The development of alternatives to disposable plastic straws continues to progress. BillerudKorsnäs and the British start-up „The Paper Straw Co“ have now presented what they call the first functional paper drinking straw that can be bent 180 degrees.
With the new, patent-pending Paper straw the two companies are presenting a product that is suitable for portion packs for water, milk or juice. Both companies believe that this sustainable product has enormous market potential.
The „U-Bend Paper Straw“ at The Paper Straw Co in Manchester. Production is also planned at „Aardvark Straws“ in the United States. There, the Hoffmaster Group company is based in the UK. Hoffmaster acquired The Paper Straw in May in order to gain better access to the British and European markets for its own disposable tableware.
Sustainable FibreForm paper is particularly easy to mould
The U-Bend Paper Straw consists of „FibreForm“ paper. This product from BillerudKorsnäs is characterised by its special formability. It is made from raw materials from sustainable forestry and is therefore sustainable, biodegradable and recyclable, according to BillerudKorsnäs. Compared to plastic drinking straws, the new paper product reduces pollution of the oceans with Plastic waste and environmental pollution.
The U-Bend Paper Straw is the first paper straw that can be bent 180 degrees, according to Emma Hellqvist, who is responsible for mouldable solutions at Billerurd Korsnäs. The innovation can be combined with existing Beverage packaging be utilised. Billions of bendable plastic drinking straws are currently being produced. That is why her company's contribution to More sustainable packaging solutions great potential, she adds.
Production start planned for the end of the year
It will be some time before the first consumers can sip their drink through the new flexible paper straw. Now that the feasibility has been established, the next step is to organise the industrial production of the product by the end of the year.
[infotext icon]About The Paper Straw Co
The production of paper drinking straws was the aim of The Paper Straw Co when it was founded in Manchester in April 2018. The start-up built on expertise from partners in the paper industry, mechanical engineering and production technology. The company's product was a response to the EU Plastics Directive and the upcoming ban on single-use plastic products such as plastic drinking straws. The Paper Straw Co is now part of the Hoffmaster Group, which claims to be the leading US manufacturer of disposable tableware and also has a drinking straw manufacturer in its portfolio, Aardvark Straws.
http://www.thepaperstraw.co
