As EU eyes plastic ban, PH told to tap bamboo straw market

There is a huge demand in Europe for natural products such as bamboo straws, a European businessman said on Wednesday. 

Guenter Taus, vice chair of the Cebu-based institution Matic, said that with Europe set to ban single-use plastics by 2020, the demand for bamboo straws would only grow bigger. 

Europeans are also more interested in buying artisanal items, instead of mass-produced goods, Taus said. 

"I've just come back from Europe a few weeks ago, there is certainly a huge need and a huge demand for handcrafted products from the Philippines because people don't want to buy standard products anymore," he said.