Who Gives a Crap Recycled or Bamboo Toilet Paper without Plastic
The Problem: Finding 100% recycled or tree-free toilet paper that doesn’t come wrapped in plastic. Since 2007, my toilet paper of choice has been cardboard cases of Seventh Generation recycled rolls that come individually-wrapped in thin paper wrappers. I ordered it from Amazon and even had a subscription at one time. But over the years, I’ve received comments from readers that they would order a case and it would sometimes come with plastic inside. Or that the plastic-free cases were not always available on Amazon.
A New Solution: A few months ago, I started seeing Facebook posts about a new brand of toilet paper called Who Gives a Crap. Funny name. But it sounded interesting. The company donates 50% of its profits to provide toilets and sanitation in the developing world. The toilet paper comes in two versions, bamboo or recycled paper, and is shipped in a cardboard box. At the time, only the bamboo version was available in the United States, so that’s what I ordered and tried. Today, both versions are available here in the U.S.
Disclosure: Who Gives a Crap has an incentive program for all first-time customers. If you purchase via a link in this blog post, you will receive $10 off your first order of $48 or more, and I will receive a $10 credit on my next order. After that, you will be able to offer and receive the same deal when you share with your friends via your own special link.
Who Gives a Crap Bamboo Toilet Paper vs. Seventh Generation Recycled Toilet Paper
They both come shipped in cardboard boxes. Unfortunately, when I first ordered Who Gives a Crap back in February, the product was new to the United States, and during that early testing phase, the company was only able to stock the smaller sized cases of 24, so when a customer placed an order for a case of 48 (as I did), they were shipped two 24-roll cases banded together with plastic straps. The reason for the straps was to avoid paying double the cost to ship two separate packages, which makes sense. But the plastic straps were obviously a problem for me.
Today, the sales volume has increased enough that Who Gives a Crap is able to stock both size boxes in the U.S., so when we order a case of 48, they come in one big box.
As with Seventh Generation toilet paper, the rolls come individually wrapped in thin paper. No plastic.
What these rolls have that Seventh Gen’s don’t is the statement, “50% of our profits are donated to build toilets.” What that actually means is that the company donates half its profits to non-profit organizations like WaterAid working to improve access to hygiene, water and basic sanitation in developing countries. According to the company’s website, as of this writing, they have already donated $1,175,000.
So, what about the price? As you can see in the image below, the sheets look approximately the same size. (Seventh Gen is on the left. Who Gives is on the right.) Both rolls contain 500 2-ply sheets. But Seventh Gen is sold in cases of 60 and Who Gives in cases of 48. Doing the math based on the Amazon price tonight (which is always subject to change) Who Gives a Crap is 16% less expensive than Seventh Gen, and both prices include shipping. Of course, if you order for the first time via my product link, you get an additional $10 off. You can figure out that additional math.
Which one is softer? Hands down, Who Gives a Crap bamboo toilet paper is softer. I haven’t compared their recycled toilet paper to Seventh Gen because it wasn’t available in the U.S. when I first ordered, so this may be an unfair comparison.
Asking the Hard Questions
But what about the ecological footprint of turning bamboo into toilet paper or the fact that most recycled toilet paper contains BPA? And how is the toilet paper so white when the wrapper states that it’s chlorine-free? I sent a ton of questions to Phil King, head of product and sourcing for Who Gives a Crap. It took many months for him to find time to answer my questions and for me to find time to follow up. But we got it done. I hope that this interview answers any remaining questions that you might have. Ultimately, the choice between bamboo and recycled toilet paper (or any toilet paper at all) is a personal choice, and I don’t think there are any absolute right or wrong answers.
1.) Why did Who Gives a Crap decide to individually wrap its TP in paper and ship in cardboard boxes rather than using plastic?
As you can probably imagine, we’re not big fans of single-use plastics and hate to see the oodles of plastic used to wrap toilet rolls in supermarkets and most online retailers. For us, finding a way to do away with plastic wrapping entirely was a must from day one. It’s not only a great environmental choice, but we think it’s turned an otherwise boring household item into something beautiful and worth proudly displaying in your bathroom. The design aspect of our packaging is important for us as we’ve transformed something dull into something fun and shareable. This makes it natural and easy for our customers to gift our rolls and share on social media, hopefully encouraging more people to switch to a more sustainable choice!
