Material Guide
Wheat Straw & Agricultural By-products
Plant-based residues from agriculture can be repurposed into useful materials.
Plant-based residues from agriculture can be repurposed into useful materials, giving by-products from food and crop production another use.
What is wheat straw?
Wheat straw is the dry stalk left behind after wheat grain has been harvested. Rather than being the food-producing part of the plant, it is an agricultural by-product of wheat production.
The recovered plant fibre can be processed and incorporated into materials used to manufacture products such as pens, containers, accessories and other promotional merchandise.
Wheat straw is one example of a broader group of agricultural by-products that can be repurposed into new materials.
From agricultural residue to new material
- 1
Harvested
The primary agricultural crop is harvested.
- 2
Recovered
Suitable leftover stalks, fibres or other plant residues are collected.
- 3
Processed
The agricultural material is cleaned, dried and processed into usable fibre or particles.
- 4
Repurposed
The processed material is incorporated into material used to manufacture new products.
Agricultural by-products in promotional merchandise
Wheat straw and other agricultural fibres can be found across a variety of promotional products.
Writing & office
Pens, pencils, cases and stationery items may incorporate agricultural fibres.
Drinkware
Reusable cups and drinkware components may include wheat-straw or similar fibre material.
Food containers
Bowls, containers and other food-service items may use agricultural fibre compounds.
Accessories & everyday merchandise
Accessories, tech items and other everyday merchandise can also incorporate agricultural by-products.
Why use agricultural by-products?
Makes use of existing residues. Agricultural material left after crop production can be given another useful application.
Reduces reliance on entirely virgin material. Incorporating agricultural fibres can replace a portion of conventional material in some products.
Uses an existing resource. The agricultural crop is primarily grown for another purpose, with suitable by-products subsequently recovered for use.
Distinctive natural appearance. Products containing agricultural fibres often have a characteristic natural, lightly speckled finish.
Wheat straw doesn't always mean 100% wheat straw
Promotional products described as containing wheat straw are not necessarily manufactured entirely from plant material.
Wheat straw fibre is often incorporated into a composite material alongside another material that provides the strength and performance required for manufacturing.
The amount of agricultural material can therefore vary between products.
Other agricultural by-products
Wheat straw is not the only agricultural residue that can be repurposed.
Depending on the manufacturing process, fibres and residues from other crops may also be incorporated into new materials.
This allows materials that are secondary to agricultural production to find another use in products and packaging rather than being treated solely as waste.
What about carbon impact?
Material choice is only one part of a product's overall carbon footprint.
Manufacturing, product weight, packaging, decoration, quantity, transport and final destination can all influence the footprint of a finished order.
Where supplier-provided product carbon information is available, Ecosource displays it separately on the relevant product.
Understanding the claim
The presence of wheat straw or another agricultural by-product does not automatically mean that a product is plastic-free, biodegradable or compostable.
Avoid assuming that:
- a product is plastic-free just because it contains wheat straw or another agricultural by-product;
- a product is biodegradable or compostable just because it contains agricultural fibre;
- the entire product is plant-based when agricultural fibre forms only part of its composition.
These are separate claims and should only be made where specifically supported for the individual product. Ecosource should describe the material according to the product information available and avoid implying that the entire product is plant-based when agricultural fibre forms only part of its composition.
Explore Wheat Straw & Agricultural By-product products
Discover promotional products in our range that incorporate wheat straw or other agricultural by-products.