Why we do what we do.

At Mermaid Straw we are dedicated to educating others on the effects single use plastic is having on our environment and wildlife. We are proud to offer the highest quality, fun and stylish eco-friendly alternatives to single use plastic straws, cups, bottles, utensils, etc. We hope to inspire and empower people to live a more sustainable, plastic free lifestyle so they can lower their footprint on the environment and help save our lakes, rivers, oceans and all the animals that call them home.

What is single

use plastic?

Single use plastic is a material made primarily from fossil fuel–based chemicals. Products made from single use plastic are created with the sole purpose of being used by the end consumer for a matter of minutes then disposed of right after use. The most common single use plastic products are food and beverage packaging, straws, cups, bottles, bags, utensils, etc. 

Invented in the 19th century, single use plastic didn't gain main stream popularity until the 1970's. Manufacturers began switching from paper and glass materials to plastic due to it's affordability, durability and weight. Since the 195s, 8.3 BILLION metric tons of plastics have been produced. This sounds like a long time, BUT, half of that production has only occurred in the past 15 years!

Why is single use

plastic so bad?

The problem is in the name. These products are used ONCE, for a matter of minutes then thrown away. The reality is... There is no away, just somewhere else. Plastic does not BREAK DOWN, it just BREAKS UP into smaller pieces called microplastics.

These microplastics never disappear. This means that, other than plastic that has been incinerated or recycled, every piece of plastic ever created is still in existence somewhere on this planet today.

Stopping the flow by

giving back.

Plastic Bank® empowers the regenerative society. They build ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities, and reprocess the materials for reintroduction into the global supply chain as Social Plastic®. Members receive a premium for the materials they collect which helps them provide basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance. Their certified blockchain platform secures the entire transaction and provides real-time data visualization – allowing for transparency, traceability, and rapid scalability. 

Mermaid Straw is proud to be a supporter of Plastic Bank, donating each month on behalf of our customers!

Our impact through Plastic Bank donations:

1,965,841

plastic bottles prevented

39,324

kg collected

1,261

families impacted