Very little scientific work has been done directly comparing virgin tree fibre toilet paper with bamboo and recycled alternatives. Plus, there are usually many variables involved in any product’s manufacture so it pays to be sceptical about claims that one material is always more environmentally beneficial than another. So, toilet paper made from bamboo pulp rather than tree pulp is usually considered an even better eco-friendly option. This is because the crop requires a lot less land and time to grow than traditional wood. Read more on bamboo sustainability here. The average adult will use 384 trees-worth of toilet roll throughout their lives. That’s a lot isn’t it?

In 2023, there are two main types of eco toilet paper available on the market. There is a third type that might start to make in-roads and that we may see more of in the future. The pulp and paper industry as a whole is the largest global consumer of virgin wood, using about 35% of harvested trees for the manufacture of paper. It is a major contributor to deforestation and thereby to biodiversity loss, soil erosion, species extinction, and ecosystem disruptions.Across the world, forests are being cut down to feed this market, with ruinous consequences for the environment, people, and wildlife. Unbleached – don’t let the colour put you off, you’ll get used to it. White toilet roll is only for the aesthetics. Still, this doesn’t mean that all bamboo toilet paper brands are equal when it comes to their eco-credentials.

Research published earlier this year concluded that toilet paper was potentially a major source of PFAs entering wastewater treatment systems.

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Having used this company at our home for the last year or so, the only slight downside is that you need to be a little bit careful when tearing the paper off as it is prone to tearing diagonally (ormy toilet ripping tendencies arejust far too aggressive). Who Gives A Crap sells two types of plastic-free toilet paper in bulk boxes of 48.The first type is made from virgin bamboo.The other is made from recycled paper.Each roll is individually wrapped in jazzy paper.

The toilet paper comes in 180 soft and strong sheets per roll and at 120 grams per roll is 20% heavier than typical recycled rolls.In our consumption of toilet paper, the UK is close to leading the world. The average Brit uses 127 rolls per year and 10,385 rolls in their lifetime. In the US, average yearly consumption is 141 rolls per person, whereas in Turkey they get by on 9 and in Nigeria a mere 1. This isn’t something to be proud of.