The blog formerly known as   Fake Plastic Fish

December 8, 2015

The Truth About Your Biodegradable Bamboo Toothbrush

bamboo-toothbrushesThere’s no perfect toothbrush, but some toothbrushes are less perfect than others, and sadly, a few of them aren’t even what they claim to be.  Here are a few disappointing facts I have learned recently about other companies’ toothbrushes.

 

Fully Compostable = Animal-Based

Right now, the only completely compostable toothbrush has a handle made from sustainably harvested wood and bristles made from pig hair.  (Here’s an example.)  The pig hair is a by-product of the Chinese meat industry.  It would normally have been thrown away.  If you eat meat, perhaps this toothbrush would be the right decision for you.  I personally have chosen not to use it because the only meat I eat comes from humanely raised animals from local farms in Sonoma or Marin Counties.  Since I don’t know how the Chinese pigs are treated, I don’t feel comfortable using their bristles for a toothbrush.  Perhaps one of the local pig farms out here could team up with a toothbrush manufacturer to develop a toothbrush I’d be more likely to trust.

What About Nylon-4?

Several toothbrush manufacturers claim that their bristles are made from Nylon-4, a petroleum-based plastic that has been shown in lab studies to biodegrade in the environment under certain conditions.  However, lab studies and real life are not the same things, and none of these manufacturers has provided any third-party proof that their toothbrush bristles actually will biodegrade, especially not in the cold waters of the ocean.  Furthermore, it is questionable whether all of them really contain Nylon-4 in the first place.

A-Hao collects plastic toothbrushes that have washed up on a beach in Taiwan.
A-Hao collects plastic toothbrushes that have washed up on a beach in Taiwan.

My friend, A-Hao, who owns a plastic-free products shop called Simple Eco Life in Taiwan, was selling a toothbrush called The Environmental Toothbrush, and she wanted to know if the bristles really were made from Nylon-4.  (I reviewed this toothbrush back in 2011.  At that time, the company’s website claimed the bristles were Nylon-4.  And while the site no longer contains that claim, it does still state that “Both the bamboo and bristles will biodegrade into soil, without pollution.”)  So A-Hao sent The Environmental Toothbrush to a lab in Taiwan to be tested.

Verdict:  The Environmental Toothbrush bristles are made from Nylon-6, not Nylon-4 as claimed.  Nylon-6 is not biodegradable, so the claim that they will biodegrade into soil without pollution is not true. Read the lab report here..

Be skeptical of toothbrush manufacturers that claim their bristles are made from Nylon-4 and ask to see the proof.  According to A-Hao, western companies often do not communicate directly with their Chinese manufacturers but through an agency.  It’s possible that they are being misled by the agencies that set up the manufacturing partnerships.

Still, when confronted with the truth, companies should update their advertising language.  A-Hao sent the lab report to The Environmental Toothbrush company, and to date, they are still claiming their bristles are biodegradable without any kind of evidence to back up that claim.

Bristles Made from Bamboo?

Other companies claim that their bristles are made from bamboo.  One company, in particular, was advertising that their bristles were made from 100% bamboo and were fully biodegradable.  I received a sample of the toothbrush, and they seemed very much like Nylon to me.  Bea Johnson of The Zero Waste Home put them to the “burn test,” holding them to a match to see if they would melt or burn.  They melted just like plastic.  So, inspired by A-Hao, I sent a sample to a lab to be tested, and sure enough, the bristles were found to be polyester.

So why am I not mentioning the name of the toothbrush company or posting the test results here?  Because after I contacted the owner with the proof, he immediately changed the language on the website to indicate that the bristles are made from a BPA-free polymer and should be removed and thrown away before composting the handle.  He was shocked to learn that his manufacturer in China had lied to him.  I appreciate that kind of responsiveness, and since his website now reflects the truth about what he is selling, I don’t feel the need to call him out.  He even offered to reimburse me for the testing fee.

Okay then, how about Charcoal-Enhanced Bamboo Bristles?

There’s another bamboo toothbrush that I’ve seen carried by Whole Foods and other natural foods stores.  The text on the packaging claims that the bristles are made from charcoal-enhanced bamboo and that they are biodegradable.  I’m going to send that one for testing next.  I don’t believe the claims, and until I get the test results back, neither should you.  (I’ll update this page when I have more information.)

Partially Plant-Based Bristles

Brush with BambooBrush with Bamboo has just released an upgrade to their bamboo toothbrush, introducing bristles made from 62% castor bean oil.  The new bristles are not biodegradable, but they are certified bio-based and contain less petroleum-based plastic than other toothbrushes do.  I’ll have a complete review of the new toothbrush tomorrow.  I trust Brush with Bamboo because they don’t make claims they can’t support.

Bottom Line

unicornIt’s unfortunate that we can’t always believe claims on product labels and that ordinary consumers like me have to bear the expense of having products tested to find out the truth.  But unless companies actually monitor manufacturing operations overseas and do their own testing of the product materials, they really don’t know what materials their product contains, despite what the manufacturer tells them.  I’m guessing you could ask for a toothbrush made with unicorn horn bristles and find an overseas manufacturer to make it for you.  In fact, they probably breed the unicorns at their special farm behind the factory just for that very purpose.  Give them a call.  But wait, there’s much, much more.  They’ll throw in a ginsu knife if you act now.

