Straws date back 5,000 years and were originally made of grass straw or glass. Modern straws were invented in 1888 using paper and wax. The bendy straw was invented in 1937. Over 500 million disposable straws are used daily in the US. Alternative materials like bamboo and bioplastic are becoming popular.
Straws are believed to have been around for at least 5,000 years and likely existed before. The oldest known straw was found in a Sumerian tomb dated to 3000 BC. Modern straws weren’t invented until AD 1888. Before that, straws usually were made of real grass straw or glass tubes, neither of the which was especially convenient to drink. The first modern straws were made of paper rolled into tubes and then glued together and covered in wax.
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The type of straw that bends at the top and is widely used today was invented in 1937. The inventor reportedly saw his daughter having a hard time drinking a smoothie from a tall cup with a straight straw. To fix this, he inserted a screw into the straw and then wrapped dental floss around the straw to imprint the grooves of the screw into the straw, which allowed it to bend. Collapsible straws were first adopted in hospitals, because they were easier for bedridden patients to use, and later became widely used around the world.
More than 500 million disposable straws are used every day in the United States.
Straws can be made from bamboo, bioplastic, stainless steel, and even grain. Alternative straws have become increasingly popular as an environmentally friendly option.
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