Shipping

What is Navidium Shipping Protection?

We offer Navidium Shipping Protection as a shipping protection program extending coverage to online purchases that are lost or damaged in transit, or stolen immediately after the carrier's proof of delivery.

The toggle is automatically selected on for Navidium Shipping Protection. The fee is based on order value. You can simply toggle off, if not interested. However, if you toggle off this option, Mermaid Straw does not take on responsibility for lost, damaged, or stolen packages. Replacements will not be provided without purchasing this service.

How can I track my order?

We will send you a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information once your order has been shipped. 

Please allow 24-48 hours for the tracking information to show up in the system after processing.


We highly suggest creating a UPS My Choice account for the most detailed tracking information for orders shipped via UPS.

How long does processing take?

Typically we process orders in 1-3 business days after ordering. During periods of high demand, please allow up to 7 business days for processing. 

If an item goes out of stock, processing time might be slightly longer, but you will be made aware of any delays. 

How long is shipping time?

Shipping time depends on the shipping method selected at the time of checkout, as well as the weight of your package and location.

For Domestic orders shipped via USPS, packages typically take 5-7 business days after processing. For Domestic orders shipped via UPS, packages typically take 3-5 business days after processing. However, the carrier ultimately determines how long shipping takes as there are measures beyond our control that they may encounter (natural disasters, holidays, weather, etc). There will be no refunds due to delayed shipments. 

 

Please allow 3-6 weeks for all international shipments, regardless of the carrier chosen. International shipments are also dependent on the weight of your package and the destination country. We are not responsible or in control of any carrier delays, import delays, or delays in your country. Refunds will not be issued due to delayed shipments. Please email us at support@mermaidstraw.com with your order number and tracking number if your international shipment has taken longer than 6 weeks to arrive.

Where will my order by shipped from?

All orders are shipped from our headquarters in Valparaiso, Indiana.

I didn't receive a confirmation email after I placed my order.

If you do not receive your email confirmation, please double check the email you entered at time of placing your order was your correct email address. 

Also, be sure to check your email spam/junk folders. Occasionally your email provider may block our confirmation email. 


If you cannot find it after checking your email address and junk folder, please contact us at hello@mermaidstraw.com for a copy of your receipt.

Tracking shows my package was delivered but I haven't received it.

From time to time this happens... Please check your mailbox, front door, any side doors, and neighbors to see if the package was placed there first. If you cannot locate your package, we suggest waiting 3 business days as more often than not, it will eventually show up. If you have waited those 3 business days and your package still has not arrived, we suggest calling your local post office and providing them with your tracking number so they can help you locate your package. In addition, you can file a missing package claim online. We HIGHLY suggest calling your local USPS first, as the online form rarely results in any response, from our experience. 


The USPS asks you to wait 15 days before filing a claim for a missing package. You can file the claim here: https://www.usps.com/help/missing-mail.htm 

If Navidium Shipping Protection was purchased, please reach out to us at support@mermaidstraw.com after taking these steps to file a claim for a refund or replacement.

If Navidium Shipping Protection was not purchased, it is the customer's responsibility to contact the USPS to locate their package.

My package was returned to sender.

If your order was marked returned to sender, it is most likely due to an address issue. Please send us an email with your order number and confirm your shipping address.

The customer will be responsible for paying a re-shipment fee, as shipping is a non-refundable cost to the carrier.

If we receive your order back without prior contact first, we will reach out via email, and allow 14 days for a response. If we do not receive a response after those 14 days, a refund will be issued for the products purchased, but shipping costs will not be refunded.

Will I be charged customs/taxes for international orders?

The prices displayed on our site are tax-free in US Dollars, which means you may be liable to pay for duties and taxes once you receive your order.

 

These costs are determined by your local customs office upon your package's arrival. Payment of these charges are the customers responsibility and will not be paid by us. We are not responsible for any delays within your country’s customs department. If your package is not claimed and returned back to us, we will not issue a refund for your order. If you do not accept the customs charges upon delivery and choose to refuse your package, we will not issue a refund for your order. 

 

For further details of charges, please contact your local customs office BEFORE placing your order.

Can I refuse my package?

If you decide you no longer want your package, but it is already in transit, you have the option to refuse it at the time of delivery. However, once we receive your refused package back at our headquarters, you will only receive a refund for the products that were purchased, as long as the product arrives undamaged. You will NOT receive any refund for shipping or fees charged to us, as these are non-refundable costs to the carrier. If you qualified for Free Shipping on your order, we will deduct the shipping cost we paid from the refund amount.

*Please note: for International orders that are refused, the return fees we are typically charged are around $90. It may take a couple of weeks for the actual fee to be invoiced to us via UPS or USPS. Once we receive the actual fee charged for the refused package return, a refund will be issued if the product arrives undamaged AND the fees are less than the total paid.