 

 

 

 

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164 Responses to “The Truth About Your Biodegradable Bamboo Toothbrush”

  1. Thanks for this info. I’ve just seen an ad on Facebook for a bamboo product. The bamboo brush company. I asked what the bristles were made of ( before I read this) and a) so far no reply and b) they seem to have reposted the ad without the previous comments and c) haven’t given me a reply despite replying promptly to other queries such as delivery times. That’s a shame

  2. Hi,
    I’m trying to find the best option for brushes and was wondering if you’ve heard of the company Brush Naked. They claim their bristles are 100%plant based and made from tapioca and corn. Is this biodegradable and eco friendly? Also, if I wanted to send it to a lab for testing, do you have a lab you would recommend?

    Thanks!

  4. I notice that you wrote your article in 2015, saying that you’d say whether the charcoal-infused bristles were what they claimed to be as soon as you got the results from the lab. Could you please update us now? What did the lab say?

  5. Thanks a lot. I have been searching a long time now for an alternative to chewing plastic twice a day. For me n my kids. A lot of people back in my village still roll up mango leaves and brush their teeth and in some areas they even chew on some fibrous sticks.

    Only problem is you need to do it thrice a day instead of two times. But they are observed to have strong teeth up till their 80s and 90s plus a good digestive system. But they have been branded as low class country people and all they do needs to be mocked at.

  7. Yeah- this was an interesting read- thanks but shouldn’t we start somewhere like banning plastic toothbrushes being made by major chains?

  9. I don’t know of any brands where the bristles are not plastic.
    Use with bamboo handle but when finished, remove the bristles and put to recycle.
    I buy at naturally-bio.com

    Tks for your article

  10. Thank you for your work, as my efforts to find a completely plastic-free toothbrush have so far failed also. I read that pig or boar hair is hollow and likely to attract bacteria unless dipped in boiling water every few days. I have also found a toothbrush made with “plant based” bristles but it falls apart and is rendered useless after a few days use. There is hope, however. Seaweed is currently being developed as a plastic alternative and perhaps could be used in future.

  11. Hello,
    thank you for your article.
    based on how I understand the bamboo toothbrushes is that the handle is bamboo (antibacterial) and made of the fastest growing wood and the bristles are plastic. After the brush is past its use you can use it for cleaning at home and after you can not clean then you remove the bristles and recycle them and the bamboo is biodegradable and compostable so you ideally compost it.

  12. What about Natural Vegan toothbrushes? The website says, “These are bamboo bristles dipped in a biopolymer, and are indeed compostable.”

  13. Cures cancer in lab. But it doesn’t work in real life 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 “ plastic has been shown in lab studies to biodegrade…… however, lab studies and real life aren’t the same thing.” What!!!!! This makes no sense

    • why not? In a lab they can create the perfect conditions needed fo the plastic to biodegrade. Outside in the normal world these perfect conditions mosty do not exist.

  14. Can you give some recommendations on toothbrushes that are safe? Im concerned about what another poster said, that some bamboo is mixed with resin that contains formaldehyde? What?! Is WOWE brand safe? Thats what my family is currently using.

  15. UPDATES PLEASE??? I NEED A 100% NON PETROLEUM OPTION. AS I IT TURNS OUT I AM ALLERGIC TO PUTTING THOUSANDS OF YEARS WORTH OF DEAD PEOPLE, PLANTS AND ANIMALS INTO MY MOUTH AND ON MY SKIN :(

    • Thousands of years?? Your numbers are waaaaaaaay off, try millions of years. No dead people, just dead dinosaurs (unless you believe people and dinosaurs coexisted, lol)

  16. I recently found a cornstarch toothbrush at a natural grocery near me, have you done any research on these? I am curious how they compare to bamboo.

  17. Do bamboo toothbrushes go through a fumigation process when they are imported or exported

    • From what source? Amazon is FULL of the stuff covered in China Death Plastics. Served straight to the soft membrane tissues of your mouth.

  19. Hi – curious if you or anyone here has tested the material of the “bamboo” handle also. In nearly every other bamboo product we know of, the bamboo is actually only a part of the equation, usually mixed 50/50 melamine resin (which contains formaldehyde). So bamboo is only half of the story (eg bamboo coffee cups). It may be the handle more than the bristles that is creating the issue… would love to know if tested or asked (the actual manufacturer- not companies that market and sell). Thanks all!

  20. As a dental professional I do not recommend using toothbrush bristles made of any type of hair. Hair is porous and cannot be properly cleaned of all the bacteria that will embed into the pores (not even boiling it will work) so using that material will put more bacteria in your mouth than you started with.

    • Then people have to just leave it in a solution of 3% of mint oil and the bacteria will be killed. Stop telling people how dangerous bacteriae are and telling them they have to take fluoride and use nature polluting stuff.

  21. Thank you for your informative round up of eco-friendly toothbrushes. It’s not good news, but at least I can avoid falling into the trap of buying a biodegradable wooden handle and adding to the waste problem with plastic bristles, and avoiding non-vegan animal bristles. Why can’t someone make a toothbrush with hemp bristles?