A related question we often get asked is; ‘why wrap them at all?’. We actually need to wrap the rolls to keep them moisture free and hygienic in transit – we can’t just put them in a cardboard box unwrapped. We’ve explored a number of other options, including wrapping in larger paper bags or other configurations. However, wrapping the rolls in anything larger than 6 packs wasn’t possible due to strength issues. Wrapping in 6 packs would have required a much higher grade of paper so the net paper usage (by weight) was actually roughly the same either way. Therefore, wrapping each roll individually in paper made the most sense, economically, environmentally and from a design perspective – so it was an easy choice for us. We’ve also increased the sheet count per roll (400 sheets for our core recycled product) which is in some cases more than four times as many sheets per roll as our supermarket competitors. It’s crazy when you think about all of the extra packaging, inner cores and inefficient shipping that we’ve saved by making our rolls longer!
2.) Can you tell me more about the paper wrappers, cardboard tubes, and cardboard boxes? Are they made from recycled content?
The inner cores of our toilet paper and paper towels, and all our shipping cartons are made from recycled cardboard. Unfortunately for the toilet roll wrappers, we’ve been unable to get the print quality high enough using recycled paper. We use soy inks where we can, and we’re actively seeking out printers that can do this for us throughout the process.
3.) Your website says that the bamboo is grown in plantations. Can you please describe where the plantations are and how they are overseen?
Our bamboo is predominantly grown in the Sichuan Province of China by local farmers who plant bamboo on the outskirts of their family farms to supplement their income. It’s the perfect crop in small villages – it requires no tending, irrigation or fertilisation and only needs to be harvested once a year. When harvested, bamboo is aggregated by village / regional co-operatives, chipped and then delivered to a local factory for pulping.
4.) Your website says that to make the bamboo toilet paper, “we just pulp the clean fibers at super high temperatures.†Are there any chemicals besides water needed to turn the bamboo into toilet paper?
A thermochemical process is used to convert the raw bamboo into finished paper. In simple terms, that means the bamboo is pulverised and then cooked at high temperatures to break down the fibres in the first instance. Beat that MasterChef! The broken-down fibres then go through a set of steps to isolate the fibres and, in the case of our bamboo product, whiten them using the same chemicals used to make conventional virgin wood paper, like hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide. The liquid mix is then drawn onto giant drums at high speed where they re-form, bond and dry as toilet paper.
The process shouldn’t be confused for that used to make bamboo textiles and ‘non-wovens’ (used in wet wipes or nappies for instance). Those products demand a spinnable fibre (which toilet paper doesn’t) and demand different chemicals and a more intensive process – it is this process that is often where public criticism of bamboo production processes comes from, not the thermo-chemical production we use.
5.) Your FAQ says that you don’t use chlorine, inks, or dyes, which is great. How do you turn the paper white? (Note: This question was sent in February. The FAQ has been changed since then.)
Our toilet paper has always been elemental-chlorine free, as well as free from inks, dyes, and scents. However, we decided that the chlorine claim could be open to confusion and therefore wasn’t in line with our transparency-driven ethos – as a result, we’ve dropped the claim from our marketing.
To answer your question, it’s not possible (to our knowledge) to make a white paper product without using some form of bleaching. You actually end up with a dull beige or rather unappealing gray paper. While this might not be an issue for the most dedicated consumers, we are trying to build a hugely scalable impact business and feel that strategically it is important, and more impactful, if our products can also appeal to more ‘mainstream’ consumers for whom environmental product choices may not come as easily. We need to be able to make it easy for these consumers to make the switch to more responsible products like ours in order to grow our impact and reach our goal of helping everyone in the world access a toilet. These consumers are generally already buying toilet paper made from trees, so we know we can also have a very powerful environmental impact by switching them to a tree-free product like ours.