Straws

What are Mermaid Straws made of?

Our Stainless Steel Straws are made from the highest food grade stainless steel. They are dishwasher safe, durable, scratch resistant, rust proof and will never fade. Due to their high quality, our straws do not have that yuck metallic taste you will often get with less quality straws. 

Our Glass Straws are made from durable borosilicate glass. They are dishwasher safe.

How are Mermaid Straws so vibrant and colorful?

We worked very hard with our manufacturer to achieve our custom Mermaid color. There are many "rainbow" straws out there, but only one Mermaid Straw.

To get our vibrant, durable, scratch resistant finish on our straws, we use a process called PVD (physical vapor deposition). This process is eco-friendly and allows us to achieve a rich, vibrant titanium coating on our straws with colors that will never fade or chip, are scratch resistant, dishwasher safe and can be used in hot/acidic drinks or drinks that contain essential oils.

Why use PVD coating?

Put simply... it is a far superior method of achieving the colors on our straws. Other coloring processes like anodizing, spraying or painting are definitely cheaper ways to color straws, however, straws that are colored this way are not as eco-friendly, produce a lot of waste, are not dishwasher safe and are not able to be used with hot drinks, acidic drinks, or drinks that contain essential oils. If they are colored with another method than PVD, the color will likely fade and the chemicals/coloring from the straw may leech into your beverage. 

Why don't you offer more stainless steel colors?

We would love to offer more stainless steel colors, however, the PVD process is limited in the colors we can do. If we did offer other colors, we would have to sacrifice not only our high standards, but also our eco-friendly process... which is not something we are willing to do! We currently offer 5 FUN and GORGEOUS stainless steel colors including Mermaid, Siren (black), Ocean Blue, Rose Gold, and Gold in a variety of lengths and sizes.

Where are your products made?

Our straws, drinkware, and silicone accessories are responsibly made in China, in facilities that specialize in eco-friendly products. Once manufactured, our products are sent to our headquarters in Valparaiso, Indiana where our amazing team processes, sorts and organizes them so they are ready to be sent out to our customers. 

Our Zipper Pouches, keychains, and lip balm holders are all lovingly made in-house at our headquarters in Valparaiso, IN by our Seamstress and Seamstress Assistant.

What size straws fits best in the 22oz Cups?

22oz Stainless Steel Cups:
We suggest using a Long Straight Stainless Steel Straw or Glass Straw in our Stainless Steel Cups.

Is there a warranty on your Glass Straws?

Yes, we have a Lifetime Warranty on our Glass Straws! While borosilicate glass is durable, accidents happen! If your Glass Straw breaks, please fill out this form to apply for a replacement. Please allow 14 days for us to review your request. If approved, you will receive a discount code for a free replacement. You will be responsible for placing the order on our website, entering your discount code, and paying for shipping your replacement. No refunds will be issued.

**Only applicable for orders placed on mermaidstraw.com.

Please note: a photo of your broken straw displaying our logo is a requirement for approval.


Care/Cleaning

Are your straws dishwasher safe?

Yes! Our straws can be hand washed using the cleaning brush provided with soap and water, or you can put them in the dishwasher. 

Is your Drinkware dishwasher safe?

We recommend hand washing all of your Mermaid Straw Drinkware with a soft, non-abrasive cloth, soap, and water and not in your dishwasher. We also sell a Drinkware Brush for the inside of your cup or bottle.

How do I clean my Straws?

Please wash before first use. We've made it SUPER SIMPLE by including a cleaning brush for FREE for every single straw you purchase. All that's needed is some soap and water and a couple passes with your cleaning brush and voila! All clean! 


You can treat a reusable straw same way you do any other utensil in your kitchen. For example, when you use a fork, you clean the fork before using it again. It should be same with your reusable straw! 


Pro tip: We suggest rinsing them with water between uses if you're out and about before putting back in your travel pouch. If you drink something other than water, drink a bit of water through it before putting it away to "clean" it! Of course, we suggest a proper cleaning once back at home!


P.S. the cleaning brush will ALWAYS be inside of your straw! Please be sure to remove before use.

How do I clean my Bottle?

Please wash before first use. We recommend hand washing all of our drinkware with a soft, non-abrasive cloth to maintain the vacuum insulation seal as well as to protect the gorgeous color.  We've made it SUPER SIMPLE by including a straw cleaning brush for free to clean the straw lid on your bottle. You'll want to ensure to use the brush to clean inside of the straw as well as the mouth piece on a regular basis. To clean the lid and straw, remove the straw by gently pulling down on the straw while holding onto the lid. It'll slip off so you can clean it from both ends. Use the brush to clean inside of the straw attachment area on the lid. Clean the mouth piece with the brush as well. Don't forget to periodically clean under the silicone ring as well!


