MINNIRELLA MAGAZINE
Bamboo Straws: Ethical, Practical and Super Stylish
Bamboo Straws: Ethical, Practical and Super Stylish
The ban on plastic straws has been a hot topic in the news of late. I am all for the ban on plastic straws but that doesn’t mean that we have to stop using straws completely. Like it or not, straws have became a big part of the way in which we consume and present beverages. Whether it’s a morning coffee, a soft drink at the cinema or an evening cocktail – they often all come with straws. This is why I was thrilled when I discovered these unique bamboo straws by a company called White Spring. Initially, I didn’t know what to expect but I was really interested in trying them.
White Spring is a small independent company based in the UK. They produce high quality bamboo straws which are available to buy from Amazon. The idea came about after the founders of White Spring discovered how many plastic straws are thrown away each year in the UK alone. Every year hundreds of millions of plastic straws are thrown away just in the UK! This shocking fact inspired White Spring to create their own high quality alternative made from ethical materials thus the reusable bamboo straw was created. Not all bamboo straws available on the market are of the same high quality however. White Spring invested a great deal of time to source high quality bamboo straws that weren’t rough, wouldn’t split easily, and were easy to clean.
Sure, there are other materials that can be used to make straws but none are as eco-friendly as bamboo. Some of the alternatives include: plastic, glass, silicon, stainless steel, and paper. The problems with these are that:
White Spring kindly sent me a pack of their amazing bamboo straws recently. I was very interested to see what they’d be like and how practical it would be to change over to bamboo straws completely. Admittedly, I don’t freely grab straws if I don’t need them but there’s no denying that straws are a useful kitchen accessory. They make consuming beverages more sophisticated and convenient – I couldn’t imagine trying to drink my morning smoothie without a straw! After receiving the straws I decided to test them out throughout the day. I brought them out to drink my morning coffee, glasses of water, sparkling drinks, and evening cocktails. My first impression was how natural and attractive they look. Not only do they look great, they’re incredibly smooth and comfortable to use too – so no worrying about getting splinters or cuts on your lips! They’re easy to drink from and easy to clean as well. If you’re anything like me and you leave lipstick on every glass or straw with which you come into contact, you will be pleased to know that they don’t show up as much on these straws and lipstick is easy to clean off them too. I had so much fun trying them out and they’re so much more attractive than regular plastic straws. White Spring have done an incredible job of presenting their straws as well by packaging them in a simple cotton drawstring bag with two brushes to clean the straws, making it easy to pack them up and take them with you on the go. These straws are brilliant. I can honestly say that I am thoroughly impressed! White Spring’s bamboo straws demonstrate how easy and fun it is to give up single use plastic and make the swap to ethical alternatives. If you’d like to buy your own pack of bamboo straws, you can purchase them here on Amazon
White Spring: The Company
White Spring is a small independent company based in the UK. They produce high quality bamboo straws which are available to buy from Amazon. The idea came about after the founders of White Spring discovered how many plastic straws are thrown away each year in the UK alone. Every year hundreds of millions of plastic straws are thrown away just in the UK! This shocking fact inspired White Spring to create their own high quality alternative made from ethical materials thus the reusable bamboo straw was created. Not all bamboo straws available on the market are of the same high quality however. White Spring invested a great deal of time to source high quality bamboo straws that weren’t rough, wouldn’t split easily, and were easy to clean.
Why Use Bamboo for Straws?
Sure, there are other materials that can be used to make straws but none are as eco-friendly as bamboo. Some of the alternatives include: plastic, glass, silicon, stainless steel, and paper. The problems with these are that:
- Plastic = is for single use only. Most straws are thrown away and not even recycled. Plus, we all know the damage that single use plastic is causing to the environment.
- Glass = takes a lot of energy to produce. Glass is also very easy to break and therefore not everybody feels comfortable with putting glass objects in their mouth, not to mention the potential dangers if used by children.
- Silicon = while silicon is a reasonable alternative, silicon can be recycled but it isn’t biodegradable.
- Stainless steel = stainless steel also takes a lot of energy to produce, although it can be recycled. However, most people don’t like the way stainless steel straws feel in their mouths.
- Paper = paper straws sound like a good idea, but again they would be single use items only. Also most local councils will not recycle used paper straws.
On the other hand, bamboo straws boast numerous advantages, such as:
- Bamboo is grown naturally without the use of pesticides.
- Bamboo straws are a natural and eco-friendly product that doesn’t contain any dyes, inks or preservatives.
- Bamboo is completely biodegradable. Once the straws have reached the end of their life they can be composted.
- Bamboo straws can be safely used for both hot and cold drinks.
- White Spring’s bamboo straws come with convenient brushes that enable you to effectively clean the straws between uses.
- These bamboo straws can also be washed in a dishwasher too.
- Bamboo is naturally antibacterial.
- Interestingly, every bamboo straw is different due to the fact that bamboo is naturally grown. They may not be straight and they may also vary in colour and bore. So you can choose the right straw depending on the consistency of the drink - watery or thick and foamy.
- Although the initial outlay for the bamboo straws is more in comparison to other straws, if cared for correctly they will last longer and prove to be far more economical.
My Thoughts on the Bamboo Straws
White Spring kindly sent me a pack of their amazing bamboo straws recently. I was very interested to see what they’d be like and how practical it would be to change over to bamboo straws completely. Admittedly, I don’t freely grab straws if I don’t need them but there’s no denying that straws are a useful kitchen accessory. They make consuming beverages more sophisticated and convenient – I couldn’t imagine trying to drink my morning smoothie without a straw! After receiving the straws I decided to test them out throughout the day. I brought them out to drink my morning coffee, glasses of water, sparkling drinks, and evening cocktails. My first impression was how natural and attractive they look. Not only do they look great, they’re incredibly smooth and comfortable to use too – so no worrying about getting splinters or cuts on your lips! They’re easy to drink from and easy to clean as well. If you’re anything like me and you leave lipstick on every glass or straw with which you come into contact, you will be pleased to know that they don’t show up as much on these straws and lipstick is easy to clean off them too. I had so much fun trying them out and they’re so much more attractive than regular plastic straws. White Spring have done an incredible job of presenting their straws as well by packaging them in a simple cotton drawstring bag with two brushes to clean the straws, making it easy to pack them up and take them with you on the go. These straws are brilliant. I can honestly say that I am thoroughly impressed! White Spring’s bamboo straws demonstrate how easy and fun it is to give up single use plastic and make the swap to ethical alternatives. If you’d like to buy your own pack of bamboo straws, you can purchase them here on Amazon
*Disclaimer* these straws were gifted to us by White Spring but all opinions are our own.