WinCup has reached a new milestone. The Atlanta-based disposable packaging manufacturer has replaced 2 billion virgin plastics straws with its phade straws.
The phade straw is made from the biopolymer polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). The canola-based straw completely biodegrades in marine environments and is home and industrial compostable.
The alternative to virgin plastic straws has proven popular in the foodservice industry, where brands and end-customers are increasingly looking for more sustainable options.
Danimer Scientific, a Georgia-based company that produces PHA through the microbial fermentation of canola oil, is its PHA supplier. WinCup launched the phade straw in 2020 and hit the 1 billion straws milestone in 2023. Only one year later, the company has now produced 2 billion straws - enough PHA straws to reach the moon when lined up end-to-end.
“We’re extremely proud to reach this milestone, but we’ve only just begun” said Michael Winters, president and CRO of WinCup. “The world’s plastic waste crisis is vast and will require many solutions. I hope that what we’ve been able to do with phade straws is indicative of the role innovation can play in replacing harmful plastics.”
Marine scientists are now using the straws in coral reef restoration efforts in Florida thanks to the phade’s marine biodegradability – which has seen the brand recently jump in popularity.
A Florida team of marine scientists has come up with what they are calling a “Coral Fort”: an innovative solution for protecting young coral from predators. The coral, which is reared in the laboratory before being moved to the ocean as part of ongoing reef restoration efforts, is preyed on and destroyed by fish as well sea urchins. In Florida, parrotfish bites are a particular challenge.
The “Coral Fort” is a device that uses a limestone disc surrounded by the phade brand of marine biodegradable drinking straws to protect the young laboratory-grown coral. The straws shield the coral and then fully biodegrade, leaving nothing behind.
The team’s research findings show more than 90% of corals placed within Coral Forts off the coast of Fort Lauderdale were free from parrotfish bites and are now thriving, up from less than 40% survival rate without assistance from Coral Forts.
“We’ve certainly been inspired to explore several other applications using phade technology beyond straws to expand our mission of curbing plastic pollution and look forward to introducing new solutions to the market,” Winters said.
In a recent interview with Sustainable Plastics, WinCup revealed it has already created the world’s first paper cup featuring a PHA lining that is 100% marine biodegradable. The next step will be cutlery made from phade PHA.
Karen Laird contributed reporting.