5 Eco-Friendly Toilet Papers That Are Actually Soft Enough to Use
Caring about the planet doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort. However, for years, consumers had to use recycled toilet paper that was rougher and harder than its traditional counterparts. Most options couldn’t withstand common household uses.
With modern technologies and advanced techniques, however, manufacturers have finally figured out how to make eco-friendlier products that people actually enjoy using.
Switching to bamboo toilet paper is one of the easiest and most impactful sustainable living swaps you can make in your home. Here are some of the brands that make switching worth it.
Eco-Friendly Paper #1: Who Gives A Crap
You’ve probably seen the funky, colorful, or black and white wrapped rolls of this product on social media platforms. While looking modern, Who Gives a Crap is actually one of the reasons why recycled paper rolls became cool. The company’s cheeky approach to environmental and social consciousness is a breath of fresh air.
Who Gives A Crap uses either 100% bamboo or pure recycled paper, free from harmful dyes and softeners in their products, which include bamboo toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels. Its entire lineup is Forest Stewardship Council or FSC-certified, which means it supports responsible forest management.
While its punchy name might have captured users’ attention, WGAC actually started with a serious humanitarian mission: to donate 50% of its profit to help people who don’t have access to clean toilets. Apart from producing septic tank-safe products, it continues to build proper sanitation facilities in developing countries.
Eco-Friendly Paper #2: Save Trees
Save Trees is a bamboo toilet paper brand with a strong sustainability mission. In fact, it changed its name from Cloud Paper to reflect its commitment to save one billion trees by producing tree-free and carbon-neutral bamboo paper products. The brand is strongly advocating for zero waste and ecologically sound practices.
Although relatively new to the market, it’s quickly gaining a loyal following because of its soft, durable, and family-friendly product design. The brand uses responsibly sourced, naturally long and smooth bamboo fibers that are processed chlorine-free to avoid toxic pollutants.
Post-production, the company utilizes plastic-free packaging and makes a conscious effort to reduce its carbon footprint. Save Trees’ subscription models are also surprisingly affordable for long-term use.
Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper #3: Betterway
Betterway comes right out and says they aim to be the softest bamboo toilet paper you’ll ever try, and they back this claim up with a three-ply structure. This feature mimics the cloud-like cushioning capabilities found in premium brands, but without the guilt. The extra thickness also means more strength, which helps you use less bamboo tissues and toilet paper.
This isn’t unique to the brand, though, as both Save Trees and Who Gives A Crap offer the same configuration. However, the brand cites a recent blind test showing the majority voted them as the softest brand. Betterway also has a high sustainability scorecard, as it’s recognized as the most sustainable bamboo toilet paper by the Natural Resources Defense Council, a US-based, nonprofit environmental organization with a global reach.
Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper #4: Reel Paper
Reel is for consumers who want completely plastic-free, eco-friendly products, right down to the shipping materials. Apart from bamboo paper towels, the company also offers facial tissues and compostable trash bags, showing their commitment to improving waste management practices.
Its bamboo toilet papers are also three-ply and purely made from 100% sustainable bamboo fibers that undergo a safe and advanced bleaching process. It may not be the fluffiest, but it possesses a silky strength required in kitchen and household applications.
Apart from maintaining a lean and carbon-neutral supply chain, Reel stays active in their deforestation efforts. It partners with a nonprofit group that has so far planted more than 52 million trees across the globe. It also donates a portion of its revenues to an organization in Haiti that focuses on sanitation and waste management. This means your bulk subscription orders can save you more per roll while helping people in need.
Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper #5: Caboo
Sometimes, you just need a sustainable bamboo paper you can grab while doing your weekly grocery run. This accessibility makes Caboo a good choice for people who need immediate access to bamboo paper towels, baby wipes, and tissues.
The brand doesn’t just avoid using wood pulp from virgin trees. It reduces its environmental impact further by using natural, recycled materials. Caboo combines bamboo and sugarcane pulp for extra softness and durability. Sugarcane fiber is a byproduct of sugar production that’s also repurposed by other industries. It takes pride in using less than a gallon of water per roll when traditional toilet papers need 37 gallons to produce the same.
Moreover, it’s Bisphenol-A or BPA-free, which means zero exposure to harmful compounds that may disrupt your body’s immune and metabolic processes. BPA, which is present in some recycled paper products, may also cause endocrine and hormone issues.
Ready, Set, Roll
It may not seem like it, but your household habits have a massive global impact. Conventional toilet paper, for example, is made from forest paper and goes through bleaching techniques that can harm our home planet.
Conversely, switching to sustainable sources like bamboo and recycled paper stops deforestation and keeps harmful waste out of the environment. Whatever your brand choice is, it’s always a win-win situation. You can indeed protect the ecosystem while keeping your derriere and other body parts comfortable.