Months ago we started searching for ways to cut down on our plastic waste, starting with straws. Bamboo is known for it’s many sustainable qualities as a natural wood and fiber.

A fast growing grass, bamboo requires no fertilizer and self-regenerates from its own roots, so it doesn’t need to be replanted. Bamboo requires little water, little labor and zero pesticides and purifies it’s environment. Plus, it’s naturally antibacterial and water resistant.

When we decided to find a new way to enjoy our iced matcha drinks, we knew that bamboo was the way to go! Our straws are 100% pure bamboo and totally biodegradable and compostable, so when you're done with your Matchaful bamboo straw you can feel good knowing it won't end up filling our oceans with plastic waste. 

This amazing plant grows in tropical and temperate environments and is very hardy, not needing pesticides or herbicides to grow well. It is a type of grass and grows from it’s roots, when it is cut it quickly grows back with most species maturing in 3-5 years.

Here are some more facts about the sustainability of bamboo:
 

• It is grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers
• It requires no irrigation
• It rarely needs replanting
• It grows rapidly and can be harvested in 3-5 years
• It produces 35% more oxygen that an equivalent stand of trees
• It sequesters carbon dioxide and is carbon neutral
• It is a critical element in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
• It is an excellent soil erosion inhibitor
• It grows in a wide range of environments

Currently these straws are available at our cafe in Dumbo, Brooklyn as well as our stand at Smorgasburg on Saturday's and Sundays in Brooklyn and expanding to our cafe partners, such as Cafe Grumpy (located throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn). Let us know if you want your own Matchaful bamboo straw as an online retail offering!