FAQ

HALM glass straws are manufactured, processed and shipped exclusively in Germany. This is how we guarantee short, environmentally friendly production and supply chains.

You can find out more about our glass production here.

We produce our HALM straws in our own glassworks in Thuringia. From there they are transported to Berlin, where finishing and logistics take place. We also work with Lebenshilfe in Brandenburg, which likewise handles logistics and finishing.

You can find out more about our glass production here.

Our HALM straws are produced in our glassworks, which has over 60 years of experience in the glass industry. There the glass batch is melted in the furnace and drawn out. Both ends are flame-polished to give the HALM its typical rounded ends, which contribute to the unique drinking experience. In the final step the glass is annealed, which removes stresses in the glass.

You can find out more about our glass production here.

HALM is twice as sturdy as other glass straws. So that you can use the straws for a long time, we only use extremely sturdy, high-quality glass from Germany. It is manufactured with a perfect ratio of inner diameter to wall thickness and undergoes double quality control. Even so, a HALM is still made of glass and can break if it falls on the floor. It is more likely, however, that the drinking glass the HALM is in will break first.

You can find out more about sturdiness here.

Like any glass, a HALM can break. With a breakage rate of under 0.01%, however, that happens only very rarely. If a HALM does break, it breaks into large pieces that are easy to pick up.

Find out more about safety here.

Our straws are made of high-quality German glass that is extremely sturdy and durable. Even so, they are not unbreakable, just like cups or drinking glasses.

The important thing is: the rims cannot chip, so there is no risk of injury. HALM straws also cannot be bitten through: the glass is strong enough to withstand a bite. HALM is completely safe, for children too.

Find out more about safety here.

A HALM has a service life of 1–2 years. It not only withstands up to 4,000 dishwasher cycles, it is also extremely sturdy. If a glass with a HALM in it falls, the glass is more likely to break. And should a HALM break after all, it can, unlike a borosilicate straw, simply be recycled with waste glass and so does not become additional waste.

You can find out more about our glass here.

All alternatives to plastic have their pros and cons. In comparison, however, glass is clearly the best alternative.

Glass is the only material that guarantees absolute taste neutrality: there is no interaction between the drink and the straw. HALM glass straws are made of high-quality German glass and are highly resistant to knocks and temperature changes. They are reusable and help hospitality businesses save money compared with other (single-use and reusable) alternatives. They are also dishwasher-safe and easy to clean by machine.

Glass straws are also safe for your health, as they are free from BPA and other harmful chemicals. The smooth surface and transparency make them the most hygienic option: guests can see straight away that a glass straw is clean.

There are, however, big differences in quality between glass straws when it comes to sturdiness. For HALM we only use extremely sturdy, high-quality glass that withstands falls. And unlike many other glass straws, HALM straws are 100% recyclable, as no borosilicate is used.

You can find more information in our straw comparison.

Sustainability in glass production: is that even possible?

When you consider that a furnace has to be heated to over 1,200 °C and runs non-stop, it sounds contradictory at first. But we work to different standards: HALM production uses renewable energy in the form of green electricity and is even certified under EMAS.

In addition, HALM creates no new waste product, because our glass can be reused for 1–2 years and then recycled with waste glass. That is good not only for the environment but for your budget too.

You can find out more about saving costs with HALM here.

Our HALM straws for hospitality come in a plain, transparent design. One reason is that this is the only way to allow a reliable visual check of cleanliness. For promotional products and brand presentations, we also offer coloured glass straws in the colours of your choice on request.

You can find out more on our page about promotional products.

All HALM glass straws have an inner diameter of 6 mm, so even the thickest smoothie fits through. The outer diameter is 9 mm and makes for a pleasant mouthfeel. These dimensions are no coincidence: after many tests we found the perfect proportions, pleasant to drink from and yet thick-walled enough for high strength.

While there is only one diameter, we offer many HALM lengths, so every glass has its matching HALM. You can see all lengths at a glance here.

Whether bodega glass, tumbler, wine glass, mug, highball, can or bottle, we have the right HALM for every glass.

You will find a detailed overview to help you choose here.

Whether gazpacho, caipirinha, gin and tonic, Aperol Spritz, smoothie, latte macchiato or lemonade, we have the right HALM for every drink.

You will find a detailed overview to help you choose here.

HALM straws are very easy to clean in the glasswasher, just like glasses or cutlery.

Simply stand the HALM straws upright in the cutlery basket. That way, despite their small opening, they are flushed through from top to bottom and come out as clean as a drinking glass. Then leave the straws in the basket briefly to drain. No need to worry about breakage: our glass withstands temperatures from -40 to 200 °C.