To answer your question about the whitening process more specifically, in the case of our recycled paper, our factory focuses on sourcing input materials that are as close to white in the first instance (to minimise the need for any whitening), and then uses a blend of hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide-based detergents (commonly referred to as elemental chlorine free or ECF, so no chlorine gas is used) to remove any residual inks and dyes. Hydrogen peroxide is a naturally occurring bleaching, oxidising and disinfecting agent and is commonly used in medicine as an antiseptic – it even occurs naturally in our bodies!
For bamboo, our process is also ECF but does not involve hydrogen peroxide. We are currently going deeper into the pulping process to understand to what degree derivatives of chlorine may be present. That research includes visits upstream in the production process to plantation and pulping facilities as well as further investigations to determine whether there may be environmentally better solutions available.
6.) How is the wastewater from the papermaking process handled?
The waste water in the tissue paper making process is recycled, but it can only be used once or twice before it is then treated and returned to municipal water systems. We work with a combination of 3rd party and in-person visits to check that water is processed to local and international environmental standards.
7) Many people are wary of buying products made in China. Can you describe how you oversee the facility where the toilet paper is made and what measures are in place to ensure that environmental standards are maintained?
We understand why people are wary about manufacturing in China – we certainly were when we started out! However, we think it’s important to stress that, like any country, China has a huge range of producers – from the very ethical to the downright shady. We’ve visited more than 100 Chinese factories and seen the full range. We’re confident that our producers are at the much more ethical and sustainable end of the spectrum or we wouldn’t be working with them. To ensure our standards are maintained, we use a combination of in-person visits and 3rd party audit and accreditation via the BSCI scheme, which has a very detailed approach and set of guidelines. Compliance by our producers is tested, audited and used to drive improvement where opportunities exist. The core philosophy focuses broadly on the areas ethics, human right and worker rights, health and safety and environment.
8) Regarding your recycled toilet paper, some people are avoid recycled toilet paper because traces of BPA have been found in it (probably due to people adding thermal paper to their paper recycling.) Do you test for the presence of BPA in the recycled toilet paper?
We focus on paper sources which exclude thermal paper and, yes, we run regular tests to ensure that BPA is not present in our paper.
Our recycled paper options are also now available to all of our North American customers, in addition to our bamboo products. If you’re looking for the best environmental option, we recommend our 100% recycled toilet paper. The bamboo option is also a much better choice than conventional tree-full toilet paper found in supermarkets, but the overall carbon footprint is lowest with our recycled products.
9) Scott Tissues has recently released a core-less version of their toilet paper, eliminating the cardboard tube entirely. Would this be something that Who Gives a Crap would consider in order to eliminate even more waste? Why or why not?
Absolutely! We’re always looking for ways to improve our products’ environmental buttprint (sorry, we had to get at least one pun in here!) and core-less rolls is definitely something we’d consider.
So, what do you think? Is this a better option than Seventh Generation from Amazon? Have you moved beyond toilet paper to family cloth or rinsing with water? After we use up the bamboo rolls we bought (which we still haven’t really started on, except for my test roll, because we still have so much Seventh Gen to get through), I’ll try Who Gives a Crap’s recycled version and see if I like it better.
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I ordered a box of WTC toilet paper upon suggestion of my UK friend who used it there. I live in Canada. So, in ordering it, I asked many questions. I had lived in the US for years, and after hearing that the US population throws away enough toilet paper rolls to pile up and down the Twin Towers that were then standing, I started buying tubeless TP from Target. When we moved back to BC, people and sales clerks thought I was verifiably nuts. So I started investigating TP companies. I could only find one company in Ontario that ships in boxes of 48, but I had to pay for the shipping from Ontario. It is the company that my workplace uses, and people c/o of the quality. It comes in individually wrapped rolls, and I can’t understand the purpose of that if the rolls are being used in the same place, such as my home. I couldn’t afford the shipping. They made their TP out of post-consumer waster. I could not get any answer as to whether it was Canadian post consumer waste, as I know a lot of companies transport post consumer waste from China to make products in North America. Think of the carbon footprint of that. In Canada we grow a lot of trees.
