Corn Next: Creating The Future Of Sustainability
At Corn Next, we're not just minimizing our ecological footprint; we're positively impacting the planet!
How are we doing that? Well as a material science company we’ve created a line of products made out of a revolutionary material CornNext-17. This material is an industry game-changer, made from three natural ingredients– cornstarch, water, and natural enzymes, CornNext-17 is 100% plastic-free with no fillers or resin. It also possesses the ability to degrade in any environment in 90 days or less! Whether it ends up on the ground or in the ocean, our products will degrade naturally and not hurt any wildlife compared to traditional plastic products. If our products were to end up in the ocean, they would become food for sea life as they naturally break down in the ocean. Remember, fish are friends!
Scientists estimate that 7.5 million plastic straws pollute the U.S. coastline alone, and between 437 million and 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute coastlines around the world. There needs to be a way to change this. That is why Corn Next set out to not only make a groundbreaking material, but a product line derived from it. Our straw product line has four sizes: cocktail, standard, milkshake, and wide-mouthed straws. With our straws, we can drastically lower the billions of plastic straws that wash up on beautiful coasts around the world. If our straws happen to end up in our oceans accidentally, they will not pollute the coasts, rather, they will feed our fish friends.
How do Corn Next products work? Our Corn Next straw products can last between two and three hours in any cold beverage while maintaining their functionality. Over time our straws may act like the inflatable tube men you’d see in front of car dealerships! Because they are made from natural materials they bend slightly or warp while in the cup after hours of use, but they will always serve their intended purposes. The straws perform best when being used in room temperature and ice cold drinks rather than hot beverages. Use caution if you want to test your superhuman strength to bend or break the straw because when the straw breaks, the shards and edges may be sharp. Therefore, adults with children must monitor their child’s use of the straw so they may continue enjoying their soda or milkshake.
Why aren’t Corn Next straws flexible like your classic straws? Corn Next products don't have any chemicals or additives like plastic straws have, which give them the ability to bend and be flexible. Our straws are simply natural and better because they do not harm the environment compared and are free of PLA, Resins, Toxins, and Plastics. Other straw alternatives may be created out of recyclable or other materials such as paper and agave straws, but they may not be everything they seem. In order to recycle some of these products it can be difficult, especially if they contain PLA because products that contain PLA have to be sorted and recycled under specific conditions which not every recycling facility is capable of doing. Studies have shown that PFAS chemicals, which are harmful to humans, can be found on everyday items such as outdoor clothing and nonstick pans, and were found in straws made of paper, bamboo, plastic, and glass. Even some agave straws have traces of plastic in order to keep their shape and feel almost like a plastic straw. Because Corn Next’s straws are made out of CornNext-17, all of these concerns do not exist, allowing you to enjoy our products carefree while being environmentally safe. Since our straws can degrade in any environment, it zeros out the recycling cost. Whether it ends up in a landfill or on the street, it will degrade into nothing in 90 days or less, which means no stress or worries for you as a straw-user.
What is CornNext-17? CornNext-17 is a material made from three simple and natural ingredients; Corn Starch, Water, and Natural Enzymes. There are no chemicals or unwanted additives in CornNext-17 making it a safer option than traditional plastics. Our goal is to pioneer the future of plastic-free products with a sustainable foundation that can replace most single-use plastic products on the market. That is why this year we are launching our cutlery, sauce cups, and powdered scoops, all made from our material CornNext-17. In the coming years, we plan to further innovate our material so it may be used for packaging purposes and more so the war against plastic can finally be won!
