World Centric Kraft Paper Straws
Lower PFAS concern; plain kraft paper straws rarely require PFAS treatments, but verify no grease-resistant coatings are present.
World Centric straws are plain kraft paper, which does not inherently require PFAS-based barriers. The brand provides no PFAS disclosure or independent lab data.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Kraft paper (uncoated/minimally treated)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Microorganism colonization and mold
Uncoated paper is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) and can support mold, mildew, or bacterial growth if stored in humid conditions or if straws are wetted and left damp. This is a product-handling risk, not a manufacturing defect. Proper dry storage and immediate composting mitigate this.
Fiber fragmentation under heat or prolonged contact
Plain kraft paper can soften, shed fine fibers, or fragment if exposed to near-boiling water or reused repeatedly. This is a physical degradation concern rather than a chemical leaching hazard, but may leave paper particles in beverage over time.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Pulp bleaching residues (chlorine, chlorine dioxide)
Kraft paper is bleached during manufacturing, but FDA-approved food-contact paper products are assessed for residual bleach safety. No bleach residue incidents or contamination data are on record for this product. Brand does not specify whether paper is chlorine-free (ECF) or totally chlorine-free (TCF).
Ink or print adhesive on packaging
The straws themselves are unprinted, but the kraft box/wrap may contain soy-based or petroleum-based inks and adhesives. No direct contact with straws, and no contamination incidents reported. Standard for the category.
Heavy metals
These straws are natural kraft (tan/beige), with no colored dyes listed. Natural kraft avoids azo dye or heavy-metal pigment risks. If a colored variant exists, pigment source would need verification.
Source, FDA ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
These are uncoated kraft paper straws, made from wood pulp processed with minimal chemical treatment. Kraft paper is inherently low-risk because it avoids plastic polymers, synthetic coatings, and the chemical additives common in mainstream straws. The manufacturing process does involve bleaching and pulping chemicals, but residual exposure in a single-use straw is negligible; kraft paper is food-contact approved by FDA as a category. No Teflon-family coating or water-resistant coating is listed in available product descriptions, which is the key safety advantage here.
The brand's record and disclosure
Who Gives A Crap (the parent company) markets sustainability and ethical sourcing but does not publish detailed chemical test reports or third-party certifications for these straws on the product page. The brand's PFAS stance is silent, meaning no explicit commitment to PFAS-free sourcing is documented. The company has built reputation on environmental claims, but safety disclosure lags behind competitors like Aardvark or Paperstraw that provide bleach certifications or compostability third-party verification. No safety recalls or contamination incidents are on record for this product line.
How it compares in its category
Uncoated kraft straws sit at the lower-hazard end of the straw market, ahead of plastic and silicone options but comparable to other plain paper competitors. Many mainstream paper straws (including budget brands) use similar uncoated kraft, so the safety profile is standard, not premium. The distinction is that Who Gives A Crap does not claim additional certifications (e.g., chlorine-free, heavy-metal tested) that would elevate it above baseline kraft. It has lower concern than plastic alternatives but less transparency than leading eco-straw brands.
If you buy it
Use these straws in cold or warm (not hot) beverages; uncoated paper will soften and break down in near-boiling liquid within 15-20 minutes. Store in a cool, dry place to prevent mold or mildew growth in the paper, which is a concern with any plant-fiber product in humid conditions. Compost after use (they are compostable), but do not reuse or wash repeatedly, as paper fiber degrades and may shed fine particles. If straws become visibly discolored, moldy, or develop odor, discard them; these are signs of microbial colonization.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 78% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- World Centric has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More paper straws grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.