What Kind of Wood Are Popsicle Sticks Made of?

Though it can vary from company to company, popsicle sticks are typically made of birchwood. Occasionally, plastic or another type of wood is used for ice cream sticks and holders, but birchwood remains popular for many reasons. It’s accessible and sustainable, and its unique properties are well-suited for use alongside food items.

Benefits of Birchwood

Because it’s smooth and durable and offers a neutral smell and taste, birchwood is a prime choice for food grade products:

  • Smooth: Choosing the wrong wood for an ice cream stick could result in a consumer getting splinters, which would be a nightmare for both the consumer and the company that produced the dangerous treat. The smooth, even texture of birchwood is safe, and it feels better in your mouth as you eat a popsicle.
  • Durable: Popsicle sticks made of birch are unlikely to break during normal usage; if they do, the properties of the wood allow for a cleaner, safer break. 
  • Tasteless: Birch offers a neutral taste that doesn’t interfere with the ice cream or popsicle flavor. 
  • Food Safe: Food manufacturers must use food grade materials to package their products, and that includes any wooden components. Birch features a fine grain, making it harder for food to get trapped in the wood. It’s used to make a number of products that are used with food, including cutting boards, rolling pins, skewers, corn dog sticks, drink stirrers, and more.
  • Biodegradable: Whereas a plastic popsicle stick will stay nearly forever in a landfill, a wooden popsicle stick will decompose.

Food Safe Products at E.W. Hannas

At E.W. Hannas, we have decades of wood-based experience. We work with birchwood for a variety of our food safe products, and we take our responsibility to you seriously. We monitor the entire process involved in creating our ice cream and popsicle sticks, from harvesting the tree to enjoying a frozen treat. We offer extensive testing, backed by industry certifications, to ensure ecological responsibility, efficient production and quality control, and consumer safety. 

Contact E.W. Hannas for Your Popsicle Stick Needs

We offer wood assemblies ranging from popsicle sticks and other food safe products to crates, handles, dowels, advertising novelties, crafts, and custom wood products, but we don’t stop there. Our full line of services includes private labeling, supply chain management, and shipping and warehousing. 

With both third-party inspectors and internal auditors, we ensure our entire operation is held to the highest standards for safety and quality. We hold ISO 9001:2008, FSC, and C-TPAT certifications and belong to leading industry associations like the Global Food Safety Initiative, the National Association of Home Builders, the Wood Products Manufacturers Association, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and others. Founded in 1918, E.W. Hannas is a fourth-generation company committed to ongoing growth, a renewable future, and complete client satisfaction.

Contact us for more information about our popsicle sticks, corn dog sticks, kitchenware, and other food-safe wooden products, or to get a quote for your project. 

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