Introducing a recyclable straw that looks and feels pleasant

No birthday party is complete without a straw. Making it sustainable and visually appealing adds even more flavour.

Plastics straws has come under scrutiny during the last years as the EU started talking about the Single-Use Plastic Directive. It has now been in force for nearly a year, and plastic straws are banned throughout EU, and other countries are following suit. The go-to option has been paper-based varieties, but so far, they have not quite been to consumers’ taste. When the straws stay in the liquid for slightly longer, they tend to get soggy. This does not only spoil the experience but may also be dangerous for children as it poses a suffocation hazard.

“Traditional paper straws typically consist of three to four paper layers that are wound together with a large amount glue which penetrates all paper layers and gives water-barrier properties as they dry up”, explains Andreas Rothschink, Sales Director for End-user products.

This gives the tendency to get soft when liquid, especially in hot beverages. And the glue itself might give the straws an unpleasant smell or taste.

Finnish start-up Dolea started looking into the matter and developed straws that are not only recyclable but also safe and pleasant to use. The paper-based straws are based on a single layer that uses 25% less material compared to other paper straws. As the straw is certified as paper according to PAP21, there is no need for special handling in the recycling process, meaning that the straws are fully recyclable.

Walki’s new start-up investment initiative Walki Ventures has invested in Dolea and as a part of the arrangement Dolea’s machines will be relocated to Walk’s plant in Ylöjärvi and new production capacity will be installed in Walki’s Garstang plant in the UK during the autumn 2022. Walki will also sell the straws in the UK under the brand name Walki®Straw.

“The UK is the biggest market in Europe for straws as currently about 9 billion straws are used annually”, explains Rothschink.

“We are seeing a growth in fibre-based solutions across all segments. Consumers want solutions from alternative materials and brand owners are following suit”, says Rothschink.

The single layer solution that consists of only one type of materials also makes the straws printable.

“We are able to print visible graphics on the straw that consumers can relate to and brand owners can get customised straws with their logo”, says Jones.

The world wins too.

“If we are to succeed in moving away from plastic straws, we need recyclable fibre-based alternatives that are pleasant to use for consumers and convenient for brand-owners.”

Walki®Straw does just that.