What’s The Best Eco Friendly Toilet Paper?

Toilet Paper is a hot topic when it comes to the volume of waste created in the bathroom. According to some studies, the average Canadian uses 57 sheets of toilet paper per day. 437 gallons of water are used to make TP and about 253,000 tons of bleach, not to mention the 27,000 trees that are flushed down the toilet every day.

If you read this blog often, you know I am all about making small changes to daily routines that can reduce waste and help protect the planet. If you've already ditched your plastic shampoo bottles for bars, and replaced your plastic water with a reusable one then it might be time to rethink your paper products and it starts with eco friendly toilet paper.

My top picks for sustainable toilet paper!

The next time nature calls and you need something to read on the throne, I highly recommend you take a look!

1. Who Gives A Crap

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I've been a fan of this Who Gives A Crap for a while, especially their premium bamboo option which is incredibly soft and sustainably sourced from China. It feels like "wiping with a cloud."

Their recycled toilet paper, made from 95% post-consumer waste, is less soft but still effective and uses hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach, ensuring it's free from ink, dyes, perfume, BPA, and is biodegradable.

What stands out is the bulk purchase option, offering savings and reduced emissions. Their subscription service is convenient, eliminating the hassle of frequent store visits. The brand's packaging is plastic-free, using colorful paper suitable for gift wrapping.

Who Gives A Crap is a Certified B Corporation, launched in Australia to address global sanitation issues. They donate 50% of their profits to build toilets and improve sanitation, contributing $5.7 million to da

2. Reel

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Reel is an eco friendly toilet paper company that was founded on the principle of giving back. For every roll of Reel you buy, they donate a single-use biodegradable toilet to someone who needs it. Reel's TP is tree-free, BPA-free, fragrance-free, chlorine-free has no inks, dyes, is plastic-free, and is biodegradable! All packaging is 100% compostable and recyclable. 

All of Reel's toilet paper is made from Bamboo. Bamboo can grow 3ft in just 24 hours. It’s the fastest-growing plant on the planet, it can be harvested once a year and doesn’t need to be replanted. It uses 30% less water than hardwood trees. Plus it gives out 35% more oxygen than trees, meaning an acre of bamboo can fix approximately 25 metric tons of atmospheric CO2 per year.

When it comes to how the bamboo is sourced this is what they have to say: "We have gone to great lengths to ensure that our Chinese partners are the best at what they do and follow ethical business practices. This includes the treatment of their employees and the manufacturing of their products."

3. PlantPaper

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What's the most eco friendly toiler paper on the market? PlantPaper is certainly at the top of the list. This Canadian brand is all about "tree-free and toxin-free, made from fast-growing FSC-certified bamboo."

If you are looking for thick eco friendly toilet paper this is it. Its 3-ply breaks down easily in septic systems, has a two-sided dimple pattern that offers a grippy side for grabbing a silky side for dabbing, and the larger sheets- up to 20% more surface area than conventional rolls -- mean you use less on every visit.

This is what the brand has to say about their TP: "We wanted a toilet paper for 21^st-century humans. A toilet paper for everybody. After three years of research and development, we arrived at a product we’re proud of. Made entirely without trees, zero chlorine or formaldehyde, and requiring only a fraction of the water needed to produce tree paper."

PlantPaper’s chipboard cartons and shipping boxes are 100% recycled, recyclable, compostable, and free of dyes and coating. Their entire supply chain, from manufacturing to your door, is completely plastic-free.

4. The Good Roll

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If you live in Europe then give The Good Roll a go! The Good Roll is made from 100% recycled paper, without chlorine, colors, and fragrances. Our packaging is plastic-free.

They invest 50% of their net profit in the construction of toilets in developing countries. So, say BYE BYE to deforestation and hello to less water consumption and less CO2, among other things. Trees are for cuddling, not to end up as waste in your toilet. Their durable eco friendly toilet paper is super soft, super strong, and just as good for you as it is for your wallet! They all come in recycled paper that you can reuse to wrap gifts. SO cute!

5. Caboo

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Caboo is a brand I've trusted for years, known for its super soft bamboo-based toilet paper. Sourced from China, Caboo ensures that the bamboo used doesn't affect panda bear food sources and operates from an FSC-certified facility, adhering to environmental and conservation guidelines.

Their manufacturing process is designed to minimize environmental impact, using virgin fibers that require less intensive processing. They opt for hydrogen peroxide over chlorine bleach for a more eco-friendly bleaching process and maintain a water recycling system that reuses 70% of the water.

