Biodegradable straws for the hospitality industry.

As a hospitality owner, you are probably already using sustainable straws because plastic straws are no longer allowed. Where is the best place to buy sustainable straws, and what options are available? In this article, we'll take a closer look.

Where can I buy biodegradable straws?

Biodegradable straws have become extremely popular due to their environmental impact and European SUP legislation. Fortunately, they are now available at various wholesalers. If you're looking for these sustainable straws, there are several options available. You can purchase them directly from suppliers, but it may be even easier to buy these sustainable straws from hospitality wholesalers such as HANOS, Bidfood, Makro, and Sligro. Specialized companies like Biofutura and Scanwic also offer a wide range of sustainable straws. These companies have a wide range of sustainable disposable products, including biodegradable straws made from materials such as paper, wheat, corn, or bamboo. As a restaurant owner, hospitality entrepreneur, or F&B manager, you have many options these days!

You can find Straw by Straw straws at HANOS, Bidfood, Sligro, and Scanwic. See the sales points here.

What are the advantages of these wholesalers? A significant advantage of ordering straws from the wholesaler is that you don't need to create a separate supplier in your administration system. You can easily order straws from several wholesalers like these:

HANOS: HANOS was the first wholesaler to choose Straw by Straw! Here you can find special products, and they are known as an innovative wholesaler with high-quality products. HANOS offers various types of biodegradable straws, including our straw straws in 3 sizes!

Bidfood: Bidfood is a wholesaler where you can easily order online through their webshop. They also have an innovative range of products and focus heavily on sustainability. At Bidfood, you will find both straw straws and reed straws! See the article numbers here.

Sligro: Sligro is the largest player in the hospitality wholesale industry. They have more than 50 branches in the Netherlands and have recently started in Belgium after taking over Metro (also known from Makro). You can find many food and non-food items for your hospitality business here. At Sligro, you'll find our full collection of reed straws! Click here for the article numbers.

Biofutura: Biofutura is a company focused on sustainable packaging and disposables. They have a strong ecological image and offer a wide range of biodegradable disposables. Biofutura uses many materials such as paper, PLA (a biodegradable plastic), and sugarcane. They also offer our reed straws, but in smoothie and milkshake variants.

Makro: Makro is a wholesaler that caters to businesses and individuals and offers a wide range of biodegradable straws. Unfortunately, they do not have Straw by Straw straws in their assortment. Would you still like similar straws from Makro? Then check out our collection of reed straws that are compostable and biodegradable!

Scanwic: If you also sell iced coffee and smoothies, you must know Scanwic! They specialize in smoothies, juices, and coffee. Do you order your ingredients there? Then it's easy to add a pack of straws to your order!

In short, there are definitely options to order biodegradable straws for your hospitality business!

What does biodegradable mean?

There is often confusion between the terms "biobased" and "biodegradable." Biobased refers to products made from renewable natural materials, such as plants or animals. These materials can be used to make products such as paper, textiles, and even bioplastics. Biobased materials are not necessarily biodegradable.

Biodegradable = biologically degradable means that a product can be broken down by biological processes, such as microorganisms, into harmless components in the natural environment. Biodegradation depends on various factors such as ambient temperature, humidity, and other environmental conditions. The harmlessness of components is still under discussion. Ultimately, the goal is to prevent litter, and if anything remains in nature, it should have as little impact as possible. Therefore, it is often questioned how good or bad the impact of PLA, PHBV, PHA, fermented bacteria, and other biodegradable materials can be.

So, biobased and biodegradable are two different concepts. A product can be biobased without being biodegradable, and a product can be biodegradable without being biobased. It is important to understand these differences when choosing environmentally friendly disposable products.

See here the sales points of Straw by Straw straws.

What is the difference between biodegradable and plastic straws?

Biodegradable straws are made from materials such as reed, straw, paper, or cornstarch and are designed to break down when discarded. The difference between bamboo straws, reed straws, straw straws vs. paper straws or starch straws is that these straws are entirely natural; they are made from plant stems and do not require additional production.

Old-fashioned plastic straws, on the other hand, are made of plastic, which means they are not biodegradable and have a negative impact on the environment. Plastic is made from crude oil, which is extracted from the ground, making plastic not only a problem as litter but also as a product of single-use items. It's a waste to pump crude oil from the earth's soil for single-use products! And that's why it's better to look at other materials.

When plastic straws end up in the environment, they can persist for years, contributing to the pollution of our oceans and ecosystems. Biodegradable straws, on the other hand, are designed to break down when discarded.

By choosing biodegradable straws, you are helping to reduce plastic waste and protect our planet.

Check out our collection of straw straws here.

What are the eco-friendly benefits of biodegradable straws?

 Biodegradable straws are an excellent option for those who care about the environment. They are also a great solution for businesses to contribute to sustainability! There are several benefits to using our straw and reed straws, including:

1. They are made from natural materials (literally plant stems!) - Biodegradable straws are made from materials like paper, PLA, or lignin. These materials are completely natural and can be broken down by microorganisms in nature. The question is how long this process takes and what danger it poses if the materials, for example, remain in nature for 3 months. Our natural straw and reed straws, on the other hand, are made from plant stems and grow naturally in nature. We also say: produced by nature! Because our straws are simply plant stems with no added substances, our Straw by Straw straws are also not dangerous for the soil or ocean. What happens when a plant stem ends up in nature? .... Exactly!

2. Sustainable straw or reed straws reduce the waste mountain - Plastic straws are not degradable and can last for hundreds of years before they eventually break down. Biodegradable straws, however, are designed to break down quickly, reducing the amount of waste produced. Note that bioplastic is still plastic and does not necessarily reduce the waste mountain.

3. They are safe for animals - Plastic straws can pose a danger to sea animals. They can get stuck in animals' nostrils or throats and even cause death. Biodegradable straws, such as bamboo, straw, or reed, are safe for animals and can be broken down without harming nature. However, each type of biodegradable straw must be assessed. For example, PLA straws require a composting facility and only break down at temperatures above 60 degrees, which doesn't happen naturally outdoors! The same analysis can be made for starch, wood fiber / PHA / PHBV straws from fermented bacteria.

4. They reduce dependence on fossil fuels - Because biodegradable straws are made from natural materials, there is no need to use fossil fuels in their production. This reduces our dependence on non-renewable energy sources and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

As a restaurant owner, you probably want to know where you can buy biodegradable straws for your location. As described in this article, there are many options and sales points such as wholesalers and online retailers.