A bubble tea stands or falls with the straw. Anyone trying to pull cooked tapioca pearls up through an ordinary drinking straw is fighting a blocked tube after two sips. Bubble tea straws – also called boba straws or jumbo straws – solve exactly that problem: they are around twice as thick as standard straws, considerably sturdier and, depending on the material, reusable as often as you like. Here you will learn which diameter really fits, how stainless steel, glass, sugarcane, paper and plastic perform in everyday use, how to get reusable straws hygienically clean and what Swiss law says about single-use plastic.
Straw diameter for bubble tea: 12 mm is the standard
A normal drinking straw for soft drinks measures 5 to 8 mm in outer diameter. For boba that is simply not enough. Cooked tapioca pearls swell to roughly 8 to 10 mm during cooking, and popping boba with a fruit juice centre come in at around 7 to 9 mm. For the pearls to slide through cleanly instead of jamming, you need an inner width of at least 10 mm.
The worldwide standard is therefore an outer diameter of 12 mm with an inner diameter of about 10 to 11 mm. That works equally well for tapioca pearls and popping boba. Straws of 8 to 10 mm are only enough for small fruit pearls; straws of 13 to 14 mm exist for particularly large gourmet pearls.
Length, wall thickness and tip
Bubble tea cups typically hold 500 ml or 700 ml and are 15 to 18 cm tall. Matching straws are therefore 21 to 24 cm long. Straws that are too short sink into the drink as soon as the ice melts. On single-use straws, a diagonally cut tip lets you pierce the sealed lid film with one push. Reusable straws made of stainless steel or glass usually have a straight or slightly rounded opening – for sealed cups you need a separate piercer there.
Material comparison: stainless steel, glass, sugarcane, paper and plastic
Stainless steel – the long-distance runner
Straws made of 18/8 stainless steel (V2A) are practically indestructible, neutral in taste, dishwasher-safe and last many years under normal use. They are the first choice if you drink bubble tea regularly. The downside: metal conducts cold strongly, and with a very cold iced tea that can feel unpleasant on your teeth. A stainless steel straw set usually contains several straws plus a cleaning brush; if you only need a replacement, reach for the single stainless steel straw.
Glass – transparent and neutral in taste
Borosilicate glass is heat-resistant, completely neutral in taste and you can see at once whether the straw is clean inside. That makes glass the most hygienic option. On the other hand it is fragile and less suited to being out and about or to small children. Visually, glass is an excellent match for the glass bubble tea cup.
Sugarcane (bagasse) – the best single-use alternative
Straws made from sugarcane fibre are the most convincing compromise for parties, events and hospitality: they keep their shape for several hours in a cold drink, barely soften unlike paper, and are industrially compostable. For larger occasions, sugarcane straws in a pack of 50 are the straightforward solution.
Paper – cheap, but borderline
Paper straws work reasonably well with thin drinks, but only to a limited extent with bubble tea: after about 20 to 30 minutes in the glass they soften, lose their shape and the sweet syrup makes them stick. For a drink you finish quickly it will do; for long summer evenings it will not.
Plastic (PP) – a classic with an environmental problem
The classic colourful PP straw is cheap and technically works perfectly. Ecologically it is the worst choice: it is used for 20 minutes on average and then survives for centuries. If you want to modernise your bubble tea experience, that is the first thing to replace.
Cleaning reusable straws properly
Tapioca syrup is sticky and dries quickly. The most important rule is therefore: rinse the straw through with lukewarm water straight after drinking, ideally within ten minutes. After that, one pass with the cleaning brush is enough – choose one with a brush head of around 10 mm so it really touches the inner wall.
Once a week it can be more thorough: put the straws in boiling water for five minutes or into the top rack of the dishwasher (stainless steel and borosilicate glass handle 60 °C without any problem). Afterwards, store the straws upright and dry so no residual moisture stays inside. If a stainless steel straw shows dark discolouration, vinegar water in a 1:3 ratio helps.
Sustainability: when does switching pay off?
A reusable straw takes more energy and material to produce than a single-use one. As a rule of thumb: after roughly 20 to 40 uses a stainless steel straw is ecologically ahead – with two bubble teas a week, that is after about half a year. Every use after that is a saving. What matters is that you actually have the straw with you: a case in your bag achieves more than the finest straw in a drawer.
For cafés, school events and company parties, sugarcane straws are the pragmatic middle ground, because they do not have to be collected in again. If you regularly need larger quantities, you will find suitable pack sizes in the bubble tea bulk packs.
Single-use plastic in Switzerland: the legal position
Worth knowing: in Switzerland – unlike in the EU – there is to this day no general ban on single-use plastic drinking straws. In the EU, plastic straws have been banned since July 2021 under the Single-Use Plastics Directive (EU) 2019/904. Switzerland is instead relying on the revision of the Environmental Protection Act on the circular economy and on industry agreements; numerous retailers and hospitality businesses have delisted plastic straws voluntarily.
In practice this means: you may still sell and use plastic straws in Switzerland, but you have to expect customers and event organisers to expect alternatives. Anyone exporting or supplying EU markets is bound by the EU ban anyway. Since the regulation continues to develop, it is worth a quick look at the current position from the FOEN before placing larger orders.
Which straw suits you?
- Every day at home: stainless steel, 12 mm, in a set with a brush.
- Looks and hygiene first: glass, 12 mm, matching the glass cup.
- Party, event, hospitality: sugarcane, 12 × 210 mm, in a bulk pack.
- With children: no glass straws; stainless steel with a silicone tip or sugarcane. You will find suitable varieties under bubble tea for kids.
You will find the complete range including spoons, cups and straws in bubble tea accessories. If you want to start right away, the best move is to combine the straw with a bubble tea set and a recipe from our recipe collection. We ship from the Dreispitz in Basel with DPD, delivery takes 1–3 working days and from an order value of CHF 79 shipping is free.
Frequently asked questions about bubble tea straws
Which diameter does a bubble tea straw need?
12 mm outer diameter with an inner diameter of about 10–11 mm. That reliably lets cooked tapioca pearls (8–10 mm) and popping boba (7–9 mm) pass through.
Are stainless steel straws dishwasher-safe?
Yes. Put them in the top rack or the cutlery basket. On top of that you should help things along with the brush once a week, because syrup residue can stay inside the tube.
Are paper straws any good for bubble tea?
Only to a limited extent. They soften after around 20 to 30 minutes. Sugarcane straws stay stable considerably longer and are the better single-use alternative.
Are plastic straws banned in Switzerland?
No, there is currently no general ban in Switzerland. In the EU, single-use plastic straws have been banned since July 2021; many Swiss suppliers do without them voluntarily.
How many reusable straws do I need?
Four to six is ideal for a household: that way you always have clean straws ready while others are in the wash.