Recycled toilet paper may seem a bit, well, gross. But here’s the deal: one: it’s not gross. Two: it’s really, really crucial in order to make the world a little more sustainable.
If you’ve ever been a bit iffy about purchasing recycled loo roll – don’t! We’ll give you all the ins and outs (excuse the terrible pun) on why we need it, what it’s made from, and how it’s doing its part for the planet.
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What is Recycled Toilet Paper?
Contrary to the slightly misleading title, recycled toilet paper doesn’t actually contain any traces of previously used loo roll.
Toilet paper manufacturers create recycled toilet paper by mixing various types of pre-used paper (such as newspaper, office paper, notepaper, etc.) in warm water to create a pulp. This pulp is then rolled and flattened to eradicate any water, and is then bleached with non-toxic chemicals to make it both sanitary and sustainable.
Once the pulp is dry, it is then rolled out on a spool to create the patterns and texture you find with a lot of loo roll. They are then woven around the cardboard tube – and voilá! It’s ready to be packaged, shipped, and sold.
Obviously because the tubes themselves are made from cardboard, they are fully recyclable; therefore sustainable. Most plastic or paper loo roll packaging is also recyclable too.
Why Should We Use Recycled Toilet Paper?
At present, there are roughly eight million residents on planet Earth – that’s a lot of people wiping their butts! And that paper has to come from somewhere, right?
While we definitely need toilet roll, we also need trees – and it’s estimated that roughly 27,000 trees are cut down every day – just for loo roll.
Also, a lot of non-sustainable toilet paper uses harmful chemicals, which aren’t great for the environment or our skin.
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Types of Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper
As manufacturers work to create more sustainable products, there are more than one type of eco-friendly toilet paper options on the market.
Recycled Toilet Paper
So, we’ve already looked a little at recycled toilet paper, what it is, and how it’s made. While we love recycled toilet paper because of the reused resources and lack of harmful chemicals – there are still chemicals present, of which play a huge role in the manufacturing process – particularly for mass-produced toilet roll companies and supermarket’s ‘own’ brands.
However, it you do go down the recycled toilet roll route, it is best to purchase it from small, indie brands, who have more input in the ethical production side of things. More on this shortly.
Bamboo Toilet Paper
Bamboo is becoming a very hot solution for creating sustainable loo roll because, unlike standard trees used for standard toilet paper, bamboo not only grows super-fast, but can do so even in the most inhospitable environments, meaning farming is fruitful and has minimal impact on the planet.
Bamboo also requires next to no pesticides or herbicides in the growth process, which is a double-win for sustainability.
Also, most bamboo toilet paper brands like to go the whole hog with sustainability and will avoid using plastic packaging, instead opting for biodegradable or non-plastic options.
Brands like Reel Products make great bamboo toilet paper.
The Benefits of Eco-Friendly Loo Roll
So, to summarise in a nutshell why sustainable toilet paper should be a staple in every household:
- Less trees are being cut down for its production.
- Less chemicals are being used and then flushed into the waste systems, and onto our skin.
- Less unsustainable packaging is used (yes plastic – we’re looking at YOU).
- Less energy and carbon emissions are used for production (again – plastic is a big culprit here).
Where Can I Get Sustainable Toilet Paper?
We thought you’d never ask!
Luckily, you’ve got ample options to wipe your butt in a more environmentally friendly way:
GreenBay Supermarket
Not only does GreenBay Supermarket do a wonderful recycled toilet tissue four-pack, it’s super inexpensive too.
Suma Ecoleaf Toilet Tissue 4 Pack.
Ecoleaf paper toilet tissue is made from 100% recycled fibre and is sourced exclusively from the UK. It’s produced from a mix of consumer and trade waste, using chlorine-free processing.
The tissue comes in 100% compostable wrap, making their packaging sustainable, renewable, non-polluting, and non-toxic. They also work in partnership with Treesponsibility to minimise the environmental impact of their products.
Who Gives a Crap
Who Gives a Crap’s slogan is “Good for your bum. Great for the world.”. And we couldn’t have said it better ourselves!
