There are a lot of options available when it comes to buying toilet paper, but how can you make sure you’re making the best choice for yourself and the planet? We break it down for you…

Did you know that the average person uses 100 rolls of toilet paper every year? And if the toilet paper is made from trees, this means each of us goes through around 384 trees’ worth of loo roll over our lifetime! 

The good news is there are plenty of earth friendly toilet paper alternatives to conventional toilet paper, including bamboo toilet paper, recycled toilet paper, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified toilet paper, PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) toilet paper and EFC (Elemental chlorine-free), to name just a few!

The bottom line is – pardon the pun – there are plenty of options that are better for the environment than buying toilet paper made from virgin wood pulp. Let’s take a look at a few earth friendly toilet paper options.

Bamboo Toilet Paper

Bamboo is the world’s fastest-growing plant! It regrows as soon as it is cut and is much more sustainable than conventional toilet paper. Bamboo also needs far less water than trees to grow. It’s estimated that bamboo uses thirty per cent less water than hard wood trees. With the average roll of toilet paper requiring around 37 gallons of water to produce that’s a huge saving on this precious resource. Other benefits of bamboo are that it requires a lot less space to grow compared with trees and it requires no chemicals for growing or harvesting. Bamboo toilet paper is usually free – or contains far less – of the dyes, chemicals and fragrances often used in regular toilet paper. Bamboo doesn’t need any extra chemicals to give it physical strength or softness and is naturally anti-microbial. In the manufacturing of conventional toilet paper, chemicals are added to help it absorb water, while inks can be used to create patterns, and fragrances used to scent it. Bamboo toilet paper is also 100 per cent biodegradable and safe for septic systems as it disintegrates naturally.

Recycled Toilet Paper

Despite popular myth, recycled toilet paper is not actually made from loo roll that has been used before! It’s created from post-consumer recycled content (PCR); in other words, recycled office paper, old stationery and newspaper. Where recycled toilet paper is made by re-using a variety of materials, virgin toilet paper has no recycled or alternative fibres. The process of recycling is also less damaging to the environment than the production required to make conventional or virgin toilet paper, and keeps waste out of landfill. Look for products with FSC or PEFC certification (see below). While bamboo toilet paper is generally considered a more eco-friendly option it is more expensive to make, so can have a higher price tag. If you’re on a budget recycled toilet paper is also a great option and a much better choice for the planet than conventional toilet paper.

FSC Certified Toilet Paper

Despite popular myth, recycled toilet paper is not actually made from loo roll that has been used before! It’s created from post-consumer recycled content (PCR); in other words, recycled office paper, old stationery and newspaper. Where recycled toilet paper is made by re-using a variety of materials, virgin toilet paper has no recycled or alternative fibres. The process of recycling is also less damaging to the environment than the production required to make conventional or virgin toilet paper, and keeps waste out of landfill. Look for products with FSC or PEFC certification (see below). While bamboo toilet paper is generally considered a more eco-friendly option it is more expensive to make, so can have a higher price tag. If you’re on a budget recycled toilet paper is also a great option and a much better choice for the planet than conventional toilet paper.

PEFC Certified Toilet Paper

The Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is another international organisation that also works to promote sustainable forest management and ensure forest products are produced using high ecological, ethical and social standards. There are two different classifications; PEFC Certified, which means at least 70 per cent of the wood comes from PEFC-certified forests and wood from controlled sources, and PEFC Recycled, which means at least 70 per cent of the PEFC-certified material is from recycled sources and wood from controlled sources.

Keen to make the switch to buying earth friendly toilet paper? Try our 100% Bamboo Toilet Paper. It comes in boxes of 36 rolls, delivered straight to your door.