Is bamboo toilet paper better for the environment?

Bamboo toilet paper is an eco-friendly choice that can replace regular toilet paper in your home. It is made by turning bamboo stems into pulp and forming it into sheets. Bamboo grows quickly, traps carbon and does not need to be replanted after every harvest. This product works just as well as regular toilet paper but does not use trees.

Benefits of bamboo toilet paper for the environment

Using bamboo to make toilet paper is good for the environment as it grows quickly without the need for pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Bamboo grows from a rhizome which grows stems a rate of 2-3 feet per day.

As stems are removed, the same plant will re-grow more stems and doesn’t need to be re-planted after every harvest.

Bamboo toilet paper is better for the environment compared to regular toilet paper which is made from trees. Trees take many years to grow to a size where they can be harvested to make toilet paper and must be re-plated after harvest. Bamboo is ready to harvest after 2-4 months so

Bamboo traps carbon

Bamboo is a grass and as it grows the carbon dioxide from the air is absorbed through the process of photosynthesis and turned into cellulose to make the bamboo stems. The bamboo absorbs a lot of carbon and traps it in the stems as the plant grows.

Bamboo toilet paper saves trees

Using bamboo toilet paper is a great way to protect trees. In the US alone, 27,000 trees per day are cut down to make toilet paper. Bamboo is a fast growing grass, which quickly re-grows when stems are cut. Choosing bamboo toilet paper over regular toilet paper will reduce the number of trees cut down to make this product.

Bamboo grows fast

Bamboo grows incredibly fast making it a highly sustainable way to make toilet paper. Bamboo species that are turned into toilet paper take only 2-4 months to grow to a size to make the product. While trees that can take up to 30 years to grow.

Bamboo toilet paper can use less chemicals, fragrances or dyes

Traditional toilet paper often uses chemicals such as bleach and fragrances to make the product bright white and smell nice. Many bamboo toilet paper companies, including Tushy, are making toilet paper without bleaches to minimize the chemicals needed in the process. While the toilet paper does not look as white, it still will work well.  

Bamboo toilet paper can have less plastic packaging

Many bamboo toilet paper companies are making their product more sustainable by replacing plastic packaging with paper. Plain paper packaging is recyclable and therefore reduces waste headed to landfill. The company ‘who gives a crap’ wrap their toilet paper in paper and package it in cardboard which can be recycled.

Bamboo toilet paper – Summary

Bamboo toilet paper can be made to the same quality of that made from trees and offers the added benefit of being fast growing, low maintenance and trapping lots of carbon. Bamboo toilet paper is becoming more and more popular and can be ordered as a regular monthly subscription or bought from most large grocery stores.