Berlin

Tubular sippers

Since plastic straws are on their way out, three Berlin start-ups have got you covered with eco-friendly alternatives for your sustainable sucking.

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Eco Brotbox
It’s official – plastic straws are on their way out. You may have noticed them gradually disappearing from Berlin’s cafés and bars, and as per last year’s European Council order, they will be completely gone by 2021. Three Berlin start-ups are gearing up for the ban by presenting consumers with sustainable alternatives. One is Eco Brotbox, which since 2017 has been supplying Berlin’s organic supermarkets with their unbreakable stainless steel tubes. The straws are pretty stylish and come in a tumbler-friendly 15cm or long drink-suited 22cm, straight or bent (€12.50 for a pack of four, including a dinky cleaning brush). The only downside? A (very slight) metallic taste – which is perhaps why some cafés prefer Halm’s sleek, glass variety. Founded by an Aussie and her Berliner partner two years ago, Halm swears their made-in-Germany clear glassware is totally safe to use (no bloody mouth hazards!) and dishwasher friendly. The company already supplies 2000 restaurants, cruise ship bars and cafés, but of course, you can get them for your home too (€14.90 for a set of four, 15-23cm, straight or bent, including cleaning brush). Bigger and bolder are SoulBottles’ clear or turquoise glass tubes launched one year ago and made to fit their 0.6L or 1L designer water bottles. A stylish detail for your at-home cocktail hour, they’ll set you back €5.90 a 30cm piece. Then again, it’s not like you really need a straw to drink. ecobrotbox.de | halm.co | soulbottles.de