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These bamboo straws are produced by a Fair Trade business located in Luang Prabang, Laos. They say that in Laos, these bamboo straws are used at festivals and during special occasions to drink the locally brewed liquor. In fact, they use straws up to a meter long to sip out of their jars!

These straws are only 7 inches long, which is plenty for us! There are 12 in this set, and they can be reused over and over again. The manufacturers give these instructions for cleaning:

After use, cover them in water with vinegar, boil them for 20 minutes then lay to dry ready to be used again.

• Reusable Bamboo Party Straws, $16.95 at Global Exchange

Related: Bar Item: Metal Bendy Straws

(Image: Global Exchange Fair Trade Store)