills or our oceans, which increases by1.4 million kilogramsdaily.
Are Paper Straws Environmentally Friendly?
While paper straws are considered more environmentally friendly than plastic straws, their eco-friendliness is nuanced.
Their manufacturing process can require significant water, energy, and chemicals for bleaching and strengthening the paper. Transportation emissions and deforestation from sourcing raw materials can also increase their carbon footprint.
Though we love that they’re compostable straws, paper straws aren’t as durable as other plastic-straw alternatives—they go soggy and start to break down if left in liquids. This means more are needed, negating some of their environmental benefits.
Still, for disposable options, the best biodegradable straws are those made of paper, bamboo, or wood, but you may also find some biodegradable plastic straws made of PLA (Polylactic Acid), formed of plant starches like corn or sugarcane straws.
They’re not strictly zero waste, but they are dissolvable and can break down quickly.
Other Considerations For The Best Non-Plastic Straws
We obviously appreciate when brands provide sustainable alternatives—like an alternative to plastic drinking straws—but we also look to see ifthey’retrying to be more eco-friendly, too.
Carbon reduction plans, offsets, use of renewable energy, mindful packaging, and energy-conserving manufacturing are all things that give the best sustainable straws an extra special sip in our book.
We also look for brand supply chain transparency and charitable actions.
Closing Thoughts On Environmentally Friendly Straws
Whether you’re a smoothie aficionado, a co*cktail connoisseur, or simply want to savor your favorite beverage, let your gulps be guided by eco-consciousness with our pick of the best plastic straw alternatives.
But don’t forget about used options! If you’re looking to procuresustainable steel straws cheap, a local thrift store is your best bet.
The next step is to keep your eco-friendly straws on hand in your purse or briefcase, so you never have to ask, “What straws are eco-friendly in bars?” and be disappointed if your bartender doesn’t have a reusable one on hand.
But use it as an opportunity to ask them why. By consciously choosing eco-friendly straws, bars and restaurants can play their part in creating a greener food and drink scene—and you can help action a change.
Even if you can’t change a whole establishment, you can probably change at least one person—so share this article with a friend and toast to reducing plastic waste together.
Subscribe to the pebble mag Newsletter
Get weekly insights, guides and news to support our collective transition to a better, more sustainable future.
