Two years ago my husband was filleting a fish and pulled a plastic straw from its fish’s stomach. We were supposed to be enjoying a fresh-caught seafood dinner & needless to say, the straw discovery ruined our appetite! The upside of missing dinner was that Yourstraw was borne. With my co-founder Robyn, we decided to do what we could to make a difference. We are two Australian women - mothers, passionate environmentalists and self-made entrepreneurs who used to suck. But not anymore. Yourstraw on a mission to replace toxic single-use plastic straws with beautiful reusable bamboo ones. Bamboo is a safe, natural alternative that doesn’t endanger marine life or pollute the environment. We also believe that in focusing on straws we can draw attention to the many many other problem plastics. Almost everyone is familiar with that turtle video from 2015, but you may not know that in early 2017 a whale died with 30 plastic bags in its stomach. By 2050 there is predicted to be more plastic in the sea than there are fish.
It isn’t only marine life that is suffering the effects of our toxic relationship with throw-away plastics. Today’s generation of young men are 50% less fertile than their fathers and scientists are saying that is greatly due to plastics leaching chemicals into our food, drink and daily environments.Yourstraw was born with the hope of seeing an end to our self-defeating love affair with single-use plastics, in our lifetime.. We allocate 50% of profits to environmental education programs and women’s empowerment via interest-free micro loans for women entrepreneurs.Conveniently packaged (plastic-free) to travel; whether to the park, the cafe or the beach, Yourstraw bamboo straws are aesthetically beautiful, biodegradable, dishwasher safe and 100% Natural. Bamboo is also naturally antibacterial. Bamboo straws are the ONLY compostable reusable straw on the market. Unlike metal, glass, silicone or paper straws bamboo straw production processes are 100% hand-made, chemical-free and create zero emissions. In fact, bamboo produces 35% more oxygen than trees and actually helps to repair the environment. The straws come in packs of 2,4 and 8, each in its own carry-anywhere calico pouch with a stainless steel straw cleaner. To clean, rinse in hot water or simply put them through the dishwasher. When they've outlived their use, return them to the Earth. It is time to create a new normal. Single-use plastics, including straws, will be a thing of the past and social businesses based on sound and sustainable economic principles will thrive.