  24. Buy bamboo charcoal toothbrush 100% biodegradable with activated charcoal

    The handle is made of MOS bamboo, an environmentally sustainable timber. The bamboo is heat treated to carbonize the surface of the bamboo, giving it a quality finish and good service life. The carbonization finishing process provides water resistance and prevents the growth of microbes (bacteria and molds) during normal use.
    1. The bristles are made from 100% biodegradable soft and medium bristle, nylon, bamboo fiber, or corn fiber. 2. We recommend you rinse and dry your toothbrush after use to keep it clean.
    Disposing of your toothbrush 1. For best results, most dentists recommend you replace your toothbrush either monthly or at least every quarter some even say use it until it stops.
    2. To answer the main question, HOW LONG DOES IT LAST? – We test drove a toothbrush for over 8 months so yes they last (not that we suggest you do that).
    3. The Environmental Toothbrush can be disposed of safely by returning it to earth in compost or landfill. Both the bamboo and bristles will biodegrade into soil, without pollution.

  25. None of this matters. The bristles are staple set so NONE of these are safely compostable.

  26. Can someone share me the market size and market share of toothbrush industry of India and Globally??

    • there is no toothbrush on the market that is 100$ bio degradable. No company manufactures true biodegradable bristles yet. Some say they do but they melt like plastic if you test them. Just pull out the bristles is such a small amount of nylon.

    • Why on earth are you people hyper-focused on biodegradability when the only real issue at hand is that it’s leeching toxic poison plastic straight into your mouth? Maybe you are all confused from all the hormone disruptors?

  28. Thanks for this – do you know any bamboo toothbrushes that ARE biodegradable? and where to get them? thanks!

  29. I would be very interested to know if you got the charcoal-enhanced bamboo bristles tested. One company is saying that “our bristles are made from activated charcoal and Bio-pet that degrades quicker than any Nylon product”. But when I look up Bio-PET, all I find (from reputable-looking scientific sources) is that it is recyclable, but it’s NOT biodegradable.

    • Hello, thanks for sharing this amazing article on the bamboo toothbrush. I fully support your plastic-free life. The company in Germany called ‘Einfach Weniger ‘they manufacture Bamboo toothbrush. For more information, you can check the website: https://einfachweniger.ch/

  30. Hey interesting read,
    I don’t trust anything that comes out of China, is there anything of these biodegradable toothbrushes been made outside of China?
    There’s a company hydropaul in Germany but don’t know if they manufactor in Germany or China, I heard before of hemp based bristles have you ever come across them?

    • Bamboo grows in china. You want to manufacture close to the source. It doesnt grow in north america or most of europe. Make sure they company you buy from backs up their source.

      • Bamboo grows in North America. It’s all over the place in NJ. There’s a bamboo forest across from my husband’s workplace. It’s prob not native, but we can grow it easy, it spreads thick and fast like a weed.

    • You aren’t wrong considering that China has been caught RED HANDED a zillion times straight up lying to US manufacturers and consumers about their plastic death.

      I have bamboo growing all over my yard, neighbors yard, neighbors neighbors yard, blocks and blocks city after city of Bamboo. I don’t live in China. I live in Florida.

  31. Hello,

    Thank you very much for this article very revealing! I was about to buy one bamboo toothbrush that according to your article is actually not as good as it claim to be!

    Do you have any update on the bamboo toothbrush market? I really would like to buy one but I’m much more beware now…

    Thanks!!

  32. Hi,
    I really liked the article. Has anyone to date seen a US manufactured bamboo toothbrushes? If so, what do they cost? I have not seen any as of yet. I would expect the price of a US made bamboo toothbrush would be a significant amount more.

    • I am curious why people keep asking this. No matter where it is manufactured the bamboo will come from china. And if u carve it in the US you know how much that would cost. You wouldn’t buy one.

  33. Very helpful information, thank you. However, I would encourage you to ditch animal foods completely. There is nothing “humane” about needlessly killing more “local” animals, versus animals in China or elsewhere, regardless of how well you think they are “treated” before they are needlessly killed. “Humane” by definition means to treat with benevolence and compassion. But unnecessarily killing anyone who does not want (or need) to be killed is neither benevolent nor compassionate. Please look into it, and consider seriously what we owe to nonhuman individuals. I suggest, as a start, reading law professor Gary Francione’s short book, “Eat Like You Care”.

    • Hear hear Bob! I’m new to this blog (and absolutely loving it so far), but I was very much taken aback by the mention of “humanely raised animals”. There is absolutely nothing humane about eating meat. It’s bad for your health, bad for the environment, and (this should go without saying) bad for the animals.

      • I hope you feel the same about all animal products, not just meat. The dairy industry is the psycho who keeps its victims isolated and suffering, keeping them alive and draining them for as long as possible. The meat industry is the serial killer prowling the streets for a slash and run. At least the latter gets it done quick. (Surely not promoting the meat industry, vegan for life here! Just saying, it’s all sickening and best avoided by people with thoughts in their hearts and minds).

  34. Thank you for this article! I am a fresh Environmental studies graduate who is looking to start a new 100% biodegradable toothbrush(yes, even the bristles) company. I am wondering what your favorite companies are that are out there and why. Also is there something you want out of these toothbrush companies other than it being 100% biodegradable? Thank you ahead of time :)

    • Hi. The bristles and handle should be separately certified compostable by a legitimate certifying body (BPI, Vincotte, etc) and any packaging should be plastic-free.

