A paper straw is formed by rolling a sheet into a tubular shape, and the sheet has a substantially elongated shape which defines a first end and a second end of the sheet. The first end of the sheet has an uneven shape, such that a straw end of the paper straw corresponding to the first end of the sheet has a non-circular cut. By preparing the paper sheets in a dedicated shape and/or dimension, with pre-cut patterns formed on the end(s) of the sheet, there is no cutting needed after the sheet is wrapped around and forms the paper straw.

A drinking straw has an outer straw member having a lower portion, an upper portion having a top, and a mixing element, the mixing element having radially expandable and retractable vane members defined by two longitudinal slits, an upper hinge attached to the upper portion and a lower hinge attached to the lower portion and an inner straw member located internal to said outer straw member, the inner straw member having a bottom and a top, wherein the lower portion of the outer straw member is attached to the inner straw member, the outer straw member movable between a retracted position and a deployed position where stop portions of both straw members engage with each other so that the mixing element vane members radially extend away from the inner straw member and wherein the vane members retract when the outer straw member is in its retracted position.

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. The finished straws may be soil- and marine-biodegradable, as well as home- and industrial-compostable.

An improved metal drinking straw is provided. The improved metal drinking straw includes an outer wall provided with a rough surface, an inner wall formed as a smooth mirror surface, and one end formed as a guiding structure. The guiding structure includes at least one first recess and at least one first protrusion. The first recess and the first protrusion are alternately connected.

A portable drinking device capable of fitting over a typical pressurized beverage can to direct the flow of fluid from the can into a user's mouth. The portable drinking device may be positioned over the open top of a can. The portable drinking device and can are then slightly tilted sideways. A piercing device, which is stored in a storage area formed in a funnel-like cap of the portable drinking device, is used to puncture a whole in the side of the can after the drinking device and can are tilted sideways. Either just before or immediately after the can is pierced, the entire assembly is positioned so that the portable drinking device directs a rapid stream of fluid from the punctured can through the tube of the portable drinking device into a user's mouth.

A piece of edible cutlery and a method to create the piece of edible cutlery is described. The piece of edible cutlery includes at least a main flour and a binder. The main flour is a wheat flour, a rice flour, a corn flour, a chickpea flour, an oat flour, and/or a millet flour. The binder facilitates gelatinization of a gelatin content in the main flour to enable the piece of edible cutlery to be formed. The binder is a rice flour, an oat flour, a soy flour, a corn flour, a chickpea flour, a tapioca starch, and/or a cassava starch. The piece of edible cutlery is a spoon, a dessert spoon, a fork, a knife, a spork, a straw, a chopstick, an ice cream stick, a coffee stirrer, a cup, a bowl, and/or a plate.

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. The finished straws may be soil- and marine-biodegradable, as well as home- and industrial-compostable.

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. The finished straws may be soil- and marine-biodegradable, as well as home- and industrial-compostable.

A pointed paper straw includes a paper straw (20) which is integrally formed with a pointed head (202) and an overlapping portion (201). The paper straw is formed by a paper mold sheet (220) which is formed by a residual edge (22) of a paper material (2). The residual edge has an end which has a left side and a right side that are cut symmetrically, with two triangular pieces (221) being removed, to form the paper mold sheet which includes a pointed portion (2201). The paper mold sheet has a left side and a right side that are curled inward and are overlapped and connected to form the overlapping portion.

A drinking straw has an outer straw member having a lower portion, an upper portion having a top, and a mixing element, the mixing element having radially expandable and retractable vane members defined by two longitudinal slits, an upper hinge attached to the upper portion and a lower hinge attached to the lower portion and an inner straw member located internal to said outer straw member, the inner straw member having a bottom and a top, wherein the lower portion of the outer straw member is attached to the inner straw member, the outer straw member movable between a retracted position and a deployed position where stop portions of both straw members engage with each other so that the mixing element vane members radially extend away from the inner straw member and wherein the vane members retract when the outer straw member is in its retracted position.