How to Make Bamboo Straws
Bamboo straws are a great alternative to plastic straws! They are sustainable and eco-friendly. In addition, bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants globally and can grow up to 90cm. In comparison, it takes an average of 5 years for a tree to grow that size.
Not only does bamboo grow quickly, but it also has many other benefits, namely bamboo’s low water requirements, resistance to fire, durability against insect infestation, and ability to filter particulates from air pollution naturally. This blog post will discuss using readily available materials to make bamboo straws at home.
What are Bamboo Straws?
Typically, bamboo straws are a type of disposable drinking straw that is made from bamboo. They can be used for one or two drinks before being discarded. Bamboo Straws were created to reduce plastic waste to save our environment.
Most people use more than 1,500 straws every year – and that’s just in developed countries. One thousand five hundred straws may not sound like a lot, but when you consider that most of them end up in landfill or as litter, it’s clear that the environmental impact is significant.
8 Benefits of Using Bamboo Straws:
1. Save the Environment:
With over 500 million straws being used in America every day, and most of them are not recyclable, using bamboo straws is a good way to ensure you are helping out the environment by reducing your own plastic consumption.
2. Cheap Costing:
Making Bamboo Straws is much cheaper than buying plastic ones!
3. Taste Good:
Bamboo straws will not affect the taste of your drink whatsoever, whether you drink mostly tasting drinks, such as juice or iced coffee. They are clean enough to be used with even the finest drinks and still taste great.
4. 100% Natural:
Since these are made from harvested bamboo, you can be assured the straws are completely natural despite not being certified organic.
5. Super Durable:
Bamboo straws are much more durable than plastic ones and can be used repeatedly for years.
6. Dishwasher Safe:
Cleaning bamboo straws can be quite easy if you use a dishwasher and your own hands, but even not using a dishwasher, it will take you less than 5 minutes to clean them.
7. Don’t Add Smell:
Since these straws are made from natural materials, they do not absorb any smells or odor from the drinks that were previously placed in them.
8. Ergonomic:
The design of a bamboo straw makes them much easier to use than most plastic straws, which are very difficult to drink out of and can be painful for people with even minor arthritis to use.
Instructions: How to Make Bamboo Straws
Step 1:
To start, you’ll need some at least 8 inches long and 1/2 inch wide bamboo. You can either use a bamboo plant that is mature enough to have the right width or get the bamboo from another source.
Step 2:
Then, cut the bamboo about 4 inches from the top to create a drinking straw. Make sure you use a saw so that it is cut straight.
Step 3:
Next, take off any sharp tips on each end of your bamboo. You can do this by holding the bamboo in one hand and tapping it with something else.
Step 4:
Afterward, get a glass of water and place the top you cut (the part you didn’t cut) inside the glass. The piece should be standing straight up on its own. If it isn’t, go ahead and add that little piece of bamboo at the bottom to make it stand better.
Step 5:
Now it’s time to let your bamboo straw soak for a couple of hours so that the top starts to absorb the water.
Step 6:
After about an hour, take one out and bend it. If it does not feel pliable enough, put them back in the glass and let them soak longer.
Step 7:
After you are done with the bending, go ahead and take them out of the glass. You will now have bendable and reusable bamboo straws!
Step 8:
If you need to wash off your straws, just run them under water and rub them down with a brush (A paintbrush works great for this). After that is all set, just lay them flat on a cloth and let them dry.
They should now be ready to use! If you want an extra tip about cleaning straws, try using a bottle brush and some soap. That will help remove any stuck-on food items, and it works great with the straws.
What Type of Bamboo Is Used for Straws?
Most bamboo straws are made from Moso Bamboo, native to China and grown worldwide. No environmental concerns are involved with the production or usage of Moso bamboo.
It is a very sturdy grass, strong enough to make quality drinking straws without breaking apart easily. In addition to being sturdy, bamboo is also one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth. This means that it can be harvested in a matter of only three years.
Is It Safe to Drink From Bamboo Straws?
Yes, it is safe to drink from a bamboo straw. It is completely natural and non-toxic. However, plastic straws contain BPA, which can seep into any food or beverage product stored in the container where the BPA was made.
The same can be said for anything microwaved in plastic containers. This chemical has been found to cause many adverse side effects, including infertility, cancer, and congenital disabilities.
How Long Does a Bamboo Straw Last?
Bamboo straws can last a long time if you take care of them. The biggest factor is what kind of liquid you drink and how fast you drink it. Drinking alcohol can cause the bamboo straw to split.
As long as you follow good tip-care procedures and don’t make a habit of using the straw with alcohol, it would help if you got several months of use out of your straw. In addition, regularly oiling your bamboo straws with coconut oil can greatly increase their lifespan, as it helps keep them from drying out.
Conclusion:
Bamboo straws are an eco-friendly alternative to plastic and are surprisingly easy to make. You can create your own bamboo straw in minutes with a few simple supplies! We hope this article has been informative for you on how to make bamboo straws at home. If so, please share it with others who may also be interested!
Check out our article What Are Paper Straws Made of
