Alternatives to plastic from Australia

For unsuspecting consumers, it’s truly amazing just how many natural materials can be turned into st…

For unsuspecting consumers, it’s truly amazing just how many natural materials can be turned into straws. In addition to glass and metal, there are now straws made from avocado pits and rye.

Last April, an Australian start-up founded Mister RYE -as part of the University of Adelaide’s new ThincLab Waite incubator program- a company that makes straws from, yes, rye. Founders Marion Vigot and Alexis Branlard formed a partnership with an organic rye grower about 120 miles east of Adelaide and plan to make their straws available commercially in January.

Vigot noted in an article posted online that there are a number of alternative straws on the market. There are plenty of natural products that can be used to make straws, but few of them are as eco-friendly as plastic, which is also made from a “natural” substance from the earth and takes less energy to produce than the alternatives.