Handmade Carrizo Drinking Straws

For those who like to dress up their cocktails, but don’t want to contribute more damaging waste to the planet, these natural straws are ready for happy hour. Harvested by hand from the abundant wild carrizo (cane) fields in Oaxaca, every bunch includes six large straws for highball glasses and six short straws for kids cups or old fashioned glasses, which are wrapped in a piece of corn husk and tied with cotton string.

Details:

• Made from wild carrizo cane, will biodegrade at end of life
• Dimensions: small are approximately 8-9", large are approximately 5.5-6.5"
• 6 of each size included in one bundle 

Care Instructions:
Wash the straws with soap and water, then disinfect them for 10 minutes in a solution of colloidal silver drops and water, or in a weak bleach solution (four drops of bleach per liter of water, followed by an additional rinse of clean water). They can also be boiled for 10 minutes in a solution of two tablespoons of white vinegar to one litre of water.

If you wish to prolong the life of the straws, you can bake them in a low temperature oven (200 - 225 °C) for 20-30 minutes. This toasts the straws and changes their tone to a golden brown, and ensures that the carrizo is less porous.

It’s important to allow the straws to dry completely, as this prevents the growth of mold. In case of mold, the straws can usually be rescued by boiling them in a vinegar solution, then baking them in the oven as described.

With daily use and proper care the straws can last six months or longer.

Special note about artisans:
These pieces are made by hand by a group in Oaxaca, Mexico in order to offer a method to decrease pollution, pay a living wage to collaborators, and to ensure that the production of these straws is consistently sustainable for local cane fields.

Meet the Makers
Founded in 2016, by Ehren Seeland, Hecho is a curated emporium of ethically made artisan works that serve as the intersection of contemporary design and traditional artisan processes. Ehren is committed to the recognition of a desire to share these remarkable experiences within the context of a sustainable business built on partnerships, respect and transparency.

Hecho is a woman-owned company based in Oaxaca, Mexico that collaborates with over 70 artisans in eight different Mexican states, along with two small towns in Guatemala, in order to create their custom collections. The goal of these efforts is to support the storied traditions of generations of makers, and further a growing movement of quality over quantity. There is an added focus on supporting women in their work, with over 65% of their artisan partners being female. To ensure safe and healthy working environments, the makers are visited in their homes and workshops. If the women artisans are not respected in either realm, Hecho will not work with the group. Hecho also strives to maintain a focus on visibility for artisans, supporting women in their work, and encouraging preservation of artisan art forms through positive shared revenue streams.

In short, this is a business partnership in which both the makers and Hecho hold each other to a high standard. Aren't we the lucky ones that we get the benefit of having beautifully and ethically made goods in our homes. Thanks to the artisans for keeping their traditions alive and thanks to Ehren for her work in collaborating with them on this journey.