Paper Straws vs Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw: which is safer?

Aardvark Paper Straws is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Our pick

Aardvark Paper Straws

Aardvark

Paper Straws

PFAS grade

Good 70/100

Overall grade

Good 62/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

paper (uncoated or standard coating)

Confidence

72%

PossibleMold or microbial growth from moisture

PossiblePaper fragmentation ingestion

Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw

Yocup

Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw

PFAS grade

Good 70/100

Overall grade

Good 58/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Paper (unwrapped, uncoated)

Confidence

82%

PossibleInk migration from printed stripes

PossiblePulp degradation and fiber shedding

PossibleMold or bacterial growth if stored improperly

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Mold or microbial growth from moisture and Paper fragmentation ingestion on the Aardvark and not on the Yocup.
  • We flag Ink migration from printed stripes, Pulp degradation and fiber shedding and Mold or bacterial growth if stored improperly on the Yocup and not on the Aardvark.
  • The Aardvark is paper (uncoated or standard coating) where the Yocup is Paper (unwrapped, uncoated), which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.

Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More paper straws, see the full ranking