<p>Yes, you can print functional straws with FDM printing. Most manufactured straws are polypropylene (PP), which is a food-safe plastic you can print, though it's reportedly a little bit difficult due to adhesion and warping issues. While not as common as PLA, ABS, or PETG, PP is readily obtained as filament. Thin-wall PETG or PET would likely also have the flexibility properties you want and may be easier to print.</p>
<p>In terms of printing, orienting the straw along the Z axis is definitely possible, but difficult on bed slingers because the motion of the bed is working hard to deflect or detach it while you're trying to print. It's also very hard to cool sufficiently fast. But it does allow vase mode, which makes water-tightness/air-tightness easier and gives a nice uniform surface.</p>
<p>Printing horizontally will not give a uniform round shape, but if you're happy with a slightly truncated cylinder, it's a much easier option. I have printed straw-like hoses successfully like this.</p>
<p>Another option is orienting the straw diagonally so that you have much larger cross sections than a fully vertical print, but a flat/truncated surface against the bed only at one end, where you can just cut it off. Depending on the angle, this probably requires minor supports, but that's an advantage since it gives you a lot of stability.</p>
<p>Printed straws will be difficult to clean, but in most reasonable materials, including PP, PET, PETG, or PLA, they should be entirely food-safe for single use, <strong>contingent on lack of unsafe pigments</strong>. If you want to use them this way (note: this may be an accessibility need in places where plastic straws are banned), choose uncolored/natural-color filaments and purchase from suppliers with a MSDS and/or other technical documentation that the filament does not contain sketchy additives. I do not see a plausible concern about microplastic ingestion here; if you're concerned, pre-rinse them to get off any dust. But PLA is safely absorbable by the body (used in medical implants, even) and PETG is essentially no different from polyester garment lint which you ingest in much larger quantities.</p>
<p>Update: Somewhat inspired by this question, when I found myself without a suitable straw for bubble tea, I quickly printed one from material that was known to be food-safe (it was formerly a seltzer water bottle) and it worked. Short video showing print orientation/process here: <div class="youtube-embed"><div>
                <iframe width="640px" height="395px" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZWgiITG9wSc?start=0"></iframe>
            </div></div></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-03T13:32:09.720Z
2023-11-06T16:29:17.783Z
2023-11-06T16:29:17.783Z
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
<p>Yes! I would print in a vertical configuration. So you'd need a 6-8&quot; Z-axis, and I'd definitely check my Z-axis, you'd have a better result if you printed in a continuous mode. Increase the tempemperature for PLA by 5 °C. Turn your cooling fans up to 100 %.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-02T14:48:03.140Z
2023-11-03T09:41:52.257Z
2023-11-03T09:41:52.257Z
Travis Lamberte
<p>It indeed <em>is</em> possible to print a plastic straw via 3D printing, however it requires a considerable amount of precision and supports during 3D printing, modelling and slicing.</p>
<p>This is because as the 3D printers build the plastic straw layer-after-layer, the circular structure could result in instabilities and therefore requires some time to condense.</p>
<p>Overall, these structures are possible to be 3D printed but not as easy as it seems, and way more expensive to print as well.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-12T07:12:02.510Z
2023-11-12T07:12:02.510Z
Rishabh Pal
<p>To be honest: No, straws are long, open structures that don't print well.</p>
<ol>
<li>When printing vertically, the layer lines are horizontal and make the straw structural weak. It will break when bent a little.</li>
<li>When printing horizontally, it will have rough sides because of support material or sagged sides.</li>
<li>It will probably not be watertight. FDM prints are rarely watertight.</li>
<li>When printing vertically, going upwards, the print head will bend the straw and deform the result and maybe even fail, depending on the height.</li>
<li>Even though I would drink from PLA material, it is not considered food-safe, especially because the rough edges cause a nice home for bacteria</li>
</ol>
<p>TPU won't be your friend here as it will bend when printing. having a Prusa i3 derivate will make this even worse as it rapidly moves the printbed back and forth, which makes the straw bend all over the place.</p>
<p>SLA prints won't have as many of above issues, but until cured well, it is pretty toxic. Also it will be even less strong.</p>
<p>You're probably better off importing straws or rolling your own from a thin sheet of plastic. (roll 2 times and secure with a small piece of tape. )</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-12T09:00:33.267Z
Interesting. I have been looking for thin sheets of plastic in two or three hardware stores but have not found any yet.
Emil
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-03T08:55:28.860Z
2023-11-03T08:55:28.860Z
Hacky
<p>Yes, it's possible to print, you can print almost anything. The question should be if you actually want to.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>From 3 July 2021, single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks and cotton buds cannot be placed on the markets of the EU Member States.<br>(Source: <a href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/plastics/single-use-plastics/eu-restrictions-certain-single-use-plastics_en" rel="nofollow noreferrer">EU restrictions on certain single-use plastics</a>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A few things about this, if you use them as a woodworking tool, I suppose that's not a single use. Also, you're not selling them (&quot;placing them on the market&quot;), it's for personal use only. So my guess would be that this use case is allowed.</p>
<p>There are many designs that are about <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/tag:straw" rel="nofollow noreferrer">straws or include straws</a>. I'm sure you can find some design or make it yourself since the shape is quite easy (as is tinkercad.com).</p>
<p>However, it's not generally recommended for health reasons to eat or drink from 3D prints. To my understanding, PLA is the most food-safe but it perhaps lacks the flexible properties you asked for. However, even with PLA, there are concerns about the intake of microplastics, which is very concerning in health terms.</p>
<p>If you want truly flexible material you could print with TPU but as far as I know, there isn't a food-safe TPU on the market. There are special &quot;food safe&quot; filaments on the market but the issue with microplastic intake due to the inherent result of (FDM) printing layer on layer remains.</p>
<p>Maybe it is possible to print in a more food-secure way with resin printing but I don't know enough about that.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-02T15:21:01.500Z
Some, or maybe  lots of TPU is safe up to 125 °C, so parts can be sterilized at 121 °C. FDM itself creates layers and therefore always crevices for germs to grow in.
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-02T07:58:50.427Z
2023-11-02T13:46:42.750Z
2023-11-02T13:46:42.750Z
Bob Ortiz
<p>Plastic straws are forbidden in the EU so it will get harder to buy them. I wonder if it is possible to 3D print plastic straws? I would likely use them as tools when woodworking, but if you can use them to drink beverages that would be a bonus. I am not familiar with 3D printing so I don't know if it is possible to get them bendable and so on like usual plastic straws.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-02T08:10:48.567Z
It's of course possible but the question should be about food safety really.
Bob Ortiz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-07T12:19:33.853Z
You could buy packages of 1000 straws each straight from China... Also, how do you use them for wood working??
FarO
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-07T14:05:15.390Z
I have ordered a 100 straws so I will have some stock to use from. It was good to collect junk when chiseling or gouging by dragging the straw along the corner (the junk goes into the straw). I was taught this trick some weeks ago so I have not tried it myself, but I think paper straws might just break.
Emil
<plastic>
Is it possible to 3D print plastic straws?
Emil
# Is it possible to 3D print plastic straws?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-11-02)

