Are Paper Straws Worth It?

In recent years, the conversation around environmental sustainability has gained significant traction, prompting individuals and businesses alike to reevaluate their consumption habits. Specifically, many people have looked into the use of paper straws which has been a prominent solution introduced. Paper straws are biodegradable and compostable, reduc

ing the waste that its plastic counterpart would produce. 

The market for paper straws has been steadily growing over the past few years, emerging as one of the many business opportunities created by the growing environment centric advances. Currently, the market is valued at 1.58 billion dollars USD (Fortune Business Insights, 2025). To put this into perspective, the global straw industry is valued at 16.93 billion dollars USD (MarkNtel Advisors, 2024), leaving the paper straw market to be around 9.3% of the global straw market. 

Many companies have embraced the alternative of using paper straws, embracing a more green brand image. But are paper straws truly worth the excitement and what exactly are the implications of the shift towards paper straws?

The Rise of Paper Straws

The movement towards paper straws gained momentum as concerns over plastic pollution escalated. With millions of plastic straws discarded daily worldwide, becoming the leading cause of pollution, the environmental impact becomes impossible to ignore. In response, companies like Starbucks, McDonald's and others have committed to introducing more sustainable options when it comes to straws. This is especially notable examining the straw industry: in 2025, the market is projected to grow to reach 1.66 billion dollars USD, reaching 2.69 billion USD by 2032 at a compound annual growth rate of 7.12% (Fortune Business Insights, 2025). The usage of paper straws have both pros and cons for consumer and social utility. 

Pros and Cons of Paper Straws: 

The most clear element of paper straws is biodegradability. Unlike plastic straws which can stay in the environment for up to centuries, a paper straw can be broken down naturally over time which reduces the general risk of harm to wildlife and ecosystems. Paper straws use resources directly derived from a renewable resource. Since paper can be created from trees, they can be sustainably harvested. By using paper straws businesses support a more responsible forestry development within the industry. Finally, many consumers find it more favorable when using plastic straws. More eco-friendly consumers appreciate the efforts presented by the companies to reduce plastic waste and operate more sustainably. This is important for the brand reputation. Starbucks is a large example of this brand image as they are popular for leading the charge of paper straw usage. 

However, there are also some evident harms that are present with paper straws. They have very low durability as they tend to lose their structural integrity when exposed to liquids for an extended period of time. This decreases a lot of the consumer utility because consumers can not use the straws for too long. Additionally, compared to their plastic counterparts, paper is more expensive to produce. This expense is extremely notable towards the profit margins of businesses and means that businesses are less likely to risk their profit margins and use paper straws. This also implies that businesses often would prefer to use cheaper plastic straws. Finally, it is important to note that by using paper straws, companies don’t become completely environmentally friendly. There are many other processes of emission that happen. The chemicals used to form the straw are sometimes not biodegradable and the process of distribution also requires energy and emissions, so although paper straws do contribute towards decreasing emissions, they do not remove the carbon footprint of straws. 

Alternatives:

Paper straws aren’t the only possible alternatives to plastic straws that have been created. Many companies have also opted to sell reusable metal straws with a similar functionality to plastic straws. They also allow for extra branding opportunities from the company, often tying in metal straws with reusable cups and bottles as well. 

Overall, plastic straws aren’t the only solution to erasing a company's carbon footprint but can be a more accessible solution for many companies. Although not completely erasing the carbon footprint, they could be of great help in slowly reducing the amount of plastic used and dumped into the environment.