New Edible Veggie Straws are 100% Natural and Biodegradable

Eco-friendly replacement products for single-use plastics are popping up everywhere. Edible biodegradable cutlery has been around for a few years but have you heard of edible straws? Now EQUO, a new eco-friendly startup in Vietnam has come up with a natural edible solution to plastic or paper straws.

The edible straws are completely plastic free, nontoxic, chemical free, and 100 percent biodegradable according to a company press release.

“It’s well known that plastic straws are harmful for the environment. Most of the 500 million used every day in America end up in oceans where they pollute water and harm marine life. Currently over eight billion straws pollute the world’s beaches,” said EQUO Co-Founder and Managing Director Marina Tran-Vu in the press release.

“Although there are some plastic and paper straw alternatives on the market, most are environmentally harmful through the carbon footprint they make in production and disposal, and we were also unsatisfied with the quality and durability of paper straws.”

So, they created the fully compostable and edible straws that come in four healthy varieties. Each one has unique qualities.

The rice straws are made from rice and tapioca and come in five plant-based natural colors. When you finish your drink, you can cook them into cereals. But don’t worry, these straws won’t change the flavor of your drinks or the food you cook them into. 

Dried grass straws are made from grass that grows tubed shaped and is naturally green. When you finish your drink, you can give your straw to your dog as a chew toy or play tug with it according to the company.

Made from fermented coconut water, the white coconut straw offers something tropical for your summer drinks. And the last straw is made from sugarcane and comes in a variety of sizes so you can use it for specialty drinks.

All of the ingredients are locally sourced from regions that support sustainable farming according to the company’s website and they strive to have zero-net impact by” harnessing the power of mother nature”.

The name of the company really sums up its mission. It was created by combining “ECO” – meaning environmentally friendly – with “STATUS QUO” – meaning the existent state. EQU, according to the company, stands for creating products that have minimal impact to the environment. The company was unveiled on Kickstarter on May 18 and hit their funding goal in only 30 days.

Many countries are banning single-use plastics. The EU banned 10 single-use plastic products including straws that will take effect in 2021. Other items that will no longer be made of plastic include cutlery, drink stirrers, ear swabs, and balloon sticks. These 10 items make up a large percentage of ocean litter that harms marine life.

So do your part, use biodegradable cutlery – you can carry your own –, edible straws, and reusable water or coffee cups. These small items can make a big dent in reducing plastic waste.