About us

Wheat, rice or paper: which sustainable straw should you choose?

Since the EU ban on plastic straws, plenty of alternatives have appeared. But not every "sustainable" straw works equally well behind the bar. Here we compare the three most common single-use options side by side.

Wheat straws

A wheat straw is the hollow stem of the wheat plant: harvested, cut to length and sterilised in hot water. No glue, coating or colouring involved.

  • Stay firm, even after a long time in a drink
  • Tasteless
  • Suitable for cold and hot drinks
  • Natural golden colour, with slight variation from straw to straw
  • 3 to 5 mm diameter, in 15, 20 and 23 cm

Rice straws

Rice straws are made from rice, corn starch and natural food colouring. The dough is moulded at high temperature, cut and sterilised.

  • Clean, uniform look (black in our range)
  • Tasteless
  • Wider diameter: 6 mm, or 8 mm for the Jumbo version
  • Ideal for cocktails and smoothies
  • Not suitable for hot drinks

Paper straws

Paper straws are the best-known replacement for plastic, and also the most criticised. They are made of layers of paper glued together.

  • Go soft after a while in the glass
  • Can leave a paper taste
  • A 2023 Belgian study by the University of Antwerp found PFAS in 18 of the 20 paper straw brands tested

What does it cost?

Wheat straws are clearly the cheaper option. In the larger packs in our webshop you pay about 2 cents per wheat straw, compared with around 5 to 7 cents per rice straw: rice costs roughly 2.5 to 3 times as much. Rice straws do carry 6% VAT, against 21% for wheat. Businesses in another EU country with a valid VAT number pay no Belgian VAT (reverse charge). See current prices for wheat and rice.

At a glance

WheatRicePaper
Doesn't go soggyYesYesNo
TastelessYesYesNot always
Hot drinksYesNoLimited
No glue or coatingYesYesNo
Price per straw (large pack)≈ €0.02≈ €0.05–0.07n/a (not in our range)
Best forAll-round use, hot drinksCocktails, smoothies, clean look-

Not sure yet which suits your venue? Try both with a free sample pack, or see how we work with hospitality and festivals and events.

Want to try them first? Request a free sample pack, or go straight to our wheat straws and rice straws. Large volumes or looking for a regular supplier? Request a custom quote.

lancelot de deurwaerder lancelot de mol winnaar de mol 2023 strooikes

Three brothers and one idea

During the first "Covid summer", the three of us were having a cocktail on one of our favourite terraces in the heart of Antwerp. We are Lohengrin, Oberon and Lancelot De Deurwaerder. Our drink soon started to taste worse, and the culprit was a paper straw in our glass. When we asked the owner about it, the answer was clear:

"Right now I can't offer you anything else. Everything is either not 100% natural, or very expensive, or not hygienic, or not practical…"

That's when the idea was born: 100% natural, biodegradable straws that actually meet today's practical requirements.

Groene cocktailrietjes gemaakt van rijst. 100% natuurlijk voor longdrinks, gin-tonic, aperitief etc. Ook transparante cocktailrietjes beschikbaar.

More than a business

Every year, an estimated 5 to 13 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans, with serious consequences for marine life, health and the climate. With Strooikes we want to contribute in three ways:

  1. Offering 100% natural and biodegradable products
  2. Focusing on a zero-waste, ecologically minded value chain
  3. Organising and supporting sustainability projects ourselves

Curious about the projects we support, like our partnership with Natuurpunt Vlaanderen or our contribution to a cleaner city? Read more in our FAQ.