Plastic straws are forbidden in the EU so it will get harder to buy them. I wonder if it is possible to 3D print plastic straws? I would likely use them as tools when woodworking, but if you can use them to drink beverages that would be a bonus. I am not familiar with 3D printing so I don't know if it is possible to get them bendable and so on like usual plastic straws.

**Tags:** plastic

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It's of course possible but the question should be about food safety really.  
> **username_2**: You could buy packages of 1000 straws each straight from China... Also, how do you use them for wood working??  
> **username_0**: I have ordered a 100 straws so I will have some stock to use from. It was good to collect junk when chiseling or gouging by dragging the straw along the corner (the junk goes into the straw). I was taught this trick some weeks ago so I have not tried it myself, but I think paper straws might just break.  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-11-02. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Yes, it's possible to print, you can print almost anything. The question should be if you actually want to.

> From 3 July 2021, single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks and cotton buds cannot be placed on the markets of the EU Member States.  
> (Source: [EU restrictions on certain single-use plastics](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/plastics/single-use-plastics/eu-restrictions-certain-single-use-plastics_en))

A few things about this, if you use them as a woodworking tool, I suppose that's not a single use. Also, you're not selling them ("placing them on the market"), it's for personal use only. So my guess would be that this use case is allowed.

There are many designs that are about [straws or include straws](https://www.thingiverse.com/tag:straw). I'm sure you can find some design or make it yourself since the shape is quite easy (as is tinkercad.com).