They also give you the option of purchasing 100% recycled toilet paper or 100% bamboo toilet paper. Let’s look into both.
Premium 100% Bamboo Toilet Paper
This fabulously sustainable loo roll comes in an option of 24 or 48 rolls, and guarantees:
- Luxuriously soft and ultra-strong loo paper.
- Double length rolls; 370 sheets per roll.
- Extra cushy 3-ply.
- Cheaper cost per sheet than leading brands.
- 100% renewable and sustainable bamboo.
- Biodegradable paper and plays well with most septic tanks.
- Carbon neutral shipping.
100% Recycled Toilet Paper
Again coming in two purchasing options (24 rolls or 48 rolls), this eco-friendly roll guarantees:
- Soft and scrunchable eco-friendly toilet paper.
- Double length rolls; 400 sheets per roll.
- Super comfy 3-ply.
- Cheaper cost per sheet than leading brands.
- 100% recycled paper (no virgin trees used!).
- Biodegradable and plays well with most septic tanks.
- Carbon neutral shipping.
Amazon
Did you know Amazon has its own brand of sustainable toilet paper?!
Presto! 3-Ply ECO Toilet Tissues
You can purchase Amazon’s own eco-friendly loo paper in a delivery option of 45 rolls or 18 rolls, and coming in a choice of ‘regular’ or ‘quilted’. Here’s the tea:
- Pack of 5
- 9 rolls per unit
- 200 3-ply sheets per roll
- Soft and strong
- 100% recycled cellulose
Amazon also carries a range of other eco-friendly toilet roll options, which you can browse here.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it – recycled toilet paper really is a gift to both our planet and our bums! Whether you opt in for recycled rolls or bamboo options, you’re doing the earth a favour by vetoing traditional toilet paper.
Always purchase your recycled/bamboo toilet paper from reputable suppliers – and remember that loo paper tubes can go in your household recycling – or be put to other creative uses!
Recycled Toilet Paper: FAQ:
Yes, absolutely. Not only does it minimise the number of trees being cut down, it lessens the amount of harmful chemicals coming into contact with our skin, and being flushed into the sewage system.
Eco-friendly loo roll also uses around 30% less carbon emissions than standard toilet paper, because it uses less water and energy, and less pollution during production. Its packaging tends to be biodegradable/compostable, and less reliant on plastic, too.
While recycled toilet paper and bamboo loo roll are both certainly more eco-friendly than your standard bum paper, 100% bamboo is considered the most sustainable of the two – especially if you purchase options that are unbleached.
This option means no trees were cut down at all (which isn’t the case, even for recycled paper), and the production carbon emissions are less.
Always make sure you purchase eco-friendly loo roll from a reputable supplier, and preferably one that uses bamboo that is 100% FSC certified.
All of the aforementioned suppliers within this article use either recycled paper for their loo roll (as well as their other products) and/or bamboo.
Most supermarkets and grocery suppliers will carry at least one type of eco-friendly loo roll, so keep your eyes peeled.
It’s unlikely that recycled toilet paper will cause irritation, owing to the lack of harmful chemicals included within the sheets.
If you’re finding that wiping is causing soreness or irritation, it could be worth looking into a more cushioned eco-friendly option, or eco-friendly paper that includes naturally-sourced ingredients like aloe vera or shea butter, which can prevent/help soothe irritation caused by wiping.
For obvious reasons, soiled/used toilet paper should not be recycled – predominantly because of health and hygiene reasons.
Typically, most unused toilet paper can’t be recycled either. This is because toilet paper generally contains recycled paper that cannot be recycled again, owing to the fibres being too small to create the pulp needed to make recycled toilet paper.
Always check your local borough council for recycling rules, as they can vary from area to area.
Yep, they’re made from cardboard, so they are absolutely fine to pop in your household recycling bin.
Conversely, toilet paper tubes can serve other upcycling purposes including:
– Seed starting pots for gardening projects.
– Bird feeders.
– Kids’ school art projects.
– Wrapping paper holders.
– Other arts and crafts.
Some are even fully compostable!
Keep Reading
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