The NDRC gave WTC a good rating. However, what upset me was they make it out of post consumer waste from China, made in China, then it is shipping to the East Coast of the US, where it was shipped to me on the west coast of Canada!! I didn’t like that shipping issue. I am not clear as they “open up to Canada” whether it just means a warehouse in BC and Ontario, or it comes from China directly to Canada. However, I am not keep about the whole post consumer waste in another country. Canada makes enough of it here. I am not convinced that the artistic wrapping paper is recycled properly here, and I am not using it to wrap gifts as their site says to do. My 93 year old mother would not be delighted to see a gift wrapped with their slogan. Also, although their profit donation is commendable for work in 3rd countries, but I already champion a water campaign for providing fresh water in 3rd world countries. I believe that many Indigenous communities in the US could really use good sanitation systems, I have worked on a few. Can’t say in Canada.
So I have decided my next order is going to be TP from Canadian post consumer waste that a company in Ontario makes and then pays to ship in bulk the boxes of rolls to a couple of stores on the west coast, so the carbon issue of shipping is decreased. Due to quarantine in a very remote area, with no TP available for weeks in the local small stores, I adapted, as a female I started using bamboo face clothes for #1 that were on sale: 6 for $6.50 Cdn. We had a washer. For the other used the paper products in our cupboards and the shower next to the toilet, (common in most homes in NA??). I can’t get my teenagers to get on board, but the amount of money that we are no longer flushing down the drain. I still don’t understand why the toilet paper roll is needed. However, I feel like I have researched this in my country and will buy products made in my country and used in my country.
whats up with the plastic wrapped around the 2 boxes???
Were you able to try the recycled paper version? Do you still use who gives a crap?
Purchasing goods from China is one of the worst things you can do and increases your carbon footprint on the planet. You can buy toilet paper from a janitorial supply company. Comes individually wrapped in boxes.
I’ve been trying to find out what percentage of the WGaC paper is from post-consumer waste. The carbon footprint of post-consumer pulp is much lower than “100% recycled”, which is pretty much sawmill waste (which otherwise would have been used in wood products for construction, at least here in the US Pacific Northwest). There’s a really excellent analysis by the NRDC of environmental impacts of toilet paper at
https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/issue-tissue-how-americans-are-flushing-forests-down-toilet-report.pdf
They also discuss the issues of bamboo (currently all coming from China) and the possibility that it comes from lands deforested to create bamboo plantations, with all of the climate impacts that entails. The only reliable way to avoid this is to insist on FSC-certified bamboo. I have seen nothing about WGaC’s bamboo toilet paper and whether it is from FSC-certified sources.
As far as the concern about BPA risk from post-consumer paper pulp, it’s probably not the problem that people fear (excellent discussion at:
https://grist.org/living/ask-umbra-is-there-really-bpa-in-my-recycled-buttwipe/)
The concentration is extremely low, and the exposure would be tiny compared to taking it internally, such as from water bottles, jar lids, and so forth.
Anyhow, if you have learned anything about post-consumer content of WGaC toilet paper, please let the world know. Otherwise, I’ll probably keep buying Natural Value by the (cardboard) case.
I am wonder the same thing about % of post consumer content.
Updated link? I so appreciate the review! I have been amazing subscribed to the Scott core free and it’s gone now. This seems like a great choice.
Hi. Sorry for the delay. I got bogged down with family and holiday stuff. Here’s a new one: https://www.talkable.com/x/5XaRZ4
Hi Beth, when you have a chance, could you please update the referral code? The link is expired.
thanks!
Hi. Sorry for the delay. Here’s a new one: https://www.talkable.com/x/5XaRZ4
Would you mind sharing the updated link again? It has expired from this summer already. Thanks!!
Hi. Sorry for the delay. Here’s a new one: https://www.talkable.com/x/5XaRZ4
This is literally the exact type of product research that I need when making sustainable choices. Thank you for digging deep into the bamboo vs recycled toilet paper. Ordering who gives a crap now! I was previously ordering seventh generation through Grove Collaborative but because I live alone and don’t need 48 rolls of toilet paper, I ended up buying the 12 pack, which came in plastic and I felt awfully guilty about it. Going for the least amount of rolls from who gives a crap now, no plastic yay!