    • Would love a fully biodegradable toothbrush head that fits an electric toothbrush. I already owned an electric toothbrush before I started on a plastic-free journey, and there is only one recyclable option I have found but not biodegradable.

  35. Great info, thank you. I’m new to this zero waste stuff, but have starting making a small compost garden, use a menstrual cup now, and am looking into a bamboo toothbrush! But my local organic retailer sells them in packaged plastic! 🙁 It’s crazy how plasticky this world is!

  36. I am interested in any information on degradable toothbrush heads for electric or battery operated toothbrushes. Are there any out there? Please advise.

  37. Oh no! I was just googling plastic free responsible options now and came across the article. So are there any that you could recommend? Thx!

  38. Hi, do you know anything about the Giving Brush? It claims to be the most eco friendly in the world, but who the heck knows. My bother goes through toothbrushes like crazy and I want to find one good source I can just buy from in bulk :D

  39. do you think buying biodegradable/bamboo toothbrushes are actually worth it, or is it easier/better for the environment to just buy toothbrushes made from recycled plastic (like the brand “Preserve”) and then recycle them when I’m done using it? many bamboo brushes’ brands say to remove the bristles with pliers and recycle the bristles while discarding the bamboo handle. is the work worth it? wont the bristles face the chance of blowing away at recycling plants as many one-use straws are said to, in turn polluting the ocean? what do you think? I’m trying to decide which is better. please let me know!

    • Those bristles are not practically recyclable, and I’ve been trying to get manufacturers to stop saying they are. Yes, they will blow away. In my view, the only way to deal with them properly at this time is to pull them out and throw them away in the trash. I’m hoping a manufacturer will come up with a better solution, but I haven’t seen it yet.

      The problem with the recycled plastic toothbrushes is that they then get downcycled into products that will not be further recycled. There’s no perfect solution.

  41. The link provided for the boar bristle toothbrush claims to be cruelty free. Any info on that you might be aware of?

    • Not possible. That hair belongs to the boar. You think he likes it being pulled out by the root, or being restrained for a hair cut? Come on people, you can’t steal from animals and call it cruelty free! They never said ‘Yes, I would love to donate my baby’s milk/honey/hair/organs/ENTIRE BODY AND LIFE AS I KNOW IT so humans can feel better about themselves’. And they never would. Going vegan reduces a human’s carbon footprint by 73% (a 5-year study done by a man who set out to prove sustainable animal farming is better than veganism. He went vegan at the end of year one.) It’s the only answer to all the world’s problems. People just need to stop being selfish and brainwashed.

  43. Dear Beth,
    can you please cite a reference for your claim, that nylon4 is not biodegradable? Your reasoning sounds to me like: “a study says nylon4 can be degraded, but I dont trust them”.

    So could you please cite anything, why you dont trust all the studies, stating nylon4 can be degraded in normal compost? (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769161/)

    I’m interested in the subject, but your way of reasoning sounds a bit strange to me. Since you’re using a computer not all science can be wrong ;) I’m curious for further references.

    • Hi. I never said Nylon-4 would not biodegrade. I said that none of the toothbrush manufacturers have provided third-party certification that their bristles will biodegrade in the marine environment. That’s very different from saying Nylon-4 will not biodegrade. In order to know if a particular product is biodegradable, that actual product must be tested. Why? In this case, there are two reasons. First, because there is some question as to whether these toothbrushes are actually made from Nylon-4 and because there are additives that can be mixed with the basic polymer that can inhibit the process of biodegradation even if a polymer itself is biodegradable.

  44. I stopped using tooth brushes about a year ago and haven’t looked back. Toothbrushes are just another thing that we were convinced that we needed. Not so. Floss, a water pick and a piece of cloth or thick paper towels work just fine and do not hurt sensitive gums which I am sorry to say all toothbrushes do. Also my method leaves no plastic waste behind.

  45. Thanks for the article.

    About your feelings about ‘humanely-raised animals’ – I urge you to think more on that. If you care about how animals are treated, I’m sure you’ll agree that there is no ‘humane’ way to use animals. There is no ‘kind’ way to use and kill someone who doesn’t want to die.

    I recommend you explore these resources:

    http://www.humanemyth.org/

    https://freefromharm.org/animal-products-and-ethics/a-comprehensive-analysis-of-the-humane-farming-myth/

  46. I really appreciate this article. I have been looking for something more sustainable because it would be nice and better. I’m having a hard time finding something that has natural bristles and that isn’t plastic at all. I personally think any plastic unless it’s plant based is terrible. so thank you for that information.

  47. Omg, I was so shocked to see who runs Brush with Bamboo and don’t trust this company. They are so misleading in their advertisement making consumers think that their bristles are also 100% plant based. They don’t outright state that the product is made in China, where they are harvesting wild bamboo from, and what’s more, I don’t trust the mindset of the ceo! This woman is completely okay will letting her cats roam free and kill wild animals. In fact, she posted herself on Instagram with an injured wild bird and then let it get eaten by her cats!! Her response? That’s a part of life. I’m sorry but this woman is crazy and can’t trust someone like that to create an environmentally conscious product. There are better options out there.

