We all use bathroom tissue, but how do you know which brands are the best to choose? Nearly all brands sold in supermarkets are made with virgin paper (10 million trees cut down annually) from temperate forests (the northern ones that are home to creatures like grizzly bears, moose and elk). And after destroying their homes to make loo roll, the paper is then bleached with chlorine (to make it white – or dyed with chemicals for coloured toilet paper)) and imported to be made into bathroom tissue, usually sold in plastic packaging. And unless you choose the scratchy 1-ply toilet issue, most ‘luxury toilet paper’ is too thick to flush properly, so ends up clogging drains (which means hefty plumber bills) and this in turn even causes garden floods.
This site is all about affordable and ‘everyday normal’ so we aren’t going to go there with ‘washable toilet paper’ (most people won’t go this far) nor bidets (good alternatives, but most people don’t have one).
avoid ‘luxury thick’ toilet roll brands
These are the ones that (like wet wipes which should never be flushed down toilets) cause toilets to block. Ideally, go for an eco-friendly 3-ply toilet roll (this is comfy on your tush, but not too thick to cause plumbing blockages). Likewise, avoid coloured toilet rolls, as these use chemical dyes.
choose bathroom tissue made from recycled paper
This is the most eco choice as it’s locally made (unlike bamboo, more on that below). 3-ply recycled paper bathroom tissue is as soft as premium brands, more affordable and uses up paper wase. Buy it on subscription from:
Who Gives a Crap? offers 400-sheet rolls of 3-ply recycled paper bathroom tissue in fun packaging, with 50% of profits used to bring clean sanitation to people who need it. Use code TP4EVA for £5 off subscription (one time discount valid for new subscribers, not to use with other discount codes).
Serious Tissues is made in the Midlands from 100% recycled newspapers and cereal boxes, free from dyes and scents and sold in plastic-free packaging. Each roll contains 250 rolls of thick 2-ply paper (better value than supermarket brands) and is naturally off-white, using non-chlorine bleaching agent to remove inks. The company can supply wholesale to shops, offices, pubs, restaurants, hotels, tourism establishments etc. A tree is planted for each box sold.
do supermarkets sell eco-friendly toilet paper?
Tesco & Sainsbury’s both now offer recycled paper bathroom tissue in paper packaging. But their 2-ply sheets have less on a roll, so you’ll use more (so it’s a false economy compared to above brands).
if chosen, buy 100% bamboo toilet paper
Which? recently carried out a survey and found many ‘pure bamboo’ toilet paper brands contain only small percentages of bamboo fibres, mixed with other fibres like eucalyptus – Spain has now banned new plantations, due to these highly flammable trees causing wildfires, when over-planted.
Bamboo is used because it’s a naturally-fast growing grass, but it grows in China, so obviously has to be shipped here, and is more expensive. The reason that it’s used is because it’s very silky soft, so often used as an alternative to luxury brands. However 3-ply recycled paper toilet paper is fine for most people. If you do purchase bamboo toilet paper, again buy from Who Gives a Crap?, one brand that was found to be using 100% bamboo (and again, it’s sold in paper packaging with 50% of profits helping to bring clean sanitation to developing countries).
how to unblock a loo with too much toilet paper
Pour a cup or two of baking soda into the toilet pan, then follow with the same amount of cleaning vinegar (it will fizz). Then after 10 minutes, pour a kettle of water into the pan. This should clear it, if not repeat one or two more times.
Luigi toilet plunger is a one-time £15 purchase that is 8 times stronger and flexible to go right inside the u-bend to unclog toilets. It’s also easy to clean (just add a little oxygen bleach (not chlorine bleach) to the toilet bowl, then plunge in clean water).
an inventive sustainable wet wipe alternative
Wype is a vegan-friendly biodegradable wet wipe alternative, the cause of 90% of all sewer blockages in England (lobbyists push governments to avoid bans, due to the market being worth £20 billion worldwide). The third most common source of beach litter, now instead you can use this organic gel in an easy-to-recycle bottle that you simply add to bathroom tissue, to turn into a homemade wet wipe. Made with soothing aloe vera and chamomile, the push-button formula makes it easy to use.
inspirational bathroom tissues from abroad
It’s always nice to see what other companies are doing over the water, as England is not just an island, it’s part of planet earth! Rollieco (US) offers beautiful packs of 3-ply recycled toilet paper, with no dyes or scent (and again in double 400-length rolls, compared to supermarkets).
How We Roll (AU) offers 3-ply toilet roll made from recycled paper, sent in cardboard boxes. This brand features beautiful designs by a local artist, and the rolls are wave-embossed for extra cushy for your tushy!