Great article but its made in China. Shipping from China to the US seems like a huge carbon footprint and not very sustainable. Have you ever tried a water sprayer atrached to uour toilet and a small towel to dry off? I have. Its cleaner and cheaper
Great article and comparison. Glad to know that Phil King readily admits that their recycled products are more environmentally friendly than their bamboo. Been on the fence about trying a zero plastic product forever and this pushed me over the edge!
In your blog post, your referral link says for first purchase of $30 or more. When you click on that (or the updated ones below), the site says first purchase of $48 or more… Any idea how to update and/or get around that? Want to give it a try before I drop $50! Thanks!
Thanks for letting me know the minimum purchase amount has changed. I have edited the post.
How well do both products break down in the septic tank?
We use Tushy TP (their main product is an easy to install bidet). Bamboo, NO chlorine or bleach, NO bpa and NO plastic. They also have EXCELLENT customer service. hellotushy.com. Love love love them!
Thank you for the post! I’ve been looking for environmental-friendly toilet paper and I’m gonna give bamboo paper a try. Do you mind updating the link in the yellow box? I think it’s once again expired.
Here’s a new updated link: https://www.talkable.com/x/M5q1Z0
Are you still using this product and do you have an updated referral code?
Here’s a new updated link: https://www.talkable.com/x/M5q1Z0
How about stop using toilet paper all together? Ever given it any thought? I use very light cloth for my personal issues. Of course, not the same cloth for the face as I use for the lower half. Anytime I use it, I just rinse it out and hang it in a inconspicuous place to dry.
Recently, I came to the conclusion that it was such a shame to turn a magnificent tree into something that I use to wipe the waste of my ass. I cant believe we have been doing this for years without even a second thought about our beautiful forests.
I have a question: what about the carbon emissions from the production and especially, the shipping to the UK?
They are currently shipping to the UK by large sea freighters, according to their FAQ. They dispatch to UK and Europe from the South West and if there’s enough European demand at some point, they’ll look into more sustainable distribution options for this side of the world, such as manufacturing here for example.
Unfortunately their tissues come with a plastic insert in the box so the company are not plastic-free! They say it is oxy-biodegradable – needing 6-8 hours of sun and oxygen to degrade. Hardly likely to happen in a land-fill site! Disappointed.
Put it outside in your garden to do it then.
I still would like the complicated version of how the thermochemical process works exactly.
Bummer, doesn’t ship to Alaska.
Argh, exactly! I’m so disappointed.
Thank you so much for this post! I was really excited to order the Who Gives a Crap toilet paper, but unfortunately they do not ship to Alaska. It is a bummer because in your interview with Phil King he said that the recycled products are available to all North American costumers. I emailed the company with my thoughts on why they should expand their market to Alaska, although I do understand shipping can be difficult and expensive to ship here. I still think they are an awesome company and hope to buy their product soon.
Update, I got an email from the company. Because of the cost they no longer ship to Alaska and Hawaii, which is understandable. They hope to in the future though, so I look forward to that! :)
Says WGaC link (below in comments) is expired. Do you have a current one? Thanks for the great review–pushed me over the edge :)
Did you try the link in the yellow box three paragraphs down in the post? It works.
Nope, total operator failure. had just tried the one below. Thanks!
Thank you so much for the tough questions you asked. In a very nice way! Your article was extremely informative. I didn’t realize this product was made in China…which is cause for concern to me because of the abuse of China by large greedy corporations polluting their country. But your followup questions were very helpful! I will be giving this product a try and ordering it through you so you can get your 10% discount! You earned it!
I don’t know… Kinda seems like this whole article is for shit. womp womp womp…
THANK YOU! After this awesome review, I just ordered, and set up recurring delivery. Another big step towards a plastic free home. yay!
Beth – I ordered the bamboo toilet paper and some of the paper towels. I forgot your caution about them banding multiple packages together, and sure enough, the paper towels and TP were boxed separately and shipped together with plastic bands. Is there any way to recycle or repurpose those bands? Thanks.
I’m sorry to hear that. I don’t know of a way to recycle those bands.
This sounds great, except for the whitening process. We need to ask ourselves why we need flour to be white ? Why do we need white toilet paper to wipe our bums with? I want a product free of these harsh chemicals. I’m ok with beige or gray. I’d also like one without the centre cardboard tube. That’s my wish list.