We also sell a reusable Drinkware Brush that is part sisal, part cotton to be gentle yet sturdy at the same time. Its long handle will help get into all of the nooks of your Drinkware!

We will not issue a refund or replacement for any piece of drinkware that has been damaged in the dishwasher, or if any abrasive material is used to clean them (steel wool, rough sponge, etc). 

How do I clean my Cup?

Please wash before first use. We recommend hand washing all of our drinkware with a soft, non-abrasive cloth to maintain the vacuum insulation seal as well as to protect the gorgeous color.  


The Silencer (silicone your straw fits through) is removeable for cleaning. Carefully pinch up the slide and slide it through the hole. Remember to periodically clean this piece and the silicone ring inside of the lid!


We also sell a reusable Drinkware Brush that is part sisal, part cotton to be gentle yet sturdy at the same time. Its long handle will help get into all of the nooks of your Drinkware!

We will not issue a refund or replacement for any piece of drinkware that has been damaged in the dishwasher, or if any abrasive material is used to clean them (steel wool, rough sponge, etc). 

How do I clean my Silicone Tips/Silencers?

Please wash before first use. Silicone Tips & Silencers are dishwasher friendly, but please be sure to put them in something that stops them from freely moving around the dishwasher during its cycle. You can also use your straw cleaning brush to clean inside them.

Warning: Silicone Tips & Silencers may be a choking hazard to children under 3 years old.

Where is my Telescopic Cleaning Brush?

Every Telescopic Straw comes with a Telescopic Cleaning Brush inside of it! Before emailing us about a missing brush, please double check inside your straw by extending it all the way out and looking through your straw. If you cannot see through it, your brush is still inside your straw. To retrieve your brush, simply collapse your straw all the way back down and push on the silicone tip to help assist in grabbing your brush from the bottom of your straw.

Is the Telescopic Straw Case dishwasher safe?

We recommend hand washing your Telescopic Straw Case. Your cleaning brush works perfectly with soap and water to help you wash inside of your case. 


Safety

Are stainless steel straws safe?

Overwhelmingly, YES! But please use common sense. Stainless steel straws are essentially a metal tube that you place near your face. Silicone Tips greatly increase the safety of stainless steel straws, because they allow a softer material to come in contact with your mouth. Just like with anything you place near your face, watch your eyes and teeth.

Are Silicone Tips/Silencers a choking hazard?

WARNING - CHOKING HAZARD FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3. Please use with caution!

Use with supervision in children over 3, as Silicone Tips & Silencers are tempting to chew on!

Are glass straws safe?

Yes, Glass Straws are very safe and durable! However, they are glass and can break. If broken, please dispose of immediately and safely.


Payments

What forms of payment does Mermaid Straw accept?

Mermaid Straw accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, Diners Club, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, JCB, Shopify Pay, and Afterpay.

What is AfterPay and who can use it?

AfterPay is a payment system that offers 4 interest-free installments, versus paying your entire total upfront. This links to your bank account or debit card. Each payment will be taken out every 2 weeks.

AfterPay accepts payments from the following countries: USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Spain, France, Italy, New Zealand.

If you are experiencing issues paying with AfterPay, please contact them directly at info@afterpay.com.

Is my payment information secure?

Our site adheres to the highest industry standards to protect your personal information when you checkout and purchase from our online store. 


Your credit card information is encrypted during transmission using secure socket layer (SSL) technology. Your credit card information is only used to complete the requested transaction and is not subsequently stored.


Orders

Do you accept returns / exchanges?

Sorry, no returns or exchanges. We do not individually wrap each item to avoid unnecessary packaging waste. Therefore, we cannot accept returns due to sanitary reasons. As for apparel, please be sure to check our sizing charts before placing your order, as these are provided on each apparel item to ensure the correct size is purchased. 

 

Due to the nature of our product, we only replace items if they are defective or damaged. Please send us an email within 5 days after you receive your package with photographic evidence of how you received the damaged product. 

 

A replacement or refund will also not be issued for any items that are dropped, knocked off a counter, break during use, etc. Customers take full responsibility of caring for their items after the package has been successfully marked as delivered. 

 

IF YOU USE ABRASIVE TOOLS OR MATERIALS IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AT HAND, THIS WILL VOID ANY REFUND / RETURN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE. PLEASE CONTACT US PRIOR TO TRYING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

 

IMPORTANT - PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR PURCHASE BACK WITHOUT COMMUNICATION WITH OUR SUPPORT TEAM.

Can I cancel my order?

Orders may only be canceled if requested via email before order has been fulfilled. We do our best to catch every request, but we cannot make any guarantees that your email will be seen before fulfilling your order.

