Straws: Plastic, Paper, or...Grass?
Have you ever thought about how many straws we consume daily? Australians alone consume around 10 million single-use plastic straws daily, which is 3.5 billion a year! Fortunately, Australia has banned the use of single-use plastics from 1 February 2023; however, what are our alternatives? I am sure by now, we have all experienced the sogginess that accompanies paper straws. Or perhaps, bought an expensive metal straw that required constant cleaning or was simply forgotten about in kitchen drawers. But what if I told you there was a straw that wouldn’t go soggy, was affordable, and was zero waste?
The answer is Purun Eco Straw, it is entirely made of grass from the native Indonesian purun plant. Purun grass has straight and hollow stems, making it nature’s perfect straw. These straws are naturally durable and not easily crushed, they can even be reused multiple times before naturally disintegrating.
Although we think of paper straws as environmentally friendly, it is actually very wasteful. Due to its soggy nature, we typically go through multiple paper straws in one sitting, which will ultimately end up in the landfill. On the other hand, Purun Eco Straw is 100% compostable, meaning that it will decompose into nutrient-rich elements, which creates healthy soil in around 90 days. For reference, plastic straws can take up to 200 years to decompose!
The production process of Purun Eco Straws is very natural and minimal. It involves the grass being washed after harvesting and then cut into straw-sized pieces. The straws are then soaked in salt water and sun-dried. During this process, efforts are made not to damage the plant so that it will regrow within 4 months. In addition, it does not disturb the habitat around the purun plants. This chemical-free and natural process is significantly more sustainable than plastic, paper, and metal straws which require a variety of machinery to produce. Whereas the production of Purun Eco Straw does not use machines, the technical processing utilises the skilled hands of female workers, especially mothers who are around the production area. This proves that Purun Eco Straw has a significant social impact because it can empower and increase the economic value of the local community.
Additionally, purun grass offers other uses as it is commonly used to make weaved products such as rugs, bags, and other goods. Hence, it offers another level of versatility and economic value to local communities that can sell these goods to tourists.
During summer, Purun Eco Straws can produce 10,000 straws. Although this is not yet enough to cover all of Australia’s straw use, it is an essential step in the right direction. However, the purun plant can also be found in Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, southern China, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and various islands of the western Pacific. It also occurs in northern and eastern Australia. Therefore expanding the potential production ability of these zero-waste straws!
Considering all the advantages of Purun Eco Straw, it is clear that this innovation based on natural resources could be an effective alternative to single-use plastic straws as well as soggy paper straws and help not only minimise Australia’s plastic straw waste but optimistically the world’s!
Purun Grass
Purun Eco Straw
Images courtesy of @purun.ecostraw & @organic.straws