I remember when toilet tissue, facial tissues, and paper towels came in colors and patterns to match our décor. How many of our rooms are now grey/beige or the new color greige. I would welcome the change.
I totally agree.. I never use bleach.. I have no problem using grayish or beige TP. Seriously!!! Much appreciated article… lots to have read.. haven’t figured $ yet… my reading is better than my math!!😂
I’ve been using WGaC for a few years now and recommend it! I’ve tried both versions and find that the recycled version is not as good quality-wise as the bamboo, and therefore I used it up more quickly, so I just re-order the bamboo version.
I love the Who Gives a Crap bamboo. They also offer tissues and kitchen paper rolls in Australia.
The best thing is the individual wrapping that is patterned! I re-use these as wrapping paper for small gifs and for making degradable seedling pots for my vegetable plot.
I’d like to make a more environmental switch but if I’m paying double the price for conventional toilet paper it should be chlorine free. If people are making this choice…..they want the most environmentally friendly option. Make that change and my family and I will be consumers plus production cost should drop for who gives a crap.
I’ve been using WGaC for almost a year now, and I love it. It’s no Charmin UltraSoft, but it gets the job done, and that’s what really matters. Looking at some of the comments below, I think what’s important to keep in mind is that there is always a trade off when it comes to the environment. Maybe one day, we will live in a world where there is a clear-cut decision of what the most environmental decision is, but as the world stands today, we have to choose products based on our values, whether that is using recycled materials, avoiding plastic, or contributing to businesses that promote and provide social change. All of these are moving in the right direction and I honestly think that as long as each decision is made mindfully with honest intent, that that is a good decision.
– Shannon @ MamaEco.com
Plastic banding on the box. Not so good.
The article says they improved that and now the 48 rolls come in one big box with no plastic banding.
The chlorine dioxide (ClO2) used in the bleaching process is a toxic substance:
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine_dioxide).
How is this material handled by the workers? Also, there was no explanation about what happens when the ClO2 is mixed with the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) during the bleaching process. Is hydrogen chloride gas (HCl_gas) or hydrochloric acid (HCl_liquid) produced? If so, these are also toxic chemicals: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_chloride) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrochloric_acid).
I am skeptical that this is a “green” product.
It is fairly basic chemistry – only water and oxygen are released. The chlorine dioxide stays “intact” and acts as a catalyst to split the hydogren peroxide. The oxidation coming out of the hydrogen peroxide whitens the paper.
I have been buying WGaC toilet paper for just over a year now. My primary reason was that it was wrapped in paper, not in plastic. However, I have recently discovered that plastic bags are more environmentally friendly than paper ones producing approximately 4 times as much greenhouse gas as plastic. The only place where the plastic ones score more highly is in the litter consideration. This is only a problem if plastic is not disposed of correctly. I now have a dilemma. I like the fact that WGaC gives 50% of it’s profits to charities like Wateraid, but what to do about the wrapping?
Where do *these* statistics about paper producing 4 times more GHGs as plastic come from?! I’m sure it depends on where the paper comes from, and here’s what ‘proper disposal’ of plastic is: straight into the Earth, to never be decomposed, into eternity.
This was a great read! I’ve switched to family cloth, we’ve installed bidets on two of our four toilets (and will be doing the other two eventually,) and my partner uses the cloth when he’s using the bathrooms with the bidets. I haven’t sold him on the idea of wetting the cloth before doing what he needs to do yet.
We keep TP on hand for guests and for him for those times when he doesn’t use the cloth. We use Tree Free brand, which we simply pick up at our local grocery’s organics aisle. Tree Free is also wrapped in paper. We don’t need more than three rolls at a time, and it lasts us a long time. It’s good to know about bulk options, though!
Same comment as last person. Says your link has expired. Can you update please? Thanks!
Hi. Try this link: https://www.talkable.com/x/dkaKzF I have updated the post.
Went to order this via your link (ya I’m late) and got a message to ask you to share your link again as it was expired.
Thanks for letting me know. I’ll look into it.
Sorry for the delay. Try this link: https://www.talkable.com/x/dkaKzF I have updated the post.
