The Best Non-Toxic Paper Straws of 2026
5 of the 15 paper straws PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 33.3% of the category, as of November 2026, leaving 10 that pass. The highest graded is Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw at 70 out of 100.
Every grade below is built from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and brand disclosures, scored on one public rubric and ranked best-graded first. Each score links to the full breakdown of what earned it, and the numbers across the whole dataset are published too.
Are paper straws non-toxic?
10 of the 15 paper straws we graded clear our screen and 5 do not. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on paper straws in this category are microplastics, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, undisclosed ingredients. The highest graded here is Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw at 70 out of 100.
Quick picks
No coating to fail
Straws PAPER Design Imports Paper Straws (Set of 100)Nothing applied that can break down
70 Good
A second brand to consider
Aardvark Paper Drinking Straws 600 Pieces In BoxThe best grade here from a brand other than the winner
70 Good
Why Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw wins, and what it beats
Every grade on this page is one sum. A category starts from a baseline, each disclosed material or coating adds risk points, and each thing the brand or a third party has published takes them away. Below is that sum for the winner, then for 1 product it beats, so you can see exactly where the 45 points between the top and the bottom of this paper straws ranking come from.
The winner
Made of Paper (unwrapped, uncoated).
- +25Category baseline. The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
- +15No PFAS disclosure. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
- -10Base material not linked to PFAS. The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
30risk points in total, which is a grade of 70
What the grade does not fix. It still carries one risk factor, No PFAS disclosure, and our graders recorded 3 other hazards on it. See the full breakdown.
What it beats, and why
What puts it behind. Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment, +35 points. Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS. The winner carries no such factor.
Made of Paper with food-safe coating/wrapping.
- +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
- +25Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure
75risk points, a grade of 25
No product on this page was physically tested by us. Every number above comes from published materials, ingredient and coating disclosures, certifications and brand statements, scored on one public rubric. Formulations change without notice, so check the current product listing before buying.
What to watch for in paper straws
Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 15 paper straws in this category. We assess from materials, brand statements and published research. We do not lab-test.
- Microplastics
Plastic fragments small enough to shed from a product into food, water or air without anyone seeing it.
Found on 1 of these paper straws. Plausible but unconfirmed on 5 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Artificial dyes
Synthetic colours added to food, cosmetics and textiles, most of them petroleum derived.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 2 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA
- Formaldehyde
A preservative and resin ingredient that is also released slowly by a group of chemicals used in its place.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 2 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. NCI
- Undisclosed ingredients
Not a chemical. The absence of one, where we found no statement from the brand about what it uses.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 3 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FTC
The safest paper straws we graded, lowest PFAS risk first
- 1
No coating to fail
- Paper (unwrapped, uncoated)
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Ink migration from printed stripes
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 2
- Paper (unbleached or chlorine-free certified)
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bleaching residues (chlorine-based)
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 3
No coating to fail
- paper (uncoated or minimal coating)
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Microbial contamination or mold growth
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 4
No coating to fail
Durable Kraft Paper Straws
70GoodPFAS grade- Kraft paper (uncoated or water-based coating)
- Coating leachables (if present)
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 5
No coating to fail
- Kraft paper (uncoated/minimally treated)
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Microorganism colonization and mold
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 6
No coating to fail
- paper (uncoated or standard coating)
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Mold or microbial growth from moisture
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 7
No coating to fail
- paper (untreated or minimal processing)
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Formaldehyde / VOCs
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 8
- paper (no known coating disclosed)
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Dye migration and colorant safety
5 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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Top-graded picks in the categories readers replace first, every one scored on the same rubric.
- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
All the paper straws that pass, side by side
Sorted by score. A higher score means lower PFAS risk.
| # | Paper Straws | Score | Rating | Made of | Key concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw | 70 | Good | Paper (unwrapped, uncoated) | Ink migration from printed stripes |
| 2 | Aardvark Paper Drinking Straws 600 Pieces In Box | 70 | Good | Paper (unbleached or chlorine-free certified) | Bleaching residues (chlorine-based) |
| 3 | Straws PAPER Design Imports Paper Straws (Set of 100) | 70 | Good | paper (uncoated or minimal coating) | Microbial contamination or mold growth |
| 4 | Durable Kraft Paper Straws | 70 | Good | Kraft paper (uncoated or water-based coating) | Coating leachables (if present) |
| 5 | World Centric Kraft Paper Straws | 70 | Good | Kraft paper (uncoated/minimally treated) | Microorganism colonization and mold |
| 6 | Aardvark Paper Straws | 70 | Good | paper (uncoated or standard coating) | Mold or microbial growth from moisture |
| 7 | Aardvark hoffmaster Jumbo Aardvark Paper Straws | 70 | Good | paper (untreated or minimal processing) | Formaldehyde / VOCs |
| 8 | Straws PAPER CVS Time To Party Striped Paper Straws | 70 | Good | paper (no known coating disclosed) | Dye migration and colorant safety |
The verdict on paper straws
Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw grades 70 out of 100, the highest here. It is paper (unwrapped, uncoated). We found no PFAS statement from the brand, so the grade rests on materials alone.
