Apparatus and methods for manufacturing compostable, biodegradable drink straws from polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material are disclosed herein. Such apparatus may include a hopper that contains raw PHA material, an extruder that receives the raw PHA material from the hopper and produces extruded PHA material, one or more waters baths that cool the extruded PHA material, a puller that pulls a tubular stream of PHA material through the system, and a cutter that is configured to cut the stream of PHA material into finished straws. A vision system may be provided to monitor a diameter and material thickness of the cooled PHA material. The finished straws may be soil- and marine-biodegradable, as well as home- and industrial-compostable.

Flexible element for forming a piece of disposable cutlery, especially a spoon, including an elongated body made from thin, bendable material including a handle and acting portions, each with a free end. A first bending line on the body extends longitudinally from the handle portion free end towards the acting portion, so the body may be bent longitudinally and in the bent position, the working position, the handle portion is V-shaped or U-shaped. The body has an elongated opening including at one side a lip, pointing from the handle portion free end towards the acting portion. A fifth bending line extends transverse to the first bending line, visually dividing the body into the handling and acting portions. The fifth bending line is positioned so when the body is folded along such, a part of the acting portion free end can be inserted into the opening, behind the lip.

The dish is formed by pressing a palm leaf to form a generally concave dish with a floor surrounded by sides extending to an upper edge. A rim extends laterally from this upper edge, formed as a unit with the floor and sides of the dish. A lid is provided which has a top surface with side walls extending down to a perimeter latch. This perimeter latch engages the dish, such as by snapping onto the rim. In one embodiment the perimeter latch extends downwardly from other portions of the lid and has at least one indentation which extends inwardly thereon to provide an upper recess above the indentation which is sized to receive a tip of the rim. A height of the upper recess is oversized relative to a thickness of the tip of the rim to accommodate some variation in dish thickness and some degree of dish warping.

A tableware handle which comprising a handle body and a reinforcing rib, is provided. The handle body has a rod shape and comprises a first surface, and a second surface respectively connected at both side edges of the first surface. Two of the second surfaces form an opened opening. The handle body further comprises a third surface connected at a side edge of an opened end of the second surface. The second surface and the third surface are bent at a transition zone therebetween to form a trapezoidal stepped cross section of the handle body. The tableware handle is designed to have a superimposed trapezoidal shape, which facilitates the holding of the tableware during using, enhances the strength of the handle, and meanwhile makes it easy to stack the tableware when storing or packaging.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to injection molded cutlery having a body defining a handle portion and a utensil portion, with an injection gate mark located at a center section of the body. The body can be made from a bio-material injected at a pressure that is less than 60% of an injection pressure required for injection at an end of the body.

The invention relates to the technical field of bamboo products machining, in particular to a bamboo straw machining method, comprising: connecting two or more bamboo pieces to form a bamboo strip, continuously winding the bamboo strip according to a preset helical angle to form a cylinder, and cutting the cylinder according to a preset interval to form straws. Compared with traditional methods, the method has the following advantages: bamboo pieces are continuously connected to obtain a bamboo strip for continuous production, then the continuous bamboo strip is continuously wound to obtain a cylinder which is good in mechanical property, stable in structure and uniform in appearance, and finally, the cylinder is cut at equal intervals to continuously produce bamboo straws that are highly consistent in specification and performance; and the working efficiency is improved by over 20% on the whole. Labor and equipment costs are greatly reduced.

A tableware handle which comprising a handle body and a reinforcing rib, is provided. The handle body has a rod shape and comprises a first surface, and a second surface respectively connected at both side edges of the first surface. Two of the second surfaces form an opened opening. The handle body further comprises a third surface connected at a side edge of an opened end of the second surface. The second surface and the third surface are bent at a transition zone therebetween to form a trapezoidal stepped cross section of the handle body. The tableware handle is designed to have a superimposed trapezoidal shape, which facilitates the holding of the tableware during using, enhances the strength of the handle, and meanwhile makes it easy to stack the tableware when storing or packaging.

A sealable container comprising: a base having a geometric shape; sides extending from the base and defining a mouth opposite the base, wherein cross-sections of the sides parallel to the base have a geometric shape; and a seal of the mouth comprising: a first zipper member and a second zipper member, wherein when the seal is closed to seal the mouth the first and second zipper members engage each other to make the seal and when the seal is open the first and second zipper members disengage to break the seal, wherein the base, sides and seal comprise silicone, wherein the base and at least a portion of the sides adjacent the base are of sufficient thickness and rigidity for the container to freely stand vertically on its base with the mouth at the top, and wherein the seal and at least a portion of the sides defining the mouth are sufficiently flexible to allow the seal and side portion to be deformed between open and closed mouth configurations.

The invention provides improved straws, which are formed from paperboard sheets comprised of rapidly renewable resources and are recyclable, biodegradable and compostable. The paperboard sheets are comprised of bamboo, bagasse, reed or any combination or singularity thereof.