Diet6 years ago

The 5 Best Reusable Straws of 2018 are Made of Silicone

by Samantha Jaconi

We’ve all read the headlines: “Single-use plastic straws are a particularly nasty form of plastic.” These straws have a shockingly short lifespan; they’re usually used only once and then discarded. Similar to other plastics, they never biodegrade and take hundreds of years to break down. So, what’s the solution?

While stainless-steel straws are the most popular alternative, the best reusable straw is actually made of silicone and burns away in biodegradable ash. If you think about the chemistry of it: Metal transfers heat, so sipping your morning coffee with a metal straw could mean scalding lips. They’re also strong and hard, which scares away a lot of people who are worried about chipping their teeth.

The universal solution, however, is the Koffie straw, which is made from soft silicone and will remain room temperature even if a drink is piping hot. Flexible enough to fold up into any bag and carry around, and dishwasher-safe (although it also comes with a pipe cleaner to scrub out the insides). The Koffie straw comes in two sizes (seven and ten inches), which can reach the top of just about any cup, but Koffie users have been known to cut them with scissors so that they’ll fit comfortably in wine glasses, too. The best part: silicone is durable and lasts forever, but when the straw’s ready to toss, just burn it. The Koffie will turn into 100 percent biodegradable ash. The Koffie straw is a great alternative to using plastic and metal straws. Just in time for International Coastal Cleanup Day held annually during the second or third Saturday of September, we’re sharing this list to include a few more silicone straw options. Scroll down to shop!