While the product is currently packaged in recyclable plastic (#4 LDPE), Caboo is exploring more sustainable alternatives. Available in most big box stores, Caboo offers an affordable eco-friendly option at $5.99 for 4 rolls and is a proud member of 1% For The Planet, contributing to environmental causes.

Is there an eco-friendly alternative to toilet paper?

There sure is, there are quite a few. Some bidets clean your tush sans the toilet paper and then there is the cloth alternative too. Which are more along the lines of zero-waste toilet paper! And yes there is such a thing.

A bidet is a bathroom fixture that simply hooks onto the back rim of the bowl. Once you've pooped you simply use it to spray water into your butt to clean it. It can be used on your vijayjay too. The water that is used comes from the tap, not the toilet. Once you are done, 5 - 15 seconds will get the job done, simply use a cloth (or TP) to pat your areas dry.

6. Hello Tushy

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Hello Tushy has all your tushy needs covered. I am sure you have heard of a bidet, they are super popular in Europe but have not quite taken off in North America, yet! If you use a bidet you can forgo the toilet paper altogether. Tushy offers a Classic and Spa attachment. The Classic is simple and does what it needs after you do a number 2. The Spa is for those of us looking for a little more love in that area, think temperature and pressure control.

If you opt for the Spa, you will need to call in a plumber as it needs to be hooked into your hot water line. For the classic, you just need your toilet and your tush!

If a bidet is not your vibe, you can opt for their toilet paper. It's made from bamboo, which is more sustainable than cutting down trees. It comes sans bleach and BPA too.

Hello Tushy works with an NGO in India called Samagra, they work to enable the urban poor to lead healthier, productive, dignified and empowered lives. They encourage behavior change by converting community toilets into Centers of Empowerment. The Classic retails for $129 and the Spa for $149 (USD)

Other eco friendly toilet paper alternatives

This list might seem a little out there! But we wanted to include it to make sure you have as many options at your disposal as possible.

7. Net Zero Co's Washable Toilet Paper

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Net Zero Co. is probably one of the best zero waste online stores in Canada. They have EVERYTHING you need to create a zero-waste kit. Choose from the best zero waste laundry strips to zero waste lip balm and even eco-friendly loofah alternatives.

Their Family Cloth Reusable Toilet UnPaper Roll is the perfect eco friendly toilet paper alternative. Now, I am not going to lie, it does take a little bit of trial and error to get used to using cloth toilet paper. These are not meant to be flushed, they are made with GOTS Organic Certified cotton and they fit on any standard toilet paper roll. I have not tried this yet, if you have, please let me know in the comments how it went for you! 🙂

Net Zero Co says to use these you simply:

1. Use dry or damp with water (recommended dry for #1, wet for #2)
2. After use, collect in a large cotton mesh bag/hamper until wash day (recommended twice a week)
3. Machine wash hot with like colors. Tumble dry low or air dry. You may choose to pre-soak with vinegar/cleaning solution.
4. Once dry, re-roll one at a time. Voila!

Based in Vancouver, Canada, Net Zero offers a range of reusable products covering every aspect of day-to-day life on their mission to help consumers reduce waste and its impact on the environment. USE ECOHUB10.

8. Marley's Monster

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Marley's Monsters carries reusable toilet paper. They are super famous for their UNpaper Paper Towles. These sustainable toilet paper alternatives are made with 100% cotton flannel.

Once you use the cloth you place it in one of their wet bags that you will need to wash every couple of days. Like the Net Zero's clothes do not flush these, they will block your toilet if you do!

Marly's is a BRING-certified sustainable business. They hand-make all of their zero waste items and reuse fabric waste to make new goodies. They have over 47,000 sales in their Etsy Shop!

A few more things to consider when it comes to recycled toilet paper

I've highlighted different options for you to choose from. Who Gives A Crap makes two types, recycled toilet paper, and bamboo toilet paper. Other brands are using sustainably sourced bamboo!

The bottom line is that one roll of toilet paper needs 37 gallons of water, 1.3 kilowatts/hours (KWh) of electricity, and some 1.5 pounds of wood. Here is a really eye-opening graph from NRDC.

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27,000 trees are flushed down the toilet every day to make virgin toilet paper. Conventional toilet paper is grown on monoculture plantations which do not take biodiversity into account at all. On top of that many of the trees in Canada's Boreal Forest are being used to make paper products. These trees are considered old-growth trees and take hundreds of years to grow. Once they are cut down they are gone forever. Wiping our a$$ should not come at the expense of the planet.

What kind of toilet paper do you use? I'd love to hear from you. And make sure you take a quick look at the brand directory, there are tons of sustainable living products for you to choose from.

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