Can I change my order?

We are unable to make any adjustments to your order once made due to our fast order fulfillment speed.


Giving Back

Do you really donate to Ocean Conservation Organizations?

Mermaid Straw is a supporter of Plastic Bank®, an organization committed to stopping ocean plastic while improving the lives of collectors in vulnerable coastal communities. We proudly donate to Plastic Bank every month.

What is a Mermaid Straw beach cleanup?

We organize and participate in beach cleanups regularly to help clean our world and help raise awareness about plastic pollution and its devastating effects on our planet. These cleanups involve picking up plastic, garbage, microplastics, nurdles, straws, cigarette butts, bags etc. from the beach and properly disposing or recycling them. 


Doing your part can be as simple as picking up a plastic bottle you see while walking along the beach, to as involved as bringing rakes and sifters and collecting buckets full. 


However big or small, we invite you to give it a shot next time you're out and about. Every little bit helps. 


*If you happen to pick up litter, be sure to take a photo and tag us @mermaidstraw and use the tag #mermaidcleanup!

When / Where are Mermaid Straw beach cleanups held?

We host a cleanup event on the last Saturday of the month from April - September! We clean the Indiana Dunes State Park and the Indiana Dunes National Park on Lake Michigan. 


Please see our Facebook Events for more details: https://www.facebook.com/pg/mermaidstraw/events


Wholesale

Do you offer Wholesale partnerships?

Yes, we do! We love partnering with businesses and helping them go plastic straw free. 


As a Mermaid Straw Wholesale partner you will gain access to our special highly discounted pricing, be added to our store locator on our website, and be featured on our social media pages.


Interested in becoming a Mermaid Straw Wholesale partner? Please apply here

Which products do you offer for Wholesale?

We have wholesale pricing available for a wide range of Mermaid Straw products. For a complete catalog of all products we offer for wholesale, please email our Wholesale Team at wholesale@mermaidstraw.com.

I want my local coffee shop / juice bar to carry Mermaid Straws!

YAY! So do we! Please send us their name and email if you have it and we will be sure to reach out to them! 


Another way you can see Mermaid Straws make it into your local coffee shop/juice bar is to suggest that they start carrying them. The more demand for our straws, the more likely they are to carry them!

Do you offer discounted pricing for bulk orders?

Yes, we do! Planning a party? A wedding? Or even a family get together but you want to be eco-friendly? Go plastic straw free and take advantage of our bulk order discounted pricing. 


Our minimum order to qualify for bulk order pricing is 25 straws. 


Please email our wholesale team at wholesale@mermaidstraw.com for more info and pricing.


Mermaid Straw Ambassador

What is a Mermaid Straw Ambassador?

Our Mermaid Straw Ambassadors are the voice of our brand. They share our passion for our brand & our products, but most importantly, they share our passion for our mission to help save our oceans and marine life from single use plastic waste.


This means not only talking the talk but walking the walk. 


As a Mermaid Straw Ambassador you will use your social influence to spread awareness about the devastating effects single use plastic is having on our environment and show off our fun, stylish and eco-friendly products to your friends, family and followers. By being apart of our Ambassador Merfam you can earn commissions, rewards, and be apart of a global community with the same passion for our brand and our environment.

How do I become a Mermaid Straw Ambassador?

To be eligible to become a Mermaid Straw Ambassador: 

1. Be over the age of 18.

2. Own and use a Mermaid Straw product.

3. Have a PayPal account. 

4. Have a PUBLIC Instagram account. 

5. Actively posting on your IG account at least once a week and have an engaged audience.

6. Your IG account has a professional look and feel (no profane language in your handle or image captions, nudity on your profile or aggressive or hateful language).

7. You are not currently an ambassador for another company that is wasteful or a direct competitor of Mermaid Straw (companies that also sell reusable items). 


If you meet these requirements, simply go to our Ambassador Application Page and fill out the application form fully and honestly! If your application is approved, you'll receive a welcome email from us containing your Ambassador Code to share with your family, friends and followers! 


Please allow 7 days for your application to be reviewed and considered by our Ambassador Team. 


Be sure to keep an eye on your junk or spam folders to be sure you don't miss an email from us!

What are the perks of being an Ambassador?

AMBASSADOR PERKS: 

1. Personalized Ambassador Code share with friends + family + followers, giving them 15% off EVERY purchase. 

2. 10% commission (of the purchase price, before taxes & shipping and after applied discounts) whenever someone successfully makes a purchase using your code.

3. Receive 15% off every purchase for yourself.
4. Become Ambassador of the Month and earn FREE prizes.

5. Be featured on our @mermaidstraw IG stories and IG Ambassador story highlight.