    • Seriously, you’re not going to trust what someone states just because they let their cats roam free and kill birds? When it’s no different than a cat that’s already roaming free, the same size and killing birds?! It’s also no different than birds being killed by the power lines attached to your house! And believe me, birds do die from the high voltage… so is the power line attached to your house anymore humane than this woman’s cats or wild cats already killing said birds?!
      I’ve seen dead birds in my yard right below the power line, probably because it bit the power line.

    • First off, I assume you are a vegan because if you’re not, this sentiment disgusts me for a myriad of reasons. You think cats should be kept captive in homes and their only purpose in life is to amuse and befriend you? I am a vegan and I let my 7 cats roam. They do occasionally kill animals. It makes me sad (and it is certainly gross and disturbing to publicize it, my husband just buries them) but it is part of life. My cats are not vegan. Like every other living creature, they deserve to go outside (actually, to make their own choice whether or not they want to go outside) and meet other animals and the neighbors and smell fresh air and drink from puddles and feed themselves something other than the kibble slop that’s provided for them commercially. They have equal right to life as birds. Birds eat bugs, should they all be caged too? And hawks eat cats! Wild animals play the game. They are luckier by far than industry animals, who go from birth to death being tortured. That injured bird’s death was so much sweeter than the nicest day of a dairy cow’s life, which is honestly probably the day she runs dry and gets to retire (to death, of course, she’s useless to us now). I would never hunt a deer and I beep and holler into the woods when I see a hunter on the road, but I feel much better about that than I do about factory farmed animals. I agree that this woman sounds like she’s mentally ill, but that is because she used the bird’s death to get more likes on her Instagram (so hilariously pathetic) not because she lets her cats outside.

  48. Tbh I don’t really get the point of bamboo toothbrushes. The part of a toothbrush that gets used up and needs replacing is just the bristles, not the handle, and there is the same problem with bamboo toothbrushes as with all others: that the bristles can’t get composted nor recycled. Isn’t it less wasteful to get just one handle in a durable material and only just replace the head – the actual thing that needs replacing – instead of making the handle disposable too and going through lots of them?

  49. Even though the bristles on my bamboo tooth brush are nylon, its at least 90% less plastic then my old one. It’s still a step in the right direction, and better then not making the switch at all.

  50. hey! what do you know about BIO BRUSH BERLIN? They seem pretty convincing – their brushes are 94% biodegradable, the packaging is 100% compostable – the brushes are made out of cellulose from the controlled wood industry.
    biobrush-berlin.com/

  51. Hi Beth, how can one support you in getting the test results and updating the article?

  52. Liked the article but… ‘humane’ meat? Humane means to show compassion/kindness – can’t use this word in the context of confining and killing. It just makes us feel better about doing something wrong. Idea: before using the word humane ask if you would want it done to yourself.

    • I fully agree. Also, doesn’t the above experience teach us anything? Maybe that we should not believe some claims so easily?
      I grew up on a farm and have knowledge of the practices used, also by the oxymoronic so called “humane”ones. They sweeten things up when you are around and when you are gone…..if somebody believes that an animal is a product, a product of their business, he/she will NEVER take the animals needs into serious consideration.
      Finally, there’s absolutely no way to die “humanely” when it’s somebody else taking away your life after only few months of your existence. Not, to mention that animals have deep feelings for their loved ones, usually their babies and those feelings are never taken into meaningful consideration.

      I hope Beth realizes this one day and maybe until then she could watch “Peaceful Kingdom” and have a look at the “Humanemyth.org” site.

      Great Comment. Keep up the good work.

      P.S. Of course, with this I am not endorsing plastic by any possible way. Plastic do KILL animals in the most horrific way as well and considering its whole lifetime effects, I struggle to consider it vegan, although obviously avoiding plastic entirely is currently almost impossible….but there’s always a way out with a bit of imagination.

      Sorry for the lengthy post…slightly OOT but important to be reminded of IMO.

  54. Hi! i just received my toothbrushes from “Brush with Bamboo”, but I just found a girl in Tj that claims she sells 100% biodegradable toothbrushes made in Mexico, made of wheat straw and the bristles charcoal bamboo, she told me I can just throw it on the compost. What information you have on those materials? Thanks!

    • Seems pretty gross to me – much more likelihood of bacteria buildup on that kind of thing than synthetic. Has anyone thought of the additional health risks here?

      • It’s not all about us! This is the current issue! Me me me me me. Change your toothbrush more regularly. Until we stop thinking we are the best and most important species on this planet things won’t change..

        • Agree but don’t need to change the toothbrush more often; just leave them in bicarbonate of soda diluted in water or similar for few minutes.
          Also, I would not believe these scaremongering stories for a sec. Build up bacteria happens because of poor diets, lack of exercise (oxygen) and lack of reasonable hygiene practices.

        • Amen. People are so concerned with personal preferences, but we all suffer from plastic waste contamination and indiscriminate use of finite resources. Far more that we will suffer by paying a little more money or having to drip some hydrogen peroxide on the toothbrush to cleanse it. I do this anyway with my refillable toothbrush, same one I have had since I was a teenager over a decade ago. I have not suffered health problems from my toothbrush. Bacteria is everywhere, avoiding all of it will drive you crazy and weaken your immune system.

