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Monday, June 13, 2022

HISTORY OF THE DRINKING STRAW

Whether paper, plastic, bamboo or glass, people have been sipping through hollow tubes for centuries. Between 6000 to 7,000 years ago, the ancient Mesopotamians invented the very first straws, usually made from wood and, sometimes, gold to reach the beer sitting below fermentation byproducts floating on top.

The first patent for a drinking straw was filed in 1888 by Marvin Chester Stone, a paper cigarette holder manufacturer. The legend goes that he was drinking a mint julep when the piece of rye grass he was using as a straw disintegrated. Determined to make something better, he wrapped and glued strips of paper around a pencil, coming up with the first prototype of paper drinking straws. By 1890, Stone Industrial was mass producing them. Stone promised his customers “health, cleanliness and economy,” with his straws, which reassured some of those who were concerned about catching the myriad diseases of the time. Paper straws allowed them to avoid making direct contact with the glass while drinking. At one point, Stone was producing two million paper straws a day in his factory. 

Bendy straws were created in the 1930s when inventor Joseph Friedman inserted a screw into the straw, wrapped floss around the screw's grooves, and took out the screw. With indentations, the straw could easily bend without breaking and his young daughter could then easily drink her milkshake.

Straws have been made from precious metals, grains like wheat and rye, paper, plastic and lots more.

Tracy

 

7 comments:

  1. Never realised the history of drinking through a straw was so old! Fascinating as ever, Tracy. Thanks

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    1. Neither did I, Lindsay. Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. A fascinating choice of history, and one I'd never given a single thought to. I love that these seem too mundane to notice, but touch all our lives. And I'd no idea the bendy straw was so old. I didn't see one in Scotland until the 70s.

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    1. Something tapped my imagination and I went hunting to see if there could be a straw in a book of mine. Thanks for dropping in.

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  3. Tracy, I love this post! I am one of those people who must have a straw to drink with. I am that way with everything I drink, even water. My sister bought me one of those thermal cups with its own stainless steel straw and a brush to clean it with. I have to admit...I do not use it. I use paper straws as much as I can because the plastic ones are such a threat to wildlife. But I can't bring myself to scrub out a straw and re-use it. A phobia, I tell you! LOL Great post!

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    1. I'm not sure I could re-use one either, Cheryl. lol Thanks for dropping in.

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  4. Who knew. This was fascinating. Thanks

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