It is one of the simplest inventions around, but the drinking straw has a surprisingly long history. National Drinking Straw Day, on January 3, celebrates the humble tube that makes sipping milkshakes, sodas and iced coffee easier. It also falls at a time when many people are rethinking single-use plastics, which makes it a good day to learn about reusable and plant-based alternatives and to remember why straws matter for people with disabilities.
History of National Drinking Straw Day
People have used straws for thousands of years. Archaeologists have found evidence that the ancient Sumerians drank beer through long tubes, possibly to avoid sediment at the bottom of the vessel. Some of these early straws were made of gold and decorated with precious stones.
For centuries, people also used hollow stalks of rye grass as straws. They were cheap, but they gave drinks a grassy taste and could fall apart. In the 1880s, Marvin C. Stone, a manufacturer in Washington, D.C., wrapped strips of paper around a pencil and glued them together to make a sturdier straw. He received a patent on January 3, 1888, which is why the day falls on this date.
In the 1930s, Joseph Friedman invented the bendy straw after watching his young daughter struggle to drink from a straight one at a soda fountain. Plastic straws became common after World War II. In recent years, concern about plastic waste has led many cities and businesses to switch to paper, plant-based or reusable straws.
Why National Drinking Straw Day Matters
Straws make drinking easier and more fun, but for many people they are essential. People with certain disabilities, injuries or health conditions rely on flexible straws to drink safely.
The day is also a chance to think about waste. Choosing reusable straws, or skipping a straw when you do not need one, can reduce plastic pollution.
How to Celebrate National Drinking Straw Day
- Try a reusable straw: carry a stainless steel, glass or silicone straw with a cleaning brush.
- Learn the history: look up Marvin Stone's patent drawing and Joseph Friedman's bendy straw.
- Make a straw craft: use paper straws for building challenges or art projects with children.
- Ask for no straw: skip the straw at restaurants when you do not need one.
- Remember accessibility: support options that work for people who need flexible straws.
Celebrating at Work, School and Home
At work, offices can replace disposable straws in the break room with reusable or compostable options, or run a quick team challenge to cut single-use plastics for a week. In classrooms, straws are perfect for science activities: students can build towers or bridges from paper straws, test how straws work using air pressure, or design an improved straw and draw a patent-style diagram. Younger students can make straw rockets and see how far they fly. At home, families can try homemade smoothies with reusable straws, talk about where plastic waste goes, and make simple crafts like straw necklaces or painting with air blown through a straw.
Fun Facts About National Drinking Straw Day
- Ancient Sumerians may have used straws more than 4,000 years ago.
- Marvin C. Stone patented the paper straw on January 3, 1888.
- Joseph Friedman invented the bendy straw in the 1930s.
National Drinking Straw Day FAQs
When is National Drinking Straw Day?
It is observed on January 3 each year.
Who invented the paper straw?
Marvin C. Stone patented the paper drinking straw in 1888.
Who invented the bendy straw?
Joseph Friedman invented the flexible straw in the 1930s.
Are paper straws better for the environment?
Paper and plant-based straws break down faster than plastic, but reusable straws usually create the least waste over time.