We also offer our HACCP-compliant professional brush, which removes stubborn residue and lets you clean the straws if the dishwasher is ever out of action.

You can find more information and cleaning tips from hospitality professionals here.

For hygienic cleanliness, the inner diameter of a straw is what matters most. With HALM it has been chosen so that water can flush through the straw perfectly without affecting the drinking experience. It is important that the HALM is placed upright in the cutlery basket so that the water can flow through. Thanks to the direct flow of water, it is even more hygienic than an ordinary drinking glass.

For stubborn residue, we recommend soaking the HALM in water beforehand. A short wait after the dishwasher cycle allows any remaining water to dry.

You can find more information about cleaning here.

As a rule, you do not need a brush. We do recommend one, however, if you have no dishwasher. Our HACCP-compliant professional brush has a practical handle, so many HALM straws can be cleaned in a short time. It is available in our webshop.

You can find more information about cleaning here.

Our glass withstands temperatures from -40 to 200 °C. Cleaning in a commercial glasswasher or a conventional dishwasher is therefore no problem at all.

We always recommend cleaning upright in the cutlery basket to ensure the best hygiene.

You can find more information about cleaning here.

Without a dishwasher, cleaning is very easy with our HACCP-compliant cleaning brush. With its practical handle, up to 20 HALM straws can be cleaned quickly and easily in two minutes. The brush is available in our webshop.

You can find more information about cleaning here.

That depends on the machine and the number of cutlery baskets used. Our matching cutlery basket holds up to 80 glass straws.

You can find more information about cleaning here.

No, any standard cutlery basket will do the job. A matching cutlery basket for up to 80 glass straws is also available in our webshop.

You can find more information about cleaning here.

The inner diameter of a HALM is larger than that of a conventional straw. This allows water to flow through easily and clean it from the inside, and the straw dries faster.

We also recommend leaving the cutlery basket to stand for 15 minutes after cleaning so that the HALM straws can drain.

You can find more information about cleaning here.

No. Cleaning upright in the dishwasher and then letting them dry restores the shine of the HALM straws.

Cleaning with the brush also has a polishing effect.

You can find more information about cleaning here.

Whether water spots form depends on the limescale content of the wash water. For very hard water we recommend using rinse aid or a descaler in the dishwasher.

Our experience and feedback from our customers show that water spots occur only rarely. A HALM behaves like a normal drinking glass: if your glasses get limescale spots, that will usually be the case with HALM too.

You can find more information about cleaning here.

In our experience a HALM withstands up to 4,000 dishwasher cycles before it turns cloudy. As this also depends on the wash water, the rule is: a HALM behaves like a conventional drinking glass.

You can find more information about cleaning here.

Our HALM glass straws come in six different lengths, each matched to the standard glasses used in hospitality:

• 10 cm HALM: ideal for soups and shots
• 15 cm HALM: ideal for tumblers and wine glasses
• 20 cm HALM: ideal for almost all glasses
• 23 cm HALM: ideal for long drinks
• 27 cm HALM: ideal for bottles up to 0.5 l
• 30 cm HALM: ideal for bottles up to 1 l

You can find all lengths here.

HALM offers the right straw for every glass size and every drink, from shot to bottle.

All sizes are available in our online shop, each with recommendations for the matching glass. For hospitality we usually recommend 15 cm and 20 cm, as they fit most glasses.

HALM straws are the most sustainable and most cost-effective alternative to plastic straws. With HALM, annual costs can be cut considerably compared with single-use and other reusable straws.

Compared with single-use straws, reusable straws clearly pay off. And thanks to its high quality and durability, HALM is also cheaper than other reusable straws.

Our cost comparison shows exactly how much you save.

Our customers' experience shows that more HALM straws disappear at the beginning than later on, once guests have got used to them, usually because colleagues and regulars help themselves to a few. Overall, our customers report an average loss rate of under 2%.

Our tip: train your staff to make sure the HALM straws find their way back to the sink.

We also recommend offering HALM for resale: offer your guests sets of 4 or 6, for example with a display along the lines of “Like our HALM? So do we! Take your own set home here.” Engraved HALM straws in these sets double as a promotional product. Engraving your hospitality straws can also help prevent them from being taken.

On request, we provide information material so that you can present HALM in the best possible way. Click here for the contact form.

For hospitality we recommend HALM exclusively in the straight version, as bent HALM straws are harder to clean and we can then no longer guarantee hygienic cleanliness.

Our straws are packed and shipped in sets of 20 or 50 of the same length. So you can combine sets of different lengths in one order and still benefit from our volume pricing.

