Toilet paper is one of the most used disposable items in bathrooms, but it isn’t the most planet-friendly product. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the 8 best eco-friendly toilet paper brands to help keep you and the planet happy.
Many people have changed their paper consumption habits to do their bit for the environment, including recycling newspapers and cardboard or opting to receive statements and invoices digitally. While these are great ways to make your habits more environmentally friendly, one area often overlooked is the bathroom—specifically toilet paper consumption.
Check out 12 Things to Ban From Your Bathroom for more sustainable bathroom tips.
Why Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper is Important
Buying eco-friendly toilet paper helps to reduce the huge amount of damage done to wildlife and the environment by conventional toilet paper production. Here’s how toilet paper is made:
- Trees, the majority of which come from old-growth forests, are cut down.
- The bark is stripped off, and the trees are passed through machines to chip them into small pieces.
- These chips are added into a giant pressure cooker which cooks them with chemicals for a few hours to create a pulp.
- The pulp is washed and bleached (usually with chlorine) until the color is completely removed, then mixed with water and sprayed onto mesh screens to drain the water.
- The paper is scraped off the screens and rolled, then passed through a machine to be cut into strips and make the perforated squares.
- The individual rolls are cut and packaged before shipping.
This process requires heavy water usage, and the chemicals used can pollute local water sources. According to the NRDC, the US’s favorite pulp for toilet paper comes directly from the Canadian boreal forest, with more than 28 million acres being logged between 1996 and 2015. Cutting down trees, especially in such quantities, releases untold amounts of carbon back into the atmosphere.
Best Sustainable Toilet Paper Brands
Today, eco-friendly toilet paper is often made using recycled paper or bamboo. Many choose bamboo toilet paper because bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants and requires less water than hardwood trees. In addition, bamboo fibers are soft and strong—exactly how toilet paper should be!
However, remember that bamboo toilet paper often requires long hours of transport to reach its final destination. The best toilet paper will be made using ethically and sustainably sourced materials and preferably somewhat close to where you live, which greatly reduces its environmental impact.
Reel: Tree-Free TP
This plastic-free company offers 3-ply eco-friendly toilet paper made from FSC-certified bamboo grown in Southwest China. With this septic-safe toilet paper, you don’t need to worry about any ink, dye or BPAs. Through their partnership with SOIL, Reel aims to provide access to clean toilets for those who need them. They also hope to reduce America’s carbon footprint. You can find Reel toilet paper in Target, on Amazon** or Reel’s website.
Who Gives a Crap TP
Who Gives a Crap is a Certified B Corp and another fantastic eco-friendly toilet paper brand. They donate 50% of profits to help ensure people worldwide have access to clean water and toilets. You can choose between septic-safe toilet paper made from recycled paper or a premium bamboo toilet paper roll made from sustainable sources. None of their products use inks, dyes or scents, and their packaging is plastic-free. On top of that, they offer carbon-neutral shipping. To grab some, head over to the Who Gives a Crap website.
Bim Bam Boo: Eco Toilet Paper for Sensitive Skin
Bim Bam Boo’s biggest claim to fame is that each box of their sustainable toilet paper saves 32 lbs of trees from getting flushed. This plastic-free company uses 100% FSC-certified bamboo, and their rolls are free of BPA, chlorine bleach, glues and formaldehyde. Their bamboo rolls are also septic safe and safe for sensitive skin. Purchase them through the Bim Bam Boo website or find them on Amazon**.
Seventh Generation: Locally Produced, Recycled Toilet Paper
Seventh Generation is a Certified B-Corp working towards a sustainable future. While they still use (mostly recycled) plastic packaging, they’re working toward making it much more sustainable by 2025. Their septic-tank-safe eco-friendly TP is made of 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified recycled paper manufactured in North America—without fragrance, dye or bleach. It has a minimum of 50% post-consumer recycled fiber. Head to your local grocery store or add it to your cart on Amazon**.
Betterway: Climate Neutral Certified Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper
This American company was searching for a “better way” to make bathroom habits sustainable, which is why they make their sustainable toilet paper rolls out of 100% FSC-certified bamboo. In addition to having plastic-free packaging, they are climate neutral certified and offer carbon-neutral shipping in the continental US. Find their ink-, dye- and scent-free toilet paper on Amazon** or their website.
The Cheeky Panda: Carbon-Balanced Toilet Paper
The Cheeky Panda is another eco-friendly toilet paper brand using bamboo as an alternative to virgin wood pulp. The Cheeky Panda offers 3-ply rolls made from 100% FSC-certified bamboo. Their products are hypoallergenic and don’t use dyes, fragrances or chemicals. They also use sustainable packaging and are carbon-balanced, which is very cool. You can find these toilet rolls on The Cheeky Panda website or online marketplaces like Amazon**.
Pure Planet: Animal Prints
If you’re looking for a child-friendly and sustainable toilet paper brand, Pure Planet is a great option. Each of their rolls features a different marine animal, making buying sustainably fun for your little ones. They use ethically and sustainably sourced bamboo, making their rolls septic safe and a much better option than conventional toilet paper. You can find this eco toilet paper on Pure Planet’s website.
Caboo: Bamboo and Sugar Cane
You can find this eco-friendly toilet paper brand in many retail locations across the country—no need to pay for unnecessary shipping, just grab it on your way home. Caboo toilet paper is made using a combination of bamboo and sugar cane pulp. It’s BPA- and fragrance-free, as well as non-GMO certified. Check out the list of retail partners on the Caboo website to shop in-store. Otherwise, you can add it to your cart on Amazon**.
The Problem With Toilet Paper
A study from 2011 showed that recycled fibers might contain traces of BPA, which is why the best eco-friendly toilet paper brands explicitly state they are BPA-free. BPAs can get into recycled toilet paper via thermal paper, commonly used for receipts. In addition, toilet paper production still requires plenty of chemicals. That can be problematic, so buying eco-friendly toilet paper is better for both personal and planetary health.
By the way: buying eco-friendly toilet paper is great for the environment, but what if you didn’t use toilet paper at all? For information on some alternatives, check out our articles on bidets vs. toilet paper and using washcloths as an alternative to toilet paper.
** Links to retailers marked with ** or underlined orange are partially partner links: If you buy here, you actively support Utopia.org, because we will receive a small part of the sales proceeds. More info.Do you like this post?