Innovation

Gilmar Arellano, Emma Grose, and Alexey Savin were intrigued by the plastic straw revolution in 2018, realizing that both the status quo and alternative material would not succeed. The status quo, plastic, benefitted consumer comfort but devastated the environment as straws were tossed into landfills or oceans where they would hurt marine life. The seemingly environmentally friendly alternative, paper, was hated by consumers who disliked the quick disintegration and soggy feel. Wanting a solution, Savin and Grose set their sights on creating a sustainable straw alternative using a new material, straw, and “knew it was a great idea.”

The founders began by developing a manufacturing facility and business model, and all three invested in the creation of Hay! Straws occupied different roles to effectively manage the business. Arellano was the Chief Executive Officer, taking care of finances and money; Grose managed marketing and product operation; Savin took charge of the sales of their products.

The innovation of Hay!Straws comes from the use of hay itself. The hay used to make these straws originates from the stems of wheat that get cut off during wheat processing and production. Typically, those stems are repurposed into animal feed or burnt, harming the environment, but Hay!Straws uses wheat stems as their main material for their straws. More specifically, unlike paper straws that are often treated with chemicals, wheat stems are washed and cut to ideal lengths, rinsed in sterile water, and dried and sterilized - allowing them to stay gluten-free and compost in just 42 days after single use.

Inspiration

Emma, Gilmar, and Alexey all came up with the original idea to create straws with straw after watching the plastic straw revolution - specifically articles discussing the harms to marine wildlife. As a result, they started boycotting plastic products and saying no to straws in restaurants, but found that they were unable to avoid plastic products wherever they went. At the time, there was “public outrage over plastic straws but there weren't many alternatives, only soggy paper straws, which people hated.” In this sort of middle ground between consumer needs and environmental impact, the motivation for creating a straw manufacturing facility was in “replacing [single-use plastics] with compostable alternatives that are healthier for humans and the planet”. Grose’s previous experience with production management and design came in handy throughout this startup, helping Hay! Straws with becoming an established brand and creating unique products. She worked with an “angel investor” who offered some initial money to get the company started, as well Gilmar who managed finances and Alexey who managed sales.

Shortly after developing their project, the founders and a few other members of their team joined a protest banning single-use plastics at San Francisco city hall. Grose describes the scene of her partner Alexey wearing a giant Hay!Straws box and individuals on her team carrying signs that said phrases like “plastic sucks.” She “felt hopeful and optimistic that cities across the US and the world would ban single-use plastics,” and was motivated by being surrounded by environmental activists and citizens all determined to make change. Grose rights that at that moment, early on in the company’s founding, she “felt super proud of our company, team and our mission to eliminate plastic straws.”

Overall impact

Hay!Straws, through their creation of hay straws and other biodegradable products, has replaced over one hundred and forty million plastic straws and pieces of cutlery, reducing the amount of plastic harming wildlife and the environment. Through this mission, the company has been able to not only sell their product and improve their own business’ success, but also inspire other businesses and individuals to fight against single-use plastic straws and cutlery. The product itself helps draw customers in, Grose says, as the brightly colored marketing and packaging excites consumers who post “HAY HAY” on social media while sharing the product.

In the short-term, the company was able to market, distribute, and sell their straws and eventually other products, including jumbo straws made of reed (another sustainable, fully compostable single use material) and bamboo cutlery. As a direct result, there has been less plastic pollution and decreased waste from wheat and reed harvesting, as Hay!Straws only uses the by-products of harvesting. In the long run, Hay!Straws releases less toxins into the environment “by replacing petroleum based products with natural and compostable alternatives that use less energy and no added chemicals.” Overall, these alternative straws have a significant impact on society and the environment. The company has helped over two thousand businesses and consumers switch over to their compostable alternatives, which means there are two thousand less businesses using harmful plastic straws and cutlery.

Business benefit

Hay!Straws works in a growing industry of sustainable products and consumer goods, especially in regards to compostable drinking straws as companies attempt to find alternatives and solutions to plastic straws. As a result, the main benefit to their business, from Emma Grose, is “growth and sales revenue.” Additionally, the product is ethically sourced and produced, as Hay!Straws works directly with small farmers and co-operatives, benefitting other businesses, and ensures humane work hours and benefits, no forced or child labor, and high quality facilities.

Social and environmental benefit

The main impact of Hay!Straws lies in its benefit to the environment. With a mission to try and eradicate single-use plastics and bioplastics, the company offers a compostable, sustainable alternative through the use of hay. The harvesting of hay itself is more sustainable than compostable paper straws, as wheat is an annual harvest crop already grown each year to provide grain, as opposed to trees which take twenty to thirty years to be harvested at maturity. The production process uses no additives or harmful chemicals and instead uses sterile water and a food-grade drying system that keeps the product entirely safe for human use. Continuing with human safety, because the straws are made of wheat stems, they remain gluten free and safe for individuals with allergies, and are also PFAS-free. The straws are independently certified as 100% compostable, breaking down in just 42 days, by the USDA’s BioPreferred Program and the Biodegradable Products Institute. This contrasts other straw alternatives, which “don't have proof against their compostability or chemical-free claims.”

As a result of distributing and sharing their product, Hay! Straws has removed over 150 million plastic straws and cutlery from landfills, which directly allows for “less plastic in the environment and a safer world for the people and the animals living in it.” Additionally, they also “sponsor sea turtles and beach clean ups to extend [their] mission beyond the product itself.” Beyond environmental benefits, though, Hay!Straws also has positive social outcomes. By meeting food safety standards, participating in eco-friendly packaging, and being non-toxic and non-GMO, Emma Grose argues that these straws create healthier alternatives for consumers to better their lives.

Interview

Emma Grose, Founder