        • We are by far the most important species. If that were not true, we would not have to worry about our impact because we would be too insignificant. Therefore, the most important thing you can care for is your health. The best toothbrush is the safest toothbrush that is good for cleaning your teeth and gums. If it can’t do that well and at a cheap enough price, the market will get rid of it. People will not buy it enough. So far, I have not seen a safe enough toothbrush that isn’t plastic. If the hippies want to continue to rot out their teeth by buying gross products that is fine, but I will not degrade my health for the faux crusades.

  56. Dear MPFL,

    Have you found any toothbrushes that are 100% biodegradable, vegan and that you would recommend?

    Thanks for writing this piece. I’m usually quick to question anything that comes from China but I’ve been believing any claims by companies selling bamboo products. Not anymore.

    Regards, Sarah.

  57. Hello Beth, I’m interested to know if you have followed up on the Charcoal-Enhanced bristles? You state in your report here that you would be investigating them and will update when you know more.
    Cheers
    Sam

      • Happy to contribute financially to support these test. Also, it would help greately (you as well, since you don’t have much time), if instead of testing them all, you simply advice how to do it (ie. contacts of labs etc.).

        Keep up the good work! Thanks!

  58. hi!! do you have the update yet on this section:

    There’s another bamboo toothbrush that I’ve seen carried by Whole Foods and other natural foods stores. The text on the packaging claims that the bristles are made from charcoal-enhanced bamboo and that they are biodegradable. I’m going to send that one for testing next. I don’t believe the claims, and until I get the test results back, neither should you. (I’ll update this page when I have more information.)

    ?

    I’m trying to implement the most biodegradable option at my University’s Dentistry School.

    Thanks!

  60. Has anyone ordered a Giving Brush? https://givingbrush.com. I really loved the rainbow design for my kids, but since receiving an order confirmation with a gmail address I now think I’m scammed. I looked further into it and they claim to be a BBB accredited business but can’t find them in the registry. Also the ‘Our Story’ is actually super vague.

    Even if I receive the toothbrushes, if they aren’t who they say they are what does that say about the materials used for the toothbrushes? Has this toothbrush been tested by myplasticfreelife? Anyone received them?

      • Thanks Beth. Just to see if this is an option when they do arrive, what sort of lab should I look for to have them tested (i’m in Australia so would have to find a Oz based equivalent) and what sort of cost should I expect? I wonder if there is a group of us maybe we can organise to fund it together…

        • Hi. I guess it would be called “materials” testing. If you have any friends in companies that have to get their products tested for safety/authenticity, you could reach out to them and find out what lab they use.

        • Did your toothbrushes arrive? I came across this blog when looking into this free bamboo toothbrush offer so keen to know how it turned out before I input my details!

    • I have seen the Giving Brush on instagram a lot and have scanned the comments, also sent an email since they weren’t answering anyone who asked about the bristles. They said they are made of nylon-6. They never answered me on how to get them recycled. Other customers in the comment threads seem to believe the bristles are plant based and/or biodegradable and the company makes no move to correct them. Thus, I wrote them off as a scam

  61. Can somebody test brush naked brand? They have biodegradable bristles made from corn and tapioca. I’m curious if it’s true or not.

    • Hi there, I don’t know if this brush naked brand is authentic, but I will say after visiting their website that they tell you upfront that they are NOT as soft as their nylon brushes… So the point being that this then made me VERY nervous even trying them as I’m trying to get away from medium or hard bristles which nylon has been known as being moreso in that it can be too hard, thus causing damage to enamel and gums. Yes, you can try to brush more gently, but I have to say that I’ve been using several different types of charcoal infused nylon brushes over the last 3 years and believe they’ve contributed to some damaged enamel & gum areas. That being said, I have to say the only safe alternative seems to be these miswak sticks… hummm. I truly do wish there were a company making these bristles & handles completely from safe materials in a definite SOFT bristle so as to no cause more damage than good. Onward and upward! :-)

  62. Why is anyone shocked by any corporate, governmental or industrial entity, particularly in the PRC, lying about what they do or make?

  63. Well is the charcoal enhanced brush biodegradable? Where’s the follow up. And thanks for no sign up for commenting.

  64. Animal concerns aside, when a toothbrush is made from bamboo it’s not made from plastic – pure and simple. We can wring our hands over the bristles, but we’re not contributing the handles to the landfill

  65. I was looking through Amazon and found a company, Livecoco, selling a bamboo toothbrush and they claim the bristles are made of charcoal fibre. I have been looking around to see if this is even possible. Any idea if this can work?

    • I believe there is charcoal fiber mixed in with the polymer fibers. Lots of companies are claiming their bristles are charcoal fiber, but it always turns out that the charcoal fibers are just a supplement to the main synthetic fibers.