Thanks for the informative post. Would you mind sharing an updated discount link? It expired again.
Thank you for this article. I’m going to order some WGAC bamboo paper once my current supply runs out. I’d love to use your referral link but I’m in the UK. Will it still work or do I need to find a UK based code?
Unfortunately, I think you need to find a UK-based code.
Hello Naomi, I’m based in the uk and wondering if you had any luck finding the WGAC paper on line or other?
Hi there all , not sure if youve found a uk code to use , but i found one on eco-boost.co for £5 off my first order about 3weeks ago so should be still active ?? The bamboo toilet rolls are great
I’d like to see less sinophobia in the “enviro” movement. China is doing more for environmental impacts than amerika and other western countries. They are also Marxist Leninist, so by buying products made in China, you are supporting the largest proletariat communist party in the world. If you seriously want to decrease yours and everybody else’s environmental footprint, you would be anti-capitalist and certainly anti-imperialist.
I purchased a hand held bidet washer to keep the toilet paper out of the septic system. I highly recommend one of these for that nice clean feeling. https://rinseworks.com/product/abt-360-the-aquaus-360-handheld-bidet-for-toilet-nsf-certified-3-year-warranty
Thank you for this thorough research on these two TPs. I took your suggestion and started with the Amazon 60 rolls, and right now we have enough to last well over 6 months, but I’m going to end my subscription and try Who Gives a Crap for the next time. I love how much thought and effort the company puts into making a great product and furthering the mission to clean up communities through toilets for developing countries.
Yes, thank you, I have always wondered why they wrap each of the rolls seperately :D
Thanks for this post. I have been purchasing the recycled toilet paper wrapped in paper from Natural Grocers. The price is comparable and am immediately jumping to WGAC to give it a try. We are not terribly picky over here and often make sacrifices on comfort and convenience to avoid a larger impact on the environment, so i’m sure we’ll be sticking with it. I suppose anyone reading this is here trying to do the same thing. I always appreciate the tips and shared this link with wild abandon. :)
I’m also a NYC resident and have no where to store even 24 rolls of toilet paper at a time. I’d be more inclined to buy if they had a 12 roll option
Fewer rolls means more packaging waste. Could you split with a friend or two?
Why should smaller households be inconvenienced because they don’t need as much as a large house full of people? If anything, larger homes already have a larger footprint anyway, and that’s certainly true if people have kids.
I live in Australia and I have used WGaC products for ages. I use the wrapping to wrap gifts or line my compost bin. The cardboard rolls are great for art and craft. I gift toilet paper to family and friends and what I haven’t used by my next delivery I donate to our local food security pantry. My workplace uses WGaC as do many local cafes. Customer service is excellent. I love that I can postpone a delivery if I haven’t used enough of my current stash. I receive an email asking me if I am ready for my next order. I thoroughly endorse this product.
Tarn, Do you prefer the recycled paper TP or the bamboo? Thx!
I’ve tried bamboo but not this brand and thought it was terrible. I ended up going back to the Costco brand of TP. Plus the rolls are larger. Most companies are shaving an inch or so off the width of their toilet paper to boost profits. Bamboo is an incredibly hard wood and getting it into these final products for consumer satisfaction is probably expensive and wasteful. Don’t ever buy clothing made of bamboo, the process of converting a hard wood like bamboo to fabric is very wasteful.
Actually, bamboo is not a wood but a grass, and while converting it into fabric for clothing is a chemically-intense process, converting it into paper is less so, and certainly less environmentally damaging than converting trees (which grow much more slowly than grasses like bamboo) into paper.
Thanks for the correction. :) I’ll stick with the Costco brand. It’s so freaking inexpensive compared to all these enviro boutique brands. And they haven’t changed the width of the rolls. It’s also just better quality than any others I’ve used.
Thanks for sharing! I have started my Zero Waste journey and I this was one of the things that I have struggled to find so great recommendation! :)
I’m also a huge new fan of Who Gives a Crap! LOVE the T.P. and paper towels…. But why are they putting those plastic bands on the outside of the boxes? Ugh!
My order was the same! Two strips of plastic packaging tape on the outside of the box. What a bummer!
