Sustainable toilet paper guide

The US, Germany, and the UK respectively are the three nations using the largest amounts of toilet paper. An average American needs a shocking amount of 141 rolls per year – that’s one roll in just over two and a half days. Often, this toilet paper is made from virgin wood pulp and comes packaged in plastic. That’s a high environmental cost to pay.

Using sustainable toilet paper and reduce your overall consumption is an easy way to have a positive impact. Whether you’re going all the way to zero waste, or just hoping to reduce your impact.

Sustainable toilet paper options

Let’s start with the basics. What is the best sustainable toilet paper option? Much of the toilet paper we buy today in supermarkets is made from virgin wood pulp. This is contributing to deforestation. An alternative is recycled toilet paper, which is significantly more sustainable. However, be aware that recycled toilet paper often contains BPAs, which are a health hazard.

Bamboo toilet paper seems to be a great option, thanks to the many environmental benefits associated with bamboo. It grows much faster than an average hardwood tree and produces 35% more oxygen. It also doesn’t need to be treated with pesticides because of its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and provides more yield per area.

That’s why you can find bamboo toilet paper at oodles and pinches. It’s completely plastic-free, vegan, and not made from trees.

Reduce your toilet paper need with a bidet

Some countries like France have a much lower consumption of toilet paper.  They have a tradition of using bidets. These nifty installations can drastically reduce your toilet paper consumption. While the traditional bidet needs to be installed and plugged into the plumbing in your home, there are cheaper and more accessible options.

HappyPo is a portable bidet, which is a hand-held device that works just like a conventional bidet – but at a fraction of the price, without the need for any structural changes to your bathroom. And since it’s portable you can also use it when you’re traveling, at work, and in other places.

A family cloth may be right for you

There’s another zero waste option, which you may want to try – although it’s certainly not for everyone. Family cloth is a set of washcloths, which is either stored in a container or in a roll. Instead of toilet paper, you’d use these washcloths and wash them after use. Most often, they’re used with bidets rather than on their own, which makes them a lot more sanitary. However, opting for family cloth does mean that you need to do quite a lot of laundry. On the other hand, it means that you’re not flushing any toilet paper down the sewage – a great zero waste option.

To summarise…

There’s no one answer to what’s the best sustainable toilet paper solution. My preference is a combination of a bidet to reduce consumption, along with bamboo toilet paper. However, what works for one person may not work for another, so give the different options a try and see what’s best for you!