Bamboo vs Recycled Toilet Paper: Which is More Eco-Friendly?
We think letting a tree grow for 20-30 years then flushing it down the toilet is a really bad idea. Thankfully that seems to be catching on.
Recycled toilet paper and bamboo toilet paper are two popular eco-friendly options for those looking to reduce their environmental footprint. While both have their benefits, and bamboo is definitely a huge leap on from virgin pulp, there's a reason we've chosen to perfect and produce a recycled product.
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Sustainable Production: Recycled toilet paper is made from post-consumer waste paper, which not only reduces the need to cut down trees, but recycling waste paper helps to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, reducing the negative impact on the environment.
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Deforestation for Bamboo Plantations: The Natural Resource Defence Council's 2019 report, The Issue With Tissue, shows that hardwood forests are now being destroyed just to make room for bamboo plantations. The production of bamboo toilet paper often involves clear-cutting forests and can result in soil degradation and loss of biodiversity. So it's important to buy only bamboo products that are FSC-accredited.
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All Cultivated Bamboo is Grown in China: Importing a sustainable alternative thousands of kilometers by diesel container ship seems a little counter intuitive to say the least. At Serious we're able to not just manufacture but source all our post-consumer recycling in the UK, minimising our carbon footprint - as opposed to a 20,000km sea journey from China.
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Bamboo is a monoculture: The plantations for bamboo, even if they have not clear-cut old growth forests, are monocultures. Nothing else grows or lives there. They might look green but they're a desert devoid of any other life.
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Cost-Effective: Recycled toilet paper is often more affordable than bamboo toilet paper, making it a more accessible option for those looking to make eco-friendly choices.
There's a reason independent groups form the NDRC to Treehugger, choose recycled as the more sustainable option, with the NDRC scoring no bamboo products with an A on their Issue With Tissue scorecard.
Our 100% post consumer, recycled toilet paper is safe and hygienic. We don't use any chlorine or unnecessary chemicals in our production, and is processed and treated to meet strict hygiene standards, ensuring that it is safe and sanitary for use.
Recycled toilet paper is a better choice than bamboo toilet paper because it is more sustainable, better for the environment, is cost-effective, and safe and hygienic to use.
Switch to Serious and you can help to reduce waste and protect the environment.