But still, I figure that two pieces of tape is better than a large overall plastic wrap. Will try their Premium Banboo TP next time.
I live in England and have been purchasing WGAC toilet paper for about a year now. Our box is delivered to the door without any plastic bands so it is possible.
I’m about to order some and am also in England – I wondered if you have a referral code as the one in the article above won’t work as it is for the US.
I ordered facial tissue and paper towels. They came in 2 boxes plastic-banded together, each sealed with plastic tape. Also confirming plastic windows on the facial tissue boxes.
End the discussion-Use a bidet!!!!! No paper needed :-)
Thanks for this article on toilet paper. I took the plunge (ha!ha!) and ordered some. I’ll let you know what we think. If this product is as good as it seems, I’ll happily share the information with others in the sustainability community and with my friends and family. Thanks!
Be aware that there is plastic in their facial tissue packaging.
Thanks for this! I’ve been buying the drugstore house brands of single, paper-wrapped rolls and was looking for a more eco-friendly in other ways option. Ordered a case of the recycled ones using your link, and was amazed by the speedy – 2-day!!! – free delivery right to my door. I’m set for a year now! Don’t know if I can get my friends to try it, but I’ll give it a shot.
Eve, using white tissue paper, stack three rolls and make a snowman… perfect winter-themed gift for hostesses, friends and family ;) (Plus there isn’t any waste and it will all be used ;) )
Why do t they TRY pfferung the beige/grey and see how it goes… we switched for our coffee filters, why not t.p.? It’s a PROCESS. Gotta start somewhere…
This is such a thorough review of the toilet paper, thank you for introducing us to Who Gives a C.! I’m with Marcia. A beige or grey color wouldn’t bother me at all, but I do understand that it would bother most people. After all, we grew up with white.
I bought them this year in USA as shopping for T.Paper is less than thrilling on just about any measure. I have now bought them here in Australia for the same reason. ( it’s an Australian company!)
Lia, can you get together with a few neighbors and share a box? Really worth it.😀
I for one would happily purchase grey/beige non-bleached toilet paper! I wonder if they have any plans to produce it for those of us who would…. Thanks for this great, eye-opening post!
This is wonderful! The interview answered all of my questions!
I have been using Scott’s tubeless rolls for a couple months and at first wondered if this company would consider tubeless as well! I hope they decide to do so.
Thank you,
Victoria
Wow thank you so much for this very detailed post! I have never heard of this company. I would love to try, but the quantities are too much for me. I live alone in a NYC apartment so I usually buy 3 rolls at a time and that lasts me a while haha. I could easily store 6, but my max is probably 12 rolls. If you could pass that onto to your Who Gives contact, that would be great! I think you’ll have more sway as a blogger than I will hah.
The good thing about wgac is that the rolls are wrapped individually and the paper design is lovely. I’d just stack them up around your loo rather than looking for a place to store them away. Or, as another commenter suggested, group together with others to buy a box. As stated on the interview they don’t offer them in smaller quantities because of the shipping and packaging waste involved.
At first here in Aus you could only buy wgac in bulk from the website. However, now there are loads of shops offering it for sale by the roll. Pretty sure that will happen soon in the US as well.
I think it’s awesome! I have an auto-immune disease that worsen with chemicals like BPA so I’ve been cutting trees for years now just to wipe myself! I’ve been using washable wipes when I can but I still use toilet paper for you know what. I will definitely look into it. Thanks a lot!
I too have autoimmune disease and two other issues and so I’ve been avoiding recycled paper products due to BPA. What a toxic work we’ve created.
I”m so intrigued by this company and plan on trying them out when I run out of my current supply of TP. Does the bamboo toilet paper have any negative effects on the public sewer system?
No. It’s the same as toilet paper made from trees in that regard.
I haven’t researched it much, but we’ve been using Mercal small steps, I believe that’s 100% recycled. Though one time we ordered it it came in a big plastic bag. I also saw recently that the no-brand store has bamboo toilet paper for $3 a 12-pack, not sure how that comes packaged.
$3 for a 12 pack? What does that tell you about the quality and ethics of the company that makes and sells it? At that price there is no way that the company is producing the product ethically or sustainably and I’d hate to think the conditions their workers endure