If you’re a person who strives to be more eco-friendly, whether always or as a new year’s resolution, here’s one habit you can do now to create a cleaner environment: use stainless steel straws. Metal straws are quickly becoming a replacement for those single-use BPA-containing plastic straws that never (and we mean never ever) break down. In fact, plastic straws are one of the biggest pollutants of our ocean.

At Christmas, I was participating in a white elephant gift exchange and one of my family members was excited to receive a set of stainless steel straws. I loved the idea; I have seen reusable straws before, but in person it is totally different than online. And the metal straws are really cool + modern looking. They came in a set of four or five and were enclosed in a reusable pouch. (I already took my turn, or you bet I would’ve picked ’em!)

Anyway. It got me thinking… can you imagine if you, on your quest to create a more environmentally-friendly planet, did so through your wedding favors? By spreading the word about metal straws as eco-friendly favors, you are giving guests the ability to ditch those plastic one-use straws for good and implement a new, healthier alternative. Stainless steel straws need to be cleaned but they do not harbor bacteria, so they’re really a win-win for the environment and for you.

Andrew and I did some digging and we found the best stainless steel straws on the market, all ready-to-give as favors to your guests. We learned a lot in the process, like where to order metal straws in bulk and where you can get personalized straw wedding favors.

Your guests won’t toss these favors in the trash… not like those hundreds of straws they do every year! And you’ll have the opportunity to pay it forward, spending money on sustainable reusable straws guests can use at barbecues, picnics, and restaurants as an alternative to plastic.

On to the list! First, let’s talk about where to buy metal straws in bulk.

If you want to give metal straws as wedding favors, you’re going to want a good price for them. And you’re also going to need to get them in the highest quality possible.

Lucky for you, SteelStraw offers both! You can buy 50 reusable stainless steel straws for $75 (that’s $1.50 each, less than most favors today).

According to its reviews, this stainless steel straw is convenient, easy-to-clean, and even seem to “make cold drinks colder when you sip them”.

Now, I know what you’re thinking… what about those straight stainless steel straws? We’ve got you covered on those, too, from BestowedEssentials. These zero waste straws are made of stainless steel and offer a slightly lower price point, two style options, and different widths. You can also choose straight or bent metal straws from this shop, as well, for around $105 for 100 of them (right around $1 a pop!)

Metal Drinking Straws

I adore copper, rose gold, yellow gold, and black finishes on stainless steel straws. Turns out, you can get them from Last Straw (love the name!) in bulk or as individual orders. Here are some examples.

You can even get them with cute personalized pouches. Those sets might add up money-wise, so it might be best suited as bridesmaid gifts.

Next up: colorful reusable drinking straws.

Colorful Metal Straws in Bulk

This is the point at which I was wondering, what about colorful metal straws? Are those a thing? Turns out, they definitely are… and we spotted these colorful stainless steel straws at The Black Vinyl, who offers straight or bent metal straws in beautiful shiny colors. I love them in copper (which is coincidentally this year’s big trend, so you’ll definitely want a set of them at your bar).

These are slightly more expensive, but since they’re colorful that’s to be expected. You go get free shipping, though, so that’s definitely a bonus and might even make up the difference in price. You can buy them here.

Now that you know where to get generic metal straws in bulk, let’s talk about something a bit more specialized: personalized metal straws.

When you want to give straws as wedding favors, you may want personalized straws. That’s where Elegancy Jewelers from Maryland comes in! These straws are priced around $9.95 for a set of FIVE engraved straws. That’s pretty amazing considering you can have it worded with anything you’d like.

Straws as Wedding Favors: Two Things You Need

If you are giving metal straw wedding favors, listen up: you’ll need to “pretty them up” in one way or another; otherwise, you may have a few confused guests.

You may wish to include a muslin or linen pouch to enclose the straw. These fun patterns are really cute for stainless steel straw favors, but obviously the cost can add up for large weddings.

I love this set of four from Satinior:

If it comes down to budget, here’s the next best thing: use natural kraft paper bags designed for cutlery (so they’re long in length).

Tie them around the top or middle (as shown) with simple jute twine (buy a huge spool here). I use jute twine for everything and I’m never going to run out. The spool is gigantic.

Here’s an example of how the favor bags look with a bit of twine; obviously, the cutlery / silverware inside would be stainless steel straws instead, but you get the idea.

Prefer something more modern? Opt for these white paper bags and use a coordinating ribbon (like this) to match your wedding colors.

On the favor bags, you can stamp something like “thank you” (I know, so original!) or your initials. You can get a cheap re-usable custom stamp made at Vistaprint for a really affordable price.

This thank you stamp is available on Amazon (under $8!)

Just make sure you use ink that is non-smearing and appropriate for paper. An ink pad like this works wonders.

If you prefer, I always love these kraft heart stickers that say ‘thank you’. They’re ridiculously cheap, too.

Another option? Simply add a small paper tag and twine to each straw. Place the straw at each guest’s seat. It’s as simple as that. If you wish, the tag can say something about how many plastic straws end up as pollution, and how this is one way every guest can contribute to a cleaner environment by using metal straws.

Here are two tag examples, all set + ready to go! Tags even come with string for tying to your straw favors.

And you might want to include straw cleaning brushes. These are helpful and essential for all metal straws. You don’t have to include them with your favors, but it totally makes it easy on guests if they already know what kind to use. Here is just one example. Be sure to look if you order anywhere — the bamboo straws are significantly thicker and might not fit inside the stainless steel straws.

Now that you know everything you could possibly need to know about metal straw favors, here’s one last cool find we knew you’d love: reusable straws as gifts, tucked neatly inside personalized pouches.

Straws for Bridesmaid Gift Bags

Want to give reusable drinking straws as a gift? These metal straws from Block Island Daydreams come in a set of four FDA approved metal straws inside a linen pouch with a cleaning brush. $7.50, available here. And honestly, they’re not just for bridesmaids; gift a set of straws to everyone you know.

Don’t forget metal straws for yourself!

You can buy these here.

Stainless Steel Straws: Love ’em or not? Discuss!

Do you like drinking out of metal straws? Not so much? Do you find reusable straws to be just as awesome as regular plastic, maybe even better? Do you carry your own straws in your purse, or is this info all new to you? Tell us what you think about stainless steel drinking straws / reusable straws / metal straw wedding favors! We’d love to hear from you in the comment box below.

Happy Planning!

xo
Emma