Bamboo vs recycled toilet paper: Which is better?
You use toilet paper, we use toilet paper, everyone (nearly everyone) uses toilet paper.
And we don’t just use it, we use it every single day. Multiple times a day, even. The impact adds up, not just on the planet but on our skin and wallets as well.
At Naked Paper, we make toilet paper (and kitchen roll, and tissues) in both bamboo and recycled options. But is bamboo or recycled the greener choice, and which is right for your home?
Bamboo toilet paper: the pluses and minuses
✅ The pluses
Naturally soft and strong
Bamboo fibres are smooth and long, which makes bamboo toilet paper noticeably softer than other fibre options. Many new customers comment on this, especially if they’re switching from standard white rolls made from bleached pine, or recycled paper.
Renewable raw material
Bamboo is a fast-growing grass that doesn’t need replanting after harvest. When grown responsibly, it produces large amounts of fibre using relatively little land and water. Unlike the monoculture tree plantations where commercial timber is grown it can grow at commercial scale in natural forests.
Hypoallergenic and gentle
Bamboo is naturally hypoallergenic and antibacterial, making it a good choice for sensitive skin. Our bamboo toilet paper, tissues, and paper kitchen towels are all bleach-free and free from PFAS and other harsh chemicals.
⚠️ The minuses
Transport can add emissions
Most bamboo toilet paper on the market is manufactured in China, then shipped as bulky finished rolls. That means transporting a lot of air.
At Naked Paper, we avoid this by shipping compact bamboo pulp, not finished rolls, and manufacturing everything at our fossil-fuel-free factory in Spain. But this efficient transport still has a footprint. Our bamboo toilet paper has significantly lower emissions than standard UK recycled or virgin wood toilet paper, but not as low as our recycled.
Usually costs more
The softness and environmental credentials of bamboo mean that it’s often priced as a premium product. While we work hard to make sure our bamboo toilet paper is the same price, or cheaper, than standard UK toilet paper options, but our recycled rolls have the edge on price.
Recycled toilet paper: pros and cons
✅ The pros
Lowest overall environmental impact
Recycled toilet paper is made using waste material that has already served a purpose. Our recycled rolls are made from cardboard boxes and packaging paper collected in the area around our factory. We make particularly good use of the tonnes of large cardboard boxes that local supermarkets receive with their daily deliveries!
This efficient local supply chain means that recycled toilet paper has the lowest CO₂e emissions of all our products.
Great value
Waste products are usually cheaper than virgin materials to source, so recycled toilet paper is typically the most affordable option. This is the case for Naked Paper, and it’s true for our recycled kitchen roll and recycled tissues as well as our toilet paper.
Drain-friendly
Recycled fibres have already had one round of processing, so their fibres are shorter than virgin timber. This means they break down quickly in water, making recycled toilet paper especially good for septic tanks and older plumbing.
⚠️ The cons
Different texture
Recycled fibres are shorter than bamboo fibres, so recycled toilet paper can feel a little less silky. That said, we’ve spent years refining our recycled toilet paper at Naked Paper, and many customers describe our recycled rolls as surprisingly soft compared to other recycled brands.
Harsh chemicals and bleach (not with Naked Paper!)
Making recycled toilet paper from old cardboard boxes and packaging paper is very unusual, most companies still use printed office paper and glossy leaflets to make their tissue.
Material like this carries a lot of ink, so recycled toilet paper manufacturers will use industrial bleaching and de-inking chemicals to whiten their rolls. There’s also the risk that these materials carry BPA; a hormone-disrupting chemical that’s found in lots of waste paper products.
We’re happy to say there’s none of this – no bleach, no harsh chemicals, and no BPA in Naked Paper recycled rolls. Our finished recycled products come out the same pale brown colour as the unbleached card and paper we use to make them.
Bamboo vs Recycled: The Final Verdict
So, which is more eco-friendly: bamboo or recycled toilet paper? As is often the case, it depends how it’s made.
At Naked Paper:
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Recycled toilet paper has the edge on impact and price
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Bamboo toilet paper wins on softness and it’s naturally hypoallergenic.
Both options are:
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manufactured without fossil fuels
If you want the lowest-impact, best-value option, recycled toilet paper is hard to beat.
If you’re prioritising softness or sensitive skin, bamboo toilet paper is a brilliant choice.
And if you’re not sure, rest easy. All Naked Paper products come with a no-risk refund guarantee. If you try a box and find it’s not for you, our friendly support team will be more than happy to help with a refund or exchange.
Fancy giving our rolls a spin?
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