However, it's not generally recommended for health reasons to eat or drink from 3D prints. To my understanding, PLA is the most food-safe but it perhaps lacks the flexible properties you asked for. However, even with PLA, there are concerns about the intake of microplastics, which is very concerning in health terms.

If you want truly flexible material you could print with TPU but as far as I know, there isn't a food-safe TPU on the market. There are special "food safe" filaments on the market but the issue with microplastic intake due to the inherent result of (FDM) printing layer on layer remains.

Maybe it is possible to print in a more food-secure way with resin printing but I don't know enough about that.

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: Some, or maybe  lots of TPU is safe up to 125 °C, so parts can be sterilized at 121 °C. FDM itself creates layers and therefore always crevices for germs to grow in.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2023-11-03. Score: 1

Yes, you can print functional straws with FDM printing. Most manufactured straws are polypropylene (PP), which is a food-safe plastic you can print, though it's reportedly a little bit difficult due to adhesion and warping issues. While not as common as PLA, ABS, or PETG, PP is readily obtained as filament. Thin-wall PETG or PET would likely also have the flexibility properties you want and may be easier to print.

In terms of printing, orienting the straw along the Z axis is definitely possible, but difficult on bed slingers because the motion of the bed is working hard to deflect or detach it while you're trying to print. It's also very hard to cool sufficiently fast. But it does allow vase mode, which makes water-tightness/air-tightness easier and gives a nice uniform surface.

Printing horizontally will not give a uniform round shape, but if you're happy with a slightly truncated cylinder, it's a much easier option. I have printed straw-like hoses successfully like this.

Another option is orienting the straw diagonally so that you have much larger cross sections than a fully vertical print, but a flat/truncated surface against the bed only at one end, where you can just cut it off. Depending on the angle, this probably requires minor supports, but that's an advantage since it gives you a lot of stability.

Printed straws will be difficult to clean, but in most reasonable materials, including PP, PET, PETG, or PLA, they should be entirely food-safe for single use, **contingent on lack of unsafe pigments**. If you want to use them this way (note: this may be an accessibility need in places where plastic straws are banned), choose uncolored/natural-color filaments and purchase from suppliers with a MSDS and/or other technical documentation that the filament does not contain sketchy additives. I do not see a plausible concern about microplastic ingestion here; if you're concerned, pre-rinse them to get off any dust. But PLA is safely absorbable by the body (used in medical implants, even) and PETG is essentially no different from polyester garment lint which you ingest in much larger quantities.

Update: Somewhat inspired by this question, when I found myself without a suitable straw for bubble tea, I quickly printed one from material that was known to be food-safe (it was formerly a seltzer water bottle) and it worked. Short video showing print orientation/process here:


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2023-11-02. Score: 0

Yes! I would print in a vertical configuration. So you'd need a 6-8" Z-axis, and I'd definitely check my Z-axis, you'd have a better result if you printed in a continuous mode. Increase the tempemperature for PLA by 5 °C. Turn your cooling fans up to 100 %.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2023-11-12. Score: 0

It indeed *is* possible to print a plastic straw via 3D printing, however it requires a considerable amount of precision and supports during 3D printing, modelling and slicing.

This is because as the 3D printers build the plastic straw layer-after-layer, the circular structure could result in instabilities and therefore requires some time to condense.

Overall, these structures are possible to be 3D printed but not as easy as it seems, and way more expensive to print as well.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2023-11-03. Score: -2

To be honest: No, straws are long, open structures that don't print well.

1. When printing vertically, the layer lines are horizontal and make the straw structural weak. It will break when bent a little.
2. When printing horizontally, it will have rough sides because of support material or sagged sides.
3. It will probably not be watertight. FDM prints are rarely watertight.
4. When printing vertically, going upwards, the print head will bend the straw and deform the result and maybe even fail, depending on the height.
5. Even though I would drink from PLA material, it is not considered food-safe, especially because the rough edges cause a nice home for bacteria

TPU won't be your friend here as it will bend when printing. having a Prusa i3 derivate will make this even worse as it rapidly moves the printbed back and forth, which makes the straw bend all over the place.

SLA prints won't have as many of above issues, but until cured well, it is pretty toxic. Also it will be even less strong.

You're probably better off importing straws or rolling your own from a thin sheet of plastic. (roll 2 times and secure with a small piece of tape. )

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Interesting. I have been looking for thin sheets of plastic in two or three hardware stores but have not found any yet.  

---

