The History of D.U.O.

D.U.O. Lids is a division of Protex Medical Products, Inc., manufacturer of the Showereez Limb Protector, located in West Monroe, Louisiana.  Our story began in 2002 when my son, then 12, broke his arm and we needed a way to keep his cast dry.  The patented concept for the Limb Protector was born, and through the years, we have grown from manufacturing the Limb Protector line to creating many solutions for daily needs in other areas of life. 

Our MediScents line of essential oil infused wax melts was created in 2018, which led to the invention of the Scentsibles Wax Warmer Liners to prevent messy buildup in wax warmers and allow for quick scented wax replacement.  Our concept was successfully marketed and appeared in a major retailer within a year. 

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The D.U.O. XeroStraw is our unique patents pending straw-lid combination.  It provides the satisfying experience of drinking from a straw-WITHOUT THE STRAW!

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As life would have it, with each new challenge often comes change.  Several events occurred through the years to lead to the concept and invention of the XeroStraw.  An aging parent needed a stable way to drink from a cup with dignity, a first grandchild needed a better fit for drinking from a cup than the traditional hard and often angular toddler cups, and definitely needed a better, safer solution than straws protruding from the top of a child's disposable cup from a drive-thru!   Environmental awakenings through legislation calls for the extinction of our favorite way to drink from a cup, by eliminating straws altogether, and suddenly, we're facing supplies challenges from several angles, from the reduction in raw materials to the reduction of manpower due to a global pandemic.  

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A conversation with a friend who is a restaurant owner revealed the need for a change from traditional straws.  The waste was tremendous, and if only he could feasibly do away with them altogether, and save time, space and money....    My mind turned to previous years when I had begun working on plans for such a solution, and a little research revealed a much bigger, yet more purposeful, reason to introduce the XeroStraw.  The earlier legislation to eliminate straws stemmed from the horrors of marine and wildlife mistaking discarded straws for food.  

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With hundreds of millions of straws used each day in the United States alone, most are not recyclable, and unfortunately most will wind up in landfills and waterways.   Even straws that are considered biodegradable may not disintegrate within a reasonable amount of time, and compostable straws must have optimal conditions, often taking up to ten years to break down, and then, perhaps only up to 80%.  

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We have chosen to have our D.U.O. XeroStraws made in the USA from FDA approved recycled materials (#1 PET-the same as water bottles) with the recycled plastic sourced domestically, preventing countless tons of plastics from entering our waste stream.  Since the XeroStraw is 100% recyclable, it can be returned to the cycle by putting it in with your recycled water bottles...to make more XeroStraws!  More importantly, the XeroStraw has NO STRAW, and certainly can't be mistaken for food by marine or wildlife.  

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We invite you to join in our efforts to leave the world better than we found it.  By using our D.U.O. XeroStraw, you are helping to keep our waste streams free of unnecessary plastic waste.  If you'd like to see the XeroStraw at your favorite drive-thru or restaurant, TELL THEM TO CALL US!  Together we can change the way the world drinks from a cup...one sip at a time!