Straw
Overview
A straw is a thin, long tube-shaped tool used to suck liquid beverages into the mouth and drink them. It has been used since before the Common Era, made from natural materials such as reeds and straw; at the end of the 19th century paper straws, and in the late 20th century plastic straws, appeared and became widespread. Today, beyond a simple household item, it has become a symbolic object intertwined with disposable-item regulations, environmental discourse, accessibility (convenience for people with disabilities), and design culture.
Main content
History
The origins of the straw trace back to Mesopotamia around 3000 BCE. Sumerians cut reeds to drink beer, and traces of using hollow plant stems are also found in ancient China and Egypt. The starting point of the modern straw is the paper straw patented by the American Marvin Stone in 1888. The rye-grass straws used at the time changed the taste of beverages and easily became soggy, while bamboo straws had the drawback of splitting, so a straw made by winding paper emerged as an alternative.
In the 1930s, Joseph Friedman of the United States developed the bendy straw, with a corrugation in the middle of the tube so that children could easily drink milkshakes, and received a patent in 1937. After the 1960s, with the growth of the petrochemical industry, plastic (polypropylene, PP) straws—cheap, hygienic, and mass-producible—became the global standard.
Materials and types
Materials are diverse: plastic, paper, metal (stainless steel), glass, bamboo, silicone, biodegradable materials based on sugarcane/corn starch (PLA, PHA), pasta, and so on. Forms include straight, bendy, spoon-type (spoon straw), thick straws for bubble tea, thin straws for cocktails, and cup-lid-integrated types. Plastic straws are mostly made by extrusion molding, and pigments and UV stabilizers may be added.
Scientific principle
The principle by which a straw works is atmospheric pressure and pressure difference. When you suck on a straw, the pressure in your mouth decreases, and the relatively high external atmospheric pressure presses on the liquid surface, causing the liquid to rise through the tube. Theoretically, the maximum height to which water can be pulled up is about 10.3 m (at 1 atm), but in practice the flow rate varies with the tube's diameter, length, and roughness, and the liquid's viscosity and surface tension. The thinner the tube, the slower the flow rate and the greater the influence of capillary action (Poiseuille's law).
Environmental and social issues
Plastic straws are difficult to recycle because they are small and made of mixed materials, and when they flow into rivers and seas they become a source of microplastics. As videos of straws stuck in the noses of marine life spread, they became a symbolic target of regulation. The European Union restricted the sale of plastic straws from 2021 under the Single-Use Plastics Directive (EU 2019/904), and many countries and local governments implemented similar policies. In Korea, too, a policy to regulate the use of disposable plastic straws in café stores was pursued, but controversy continued, with the guidance period extended due to industry opposition and confusion.
On the other hand, paper straws have limitations in that they soften when wet and have issues with adhesive components and recyclability, while metal and glass straws require cleaning and hygiene management. In addition, for people with disabilities and older adults who have weak hand strength or difficulty swallowing, straws are essential assistive tools, so it is pointed out that regulations require exceptions and the preparation of alternative means.
Cultural expressions
Straws are often used as a metaphor for objects that absorb resources and profits, as in 'insert a straw' (absorb profits) and 'straw company.' Combined with beverage cultures such as milkshakes, bubble tea, and cocktails, they are also used as visual elements, and they sometimes become a material for conveying messages about consumption and the environment in artworks and advertisements.
Recent trends
In 2024–2025, there is a clear trend of regulations and alternative technologies evolving simultaneously. In Korea, while disposable-item regulations are being reorganized into a voluntary participation method, local government ordinances and cafés' own policies are being implemented in parallel. Paper straws have developed in the direction of increasing durability through multi-coating and improved moisture resistance, and materials based on seaweed, coffee grounds, and sugarcane fiber, as well as marine-biodegradable materials such as PHA, are expanding commercialization. Reusable straws (stainless steel and silicone) have become established as set products together with cleaning kits, and 'sip lid' designs that eliminate the straw itself are also spreading. At the same time, data-based discussions over the 'effectiveness of regulation' are growing, as in the debate over the actual environmental impact of disposable cups and paper straws.
Related topics
- [[Plastic pollution]]
- [[Disposable products]]
- [[Recycling]]
- [[Atmospheric pressure]]
- [[Bubble tea]]