Choose Aardvark Paper Drinking Straws 600 Pieces In Box instead if you want a second option at 70 out of 100, paper (unbleached or chlorine-free certified).
We hold no price data, so nothing here is a budget recommendation. Grades are model-based assessments from published materials and disclosures, not laboratory tests.
The paper straws we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.
- 25Eco Friendly Wrapped Paper Straws - (200 Pack)Poor
Coating composition (undisclosed chemistry)
- 25Straws PAPER 3000 Pack Wrapped Disposable Paper Drinking StrawsPoor
Coating leachables (unidentified water-resistant coating)
- 25Straws PAPER Comfy Package Paper Drinking StrawsPoor
Unspecified barrier coating composition
What we check on paper straws
- Confirmed PFAS, PTFE or fluoropolymer content, which is the heaviest penalty we apply.
- Stain, water or grease resistant treatments, which usually mean fluorinated chemistry.
- Whether the brand discloses what is in the product, or stays silent behind a “clean” claim.
- Independent lab results and certifications where they exist.
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The paper straws brands we found no PFAS statement from
We found no PFAS statement from 5 of the brands here. That is our research, not proof a brand has never said anything, and it is not evidence of harm. It is why none of them score well on disclosure.
Aardvark, Straws PAPER, Total Home, World Centric, Yocup.
The brands that have published something, and what each of them actually said, are in our record of what every brand has said about PFAS.
Common questions about PFAS in paper straws
Are paper straws PFAS free?
5 of the 15 paper straws PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 33.3% of the category, as of November 2026, leaving 10 that pass. The highest graded is Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw at 70 out of 100. The lowest graded is Eco Friendly Wrapped Paper Straws - (200 Pack) at 25 out of 100.
Are paper straws non-toxic?
10 of the 15 paper straws we graded clear our screen and 5 do not. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on paper straws in this category are microplastics, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, undisclosed ingredients. The highest graded here is Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw at 70 out of 100.
Which are the safest paper straws to buy?
On our grades, Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw at 70 out of 100, which we band as Good. Then Aardvark Paper Drinking Straws 600 Pieces In Box at 70. These are model-based assessments from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and disclosures, not laboratory tests, so treat them as the lowest risk we can evidence rather than a safety guarantee.
Which paper straws grade best for PFAS?
Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw, at 70 out of 100, which we band as Good. It is paper (unwrapped, uncoated). The runner up is Aardvark Paper Drinking Straws 600 Pieces In Box at 70.
Which paper straws should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Eco Friendly Wrapped Paper Straws - (200 Pack) at 25, Straws PAPER 3000 Pack Wrapped Disposable Paper Drinking Straws at 25, Straws PAPER Comfy Package Paper Drinking Straws at 25. The problem with the first is that lower-concern option, but coating source not disclosed; verify with brand if PFAS risk matters to you.
Which paper straws brands have not published a PFAS statement?
We found no PFAS statement from 5 of the brands we scored in this category, including Aardvark, Straws PAPER, Total Home, World Centric, Yocup. That is what our research turned up, not proof a brand has never said anything, and a missing statement is not evidence of harm. It is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test paper straws?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
More food and water categories we have graded
Same rubric, same scale. These are the categories closest to paper straws.
- Best non-toxic water filters530 graded
- Best non-toxic smart rings256 graded
- Best non-toxic lunch boxes189 graded
- Best non-toxic food packaging187 graded
- Best non-toxic quick-dry shorts15 graded
- Best non-toxic fast-casual food packaging13 graded
- Best non-toxic waterproof camera cases150 graded
- Best non-toxic waterproof personal electronics cases134 graded
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Does a particular brand of paper straws have PFAS?
We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Paper Straws, Why the Coated Ones Grade Worst
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 15 paper straws.