On request we are also happy to offer you smaller quantity combinations.

If you are unsure which sizes suit your glasses best, take a look at our HALM finder.

If the decision is still difficult, we recommend a trial quantity of 20 straws.

Click here for our webshop.

Yes, HALM glass straws are also suitable for resale to your guests, an additional source of revenue. With custom engraving, a HALM set even becomes a promotional product.

Click here for our sales displays.

The minimum order quantity is one display of 10, i.e. 10 sets. The counter display is included free of charge.

The RRP depends on the set size. For sets of 4 we recommend €7.90, for sets of 6 €9.90.

Yes. Our resale sets are available without engraving (straight, bent or mixed) as well as with toasts or your own custom engraving.

For hospitality, elegant laser engraving of the straw is the best option. It gives the HALM a personal touch and at the same time serves as a promotional product.

For resale or as a promotional or staff gift, you can also customise the packaging. We will be happy to prepare a personal quote for you.

Click here for our engraved glass straws.

The minimum order quantity for engraved HALM straws is 50 straws.

Click here for our engraved glass straws.

That depends on whether it is a logo/design or lettering.

For logo/design engraving we recommend a high-resolution file format, ideally a vector file (EPS or SVG). The design should not be too small or too detailed, as the engraving area is a maximum of 5.5 mm wide and very fine details will not be visible.

You can simply add your chosen text during the ordering process (max. 35 characters) and select the font there too. If the font you want is not listed, please let us know by email or via the contact form, quoting your order number.

Click here for our engraved glass straws.

Our engraving process could not be simpler: you upload your logo directly in our shop when selecting the product. We can work with any file format, but recommend a vector file (SVG or EPS) for the best quality.

For a repeat order, the order number of the original order is all we need to produce more HALM straws with the same engraving.

Click here for our engraved glass straws.

In the webshop, either text engraving OR logo engraving is currently possible. Technically, however, a combination is feasible. You are welcome to request it directly via our contact form.

Unfortunately that is not possible within one set. As an alternative, we recommend ordering several sets of 20, 6 or 4, each with a different engraving.

Click here for our engraved glass straws.

Engraving usually takes 1–3 working days. The exact delivery time depends on the size of your order and on whether the engraving can be implemented as requested.

The engraving area is always 5.5 mm wide. Its length depends on the length of the HALM: for hygiene reasons, 3 cm is left free at each end for the mouthpiece. This results in the following engraving areas:

• 10 cm HALM: 4 cm long
• 15 cm HALM: 9 cm long
• 20 cm HALM: 14 cm long
• 23 cm HALM: 17 cm long
• 27 cm HALM: 21 cm long
• 30 cm HALM: 24 cm long

Yes. For resale or as a promotional or staff gift, you can customise the packaging. We will be happy to prepare a personal quote for you.

You can place orders of up to 1,000 straws at any time via our webshop.

For larger quantities we will prepare a personal quote for you.

We are also very happy to take orders by email at sales@halm.co. You can reach us by phone on +49 (0) 30 95999 4111 (Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm). If we are not available, we will call you back.

Our straws are packed and shipped in sets of 50 of the same length. The minimum order quantity is therefore one set of 50 straws. The same applies to personalisation: logo engraving is available from as few as 50 HALM!

For testing, you can even order a small quantity of 20 straws.

We offer the following payment methods:

• Credit card
• PayPal
• Bank transfer

You can find all information on shipping methods and delivery times here.

We always deliver plastic-free.

We also offer express shipping with next-day delivery.

You can find all information on shipping methods and delivery times here.

We are sorry about that! Breakage during shipping can happen in exceptional cases. Please let us know and we will then arrange an immediate replacement shipment free of charge.

Should that happen, we apologise for the mistake. We work hard to process every order to your complete satisfaction, but we are not immune to human error. Please let us know and we will then arrange an immediate replacement shipment free of charge.

If your order has not arrived within the stated delivery times, please check the shipment tracking first. If that does not help, feel free to contact us via the contact form.

If you would like to return something, please send us a message with your order number via our contact form.

We will then create a return slip and a shipping label. Enclose the return slip with the shipment and stick the shipping label on the outside of the parcel.

Drop the parcel off at a DHL branch or simply hand it to the DHL driver at the next delivery. You can find DHL branches here.

Once we have received the return, we will refund the amount to the original payment method.

Unfortunately, HALM straws with a custom logo or lettering cannot be returned.

For a repeat order of an engraving job, the order number of the original order is all we need to produce more HALM straws with the same engraving.

Click here for our engraved glass straws.