  66. I was just wondering if there was any news on this front? Also if any of these company’s claims are true?

    https://brushnaked.com/collections/plant-based-brisltes-for-adults

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bamboobrush-4-Ecological-Toothbrush-sustainable-Biodegradable/dp/B01M19339E

    http://www.shopnaturally.com.au/go-bamboo-100-biodegradable-bamboo-toothbrush-adult.html#product-tabs-feedback

    Not that any of them are made in Australia – I still have an issue with the shipping but so many things just aren’t available locally. Anyone care to invent a coconut or hemp toothbrush for me somehow? :)

  67. Why should animals be used in anything? There is NO humane meat! There is NO cruelty free way that man kills animals, despite them having lived a ‘humane life’……
    Why not try living with compassion? Why choose a biodegradable product to help the environment when the Biggest threat to the environment is animal agriculture!
    Why choose to reduce your use of plastic, which is washed up from oceans, killing masses of innocent sea living animals and creatures only for you to buy and eat the seafood which had been trawled up from the sea bed. Killing everything in its path! Your idealism is the biggest contradiction I’ve read!
    As for stating the misleading descriptions by companies selling these toothbrushes, you go to a lot of trouble to unearth the truth behind it.
    Do you know the real truth behind animal abuse? Do you know dairy cows can only produce milk once they have given birth? Therefore they need to be continuously raped just to produce dairy. Their calves are torn away from them (child abduction) for veal or as a surplus byproduct sent to slaughter. 6 week old chicks are force fed to the point where their bones crumble and they can’t walk, then they are slaughtered. When a male chick is born there is no use for him so he is either suffocated, gases or ground alive. Chickens and eggs – in the wild they will naturally lay up to 12 eggs due to nature and rate of survival – man have modified these poor creatures to have over 300 eggs a year – just so you can eat eggs!
    So next time you want to post about plastic think of the bigger picture and how you’re really killing the planet! You’re paying for murder of innocent beings on a daily basis just for the selfish choice of taste! But one thing nature has right – you kill them, they will kill you. It’s proven that all animal products cause illnesses which kill humans – why, because we are not supposed to eat them!! How do I know – I read, I research, but I study Medicine and biomedical science.
    If you could do one good thing today, don’t leave silly sarcastic comments, just please, go and research this yourself. Watch: Earthlings, cowspiricy, forks over knives, what the health, carnage – be a voice for the once who don’t have one. Next time you eat a burger, bacon or a egg, remember, that it once had a face and they didn’t want to die, more so, they didn’t deserve to die!

    • What about kosher slaughtering? Pigs aren’t kosher . No seafood . And no blood allowed… animals don’t suffer . Because g-d made the kosher animals with arteries. That when you do a precise cut only once the animal doesn’t suffer . A Jew is forbidden to eat of a still living animal. Etc. if only they had a different bristles option . Like a cow or goat …. pig is gross. I will never eat it. I am a Jew!

      • Kirstie,
        Your passion is amazing. I completely agree with everything you’ve said.
        I wish more people would agree and think the way we do.
        Keep up the advocacy and someday there will be a difference.

  68. Hi, Thank you for your post, which is very helpful. I am wondering if you have any updated information for charcoal-enhanced bamboo bristles as you said it would be sent for testing. Thanks!

  69. I have vegan friendly and soon to be launching a paleo toothbrush if you will that will be animal based. The material would be wasted otherwise and so this is a good use of this. GaiaGuy dot com

  70. brushnaked.com

    The handle is bamboo, the bristles are PLA (polylactic acid) which is bio-degradable.

  71. Hi, did you ever end up getting results back about the charcoal infused bristled brush? I just found this one in my health food shop and am too skeptical about their claims of 100% biodegradability. They seemed quite vague in their explanation of the material the bristles are made out of – “Eco enhanced nylon”. I would love your opinion.

  72. Maybe this community needs to come up with an alternative bristle and make it ourselves. It seems a simple problem to come up with a compostable method of creating friction against the teeth. Maybe an alternative to straight, narrow bristles, maybe somethign more along the lines of a scouring pad.

  74. You say you only eat humanly raised meat! But there is no such thing as humanly killing the animals you eat. Your kidding yourself!

  75. Hi! Thanks for this article, the internet is full of misinformation about bamboo toothbrushes, it’s hard to know what is what.
    I’ve been struggling to find an oral hygien solution that works for me and the environment. I tried miswak and licorice chew sticks but found them difficult to use and not very pleasant.
    But I just found this German company that makes thin toothbrushes where the plant-based plastic-free composite handles are reusable long-term (then biodegradable) and the heads/bristles are made of miswak, replaceable and compostable. Looks quite nice. I just placed an order so I don’t know if they’re any good but I like their approach and I’m quite excited about it.
    Would love to hear your opinion about them!
    Here’s the toothbrush: https://swak-shop.com/
    And info about the material that the handle is made of: Fasal Bio 322
    http://www.fasal.at/media/1296/fasal_bio_322_engl-2017.pdf

  76. I don’t get the burning test. Polymerization of vegetable fiber does make the fiber act like plastic (thus, “melting” as oppose to burning).

    The burning test would not distinguish one from another.

  77. I know an Indian man from Kerala who had the most beautiful white teeth, with zero fillings. Like a lot of Indian people who seem on average to have much better teeth than Europeans. He said he grew up not using a toothbrush or toothpaste. Instead he said him and everyone he knew used the toothbrush tree and herbal pastes which they rubbed into their gums. Ayurvedic medicine is big on gum pastes. He felt that all the spices in Indian food probably also contributed to healthy teeth. Currently he chews on 3 or 4 cloves first thing in the morning and last thing at night, as the way to keep his teeth clean…and doesn’t use a toothbrush or toothpaste. Something I have found very beneficial to my teeth is to get 1/3 tsp of celtic or himalayan salt and dissolve it in a mouthful of lukewarm water. Swish it around the mouth for a minute. Do that once a day and you will notice a big improvement in your teeth’s immunity to fillings.

