Disposable (bio)-plastics are posing a serious threat to our planet. Thanks to famous images of cluttered coastlines and suffering sea life, we’re all now understanding this fact – and it’s about time, too.
If we go on like this, by 2050, there will probably be more plastic than fish swimming in our oceans... And we certainly don't want that, do we?
According to a 2017 study, Europeans use 36 billion disposable straws annually. In the US, that number rises to half a billion straws used every day. Given these enormous quantities, there should be no surprise that straws are ending up in places they shouldn’t be.
Fortunately, governments are now starting to act. A ban on single-use plastics will take effect across Europe from July 3, 2021, targeting straws, cotton buds and disposable cutlery, among other disposable plastic products.
That's why our HAY! Straws® are made of 100% natural materials. They are 100% biodegradable, which means they won’t linger in landfills, polluting our land or oceans.
They are similar in feel and function to the plastic straws we’ve all become so accustomed to, but without the toxins and the damaging footprint on our earth. Unlike paper straws, HAY! Straws® are made from a renewable source, they are gluten-free and best of all, they don’t get soggy!
Our original straws are made out of 100% wheat, our jumbo collection out of 100% reed. Once harvested, we cut the stems into our premium sustainable straws. That sips well!
Our real sustainable straws are made from wheat and reed and nothing more than that. Wait a minute. Does wheat contain gluten? Usually yes. But not in our original straws. They fit seamlessly into a gluten-free diet! The straws can also be used safely with gluten intolerance, they have been tested gluten-free.
Our Jumbo family is even more friendly, they are allergen free.
HAY! Straws® are 100% natural and fully compostable. After use, simply throw these sustainable straws with the vegetable, fruit and garden waste. Recent study by an independent research facility revealed our natural straws compost within 42 days! That is really sustainable entrepreneurship, isn't it?
Our sustainable straws are all 100% natural, biobased and fully compostable. We like to underline this with facts. Last year the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has fully recognised the natural origin of our sustainable straws and awarded us the label 100% biobased! And recently we passed the EU migration test (Commission Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011). This makes us fully EU and USDA certified.
After the wheat and reed have been harvested they are being transported to our facilities. In our facilities the stems are being thoroughly checked and only the best stems are exclusively hand-selected for HAY! Straws®. The result is a premium natural straw characterised by the very highest quality standards.
Food safety is a must. That is why we only use non-genetically modified crops and raw materials for our sustainable straws. Our straws are not only GMO-free, but are also produced on the basis of the FDA Food Contact Safety Guidelines in our own facilities.
The production management team uphold the highest standards of occupational health and safety, and humane work hours and wages are enforced. The facilities are independently audited to make sure the highest quality and ethical standards are being met.
By means of barcodes on our products, we keep a close eye on the 'lifecycle' of each straw. In this way, we know exactly which crop and which farmer the raw materials come from for each shipment. Because this way we have insight into the entire chain - from seed to straw - we can continue to guarantee these high safety standards.
We prefer to source our wheat and plant stems from small, local farmers in Eastern Europe and South East Asia. Purchasing the plant stems from these small farmers offers an additional income to their harvest crops and provides work in rural communities.
We like to give them the opportunity to benefit from sustainable wheat and reed production. The less residual waste, the better. We have a sustainable straw, they provide a fair financial compensation. Win-win!
Our straws do not contain any glyphosate (RoundUp). To ensure the safety of our straws, they are continuously tested in batches for more than 500 chemical residues. All these tests show that our straws meet all food safety standards.
Unlike paper and bio-plastic straws that have been pulverized with chemicals, HAY! Straws® are 100% pure nature. After harvesting, the wheat and reed stems are cut to length, rinsed thoroughly in sterile water to remove dirt and bacteria, and then dried through a commercial, food grade drying system to dry and sterilize the straws. Chemicals are never used or added. The result is a sustainable straw.
After being processed the straws are carefully checked for quality, then hand-packed into our unbleached kraft boxes, adding the final plastic-free packaging touch.
Our kraft boxes are printed with soy-based inks. All our communication materials are printed on sustainable recycled and FSC®-certified paper. Of course, we deliver our straws in a plastic-free packaging. Unlike others, we do not want to burden our customers with bioplastic waste ;-)
