Fresh and dried straws from wild riverine grass

Vietnamese organisation Ong Hut Co is processing reusable, biodegradable straws from wild sedge grass (Lepironia articulata) which grows abundantly along the Mekong Delta, reported The Epoch Times.

Young Vietnamese entrepreneur Tran Minh Tien, the founder of Ong Hut Co is creating headlines in his country for coming up with this innovative yet simple solution to eliminate one of the biggest pollutants of the planet.

The grass straws are available in two varieties – fresh and dried. For making the straws, at first, a bunch of the collected grass is washed and chopped into perfect 20 cm long pieces. Using an iron rod, the inside the of the stem is hollowed out and cleaned, as described by Tran Minh Tien himself, in a video shared by VnExpress International. After repeated rinsing in water, the fresh green straws are wrapped into bunches in banana leaves and are sent for the market.

The dried version of the straws requires a little extra effort and time, as the fresh straws are sun-dried for two to three days. Following this, the straws are baked in an oven, making them fit for reuse multiple times.

Low price and easy storage

Presently the straws can only be found in local markets of Vietnam, priced around INR 1.6 for the fresh one and INR 2.7 for the dried variety. Even long term storage of the straws is a cakewalk. In a ziplock bag, the fresh ones can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, while the dried straws can be kept intact in room temperature for up to six months.

The straws have a pleasant natural smell of their own, which is bound to elevate a regular drink into a soothing experience. The straw-makers advise the user to soak the straws in normal water, soapnut (Reetha), boiled water or salt water. After usage, a fresh straw can decompose within days when disposed of in a compost bin.

Efforts For Good hopes the grass straws do not remain restricted to an internet sensation, rather they are soon marketed globally for eradicating the plastic straw menace for once and for all.