  78. Hello, I am from Mauritius and i just wonder how would i recycle my plastic toothbrushes since there are no recycling facilities for plastic toothbrush in here. Any suggestions? Thank you.

  79. This is the toothbrush our family has been using. Reading this post made me worried, because this company does claim to have bamboo bristles. I’m not one to do any official testing, but seeing the “burn test” you mentioned, I thought I’d give it a try. I pulled out one of the bristles, not wanting to waste the whole toothbrush, and it seemed to burn right up! Not sure if you’ve seen or tested these, but I’ve searched far and wide for a truly plastic-free toothbrush, and I’m hopeful about these.
    http://www.boobalou.co.uk/bamboo-toothbrush-with-bamboo-bristles-adult.html#.VoxChvFU-b9

  80. Hello Beth,

    I was doing some searches on plastic and BPA relating to blenders and I stumbled across your site. Then I went onto some of the other articles and hit this one.

    It seems like your looking for a “natural toothbrush”. Just as an FYI, I thought I’d pass this along. I know that it’s effective, cheap and natural. What’s more, it’s usually used without toothpaste as it has its own antibacterial properties, so there’s even more plastic (usually the toothpaste containers) not being used.

    People that I’ve seen use it regularly have excellent teeth (although their diets might be better than the standard north american). I’ve used it in the past out of curiousity, but haven’t for quite some time (mostly out of laziness) and think I should probably give it another try.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miswak

    Just by doing a search as I write this, I found this site with more links to publications ( http://www.miswakstick.com/miswak.html )

    I don’t actually use google/facebook/twitter so using a family members account to pass this along. I’m not saying to use it as much as it’s probably worthy of some looking into (and I may retry it myself since I’ve also been wary of plastic after watching the documentary “Addicted to Plastic”).

    Many people use this for “religious reasons”, but thereby benefit from it’s use (a good application of religious practice in this case I guess.) Don’t hold me responisble if your government holds anyone in suspicion for using it. : )

    Hope this helps,

    MS

  81. I use swiss chard fibre as dental floss, it’s very strong and flexible. Just peel the fibre from the stalk, it peels off easily. Obviously not a dentist but works well for me.

  82. Scandalous! Perhaps manufacturers need to be less trusting and do some 3rd party testing themselves.

  83. Great research, thank you. Found this which appears to have 100% bamboo bristles but a plastic handle! Also their website doesn’t work. But if ‘Brush with Bamboo’ could add bamboo bristles…. https://amzn.to/2l56LDC

    • Sorry but so what’s the point? Actually, even worse as the handle has more plastic than the bristles themselves.

  84. What do you think about Preserve toothbrushes? The handle is #5 plastic and they have a recycling program. I don’t know what the bristles are made of. And what kind of dental floss do you recommend? I am using Radius, made from silk but the container is plastic. I have also used Eco-Dent, which comes in a cardboard box; the floss is made of nylon. It seems there is no perfect product, but flossing is important.

    • I use POH NoWax floss. It comes in a reusable plastic canister with a metal lid and is unfortunately sold in plastic clamshell packaging. However, POH does sell floss refills that can be used to refill the reusable canister. The refills are wrapped in paper tissue and packaged in a cardboard box. Even the spool around which the floss is wound is paper. I don’t like the plastic clamshell packaging for the floss canister, but, after the initial purchase, the only plastic I am discarding is used floss.

  86. LOL. Great post! Thanks so much for writing this! Looking forward to reading your updates for this post!

  87. Hi Beth-

    I appreciate your work on this! We have a box of toothbrushes from The Environmental Toothbtush we ate working through. I remember a few years ago at Burning Man you and I briefly talked about this specific brush, and your concerns with Nylon-4 (they had switched from plastic to all paper-packaging, which I was excited about). This is good information for when we purchase our next toothbrushes (and we will have to saw off our bristle heads before we compost the handle, going forward). I’m looking forward to updates here, thank you for all your work!

  88. Great post!

    I make chew sticks out of marshmellow or root. You can make them out of all sorts of other plant materials; I prefer to use local plants. They work great and it’s the only type of toothbrush I know to be from nature and fully compostable.

    Ella Vint
    ecolove.ca

  89. I just tried the burn test on my recently bought “The Environmental Toothbrush” and sure enough it melted instead of burning.

    Thanks for sharing your tests, I’ll be more careful in my buying choices next time!

    • Unfortunately, they’re not… I was so proud to have found one of those compostable, but as I was reading your post, I tried burning one of the bristles and it melted… I’m very disapointed but thank you for opening my eyes!

    • I have contacted them and they insist that the bristles are indeed made of bamboo and, since other people have requested more details, they are pressing their provider to send them those.

      They claim that the burning test is useless (which I must agree) because vegetable based plastic or polymerized will also melt like petroleum based one. Plastic is indeed plastic but obviously one is more eco than the other.

      They also claim they have not used any glue to stick the bristles into the handle.

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