Strawesome Sucks

• 500 million plastic straws are thrown away EVERY DAY in the United States alone.
• 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris are in the ocean. 
• 100 million marine animals are killed annually due to plastic debris in their habitat. 

That’s where one reusable glass straw is making a difference. 

Strawesome makes high quality glass straws in the USA because #plasticsucks. Made using the same type of glass used to make Pyrex products, these glass straws offer a reusable option to plastic. 

In 2009, Daedra and Brian Surowiec started Strawesome with a mission to eliminate the need for single use plastic drinking straws. After a few lessons in torchwork from friends in Dearborn, Daedra launched this durable, decorated straw business. To make the straws, they begin with glass tubing of different colors and widths that they then cut to size. The ends are torched to create smooth edges. Bends to the straw and additional decorations made of colored borosilicate glass are then added. 

Check out this video to see the process from start to finish! 

See how they are made!

Today, Strawesome is a family affair with their two sons involved in the packaging and sales of the straws. The family regularly attends art fairs, such as Plymouth, Ann Arbor, Brighton, and Milford art fairs, to personally vend their products. Though, their products are available online and ship nationwide!

These functional pieces of artwork make great gifts for friends, family, and even yourself. As part of their commitment to sustainability, they even have “Glass Straws for a Cause” that share a portion of their proceeds to support conservation organizations, such as the Shedd Aquarium, the Sea Turtle Conservancy, Save the Whales, and more. 

Where to Buy your Strawesome Straw

Head to strawesome.com to find your favorite color, width, and size straw. They ship worldwide and have even supplied cruise lines and restaurants in other countries. Palate restaurant in Milford even serves all drinks with their glass straws!

Plus, Strawesome straws are sold through a number of Michigan retailers:

Edson Farms Deli & Market in Traverse City
ACE Barnes Hardware in Ann Arbor 
BYOC in Ann Arbor
Frame Works in Plymouth (Coming Soon!)
Glass Academy in Dearborn
Vibe Well in Fenton
Modern Natural Baby in Ferndale
Uptown Coffee House in Howell
Town Peddler Craft & Antique Mall in Livonia
The Clothing Cove/Tenacity in Milford
Raw Organic Juice Bar in Novi 
Clean Refillery in Lansing 
Herbs, Etc in Mount Pleasant
Apothecary Gift Shop in Holland 
Bodhi Tree Juice Co. in Grand Haven
Grandpa Shorter’s Gift Shop in Petoskey 
Hathaway Cottage Gift Shop in Allegan 
The Butler Pantry in Saugatuck
Front Porch Gift Shop in Suttons Bay 
Schuler Books & Music in Grand Rapids
Kalamazoo Candle Company in Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts in Kalamazoo

How to use your glass straw 

Strawesome glass straws are portable and surprisingly very durable (they have replaced less than 3% of straws in the last 12 years!), so take them wherever you go. Plus, they are also great to use at home with your favorite beverages. Here are some delicious, local ways to use your Strawesome straw:

Watermelon Jalapeno Slushie
Cold Cocktails for Hot Days 
Summer Fruit Smoothie
• Good ole H20 

Strawesome is a Michigan company dedicated to reducing plastic use in the world. Learn more about Strawesome at strawesome.com Find more videos on how they make their straws on their instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestrawesome

This article is a paid sponsorship by Strawesome. 

Emma Beauchamp is the Communications Manager for Taste the Local Difference.