December 28, 2021

Bamboo Toilet Paper: Why it should be your #1 Choice?

Using environment-friendly toilet paper has become a new trend. It doesn’t make sense that you mow down forests for single use papers, which will be later flushed down the drain.

According to some new reports, countries like the US have the highest toilet paper consumption in the world. And most of this toilet paper is manufactured using the wood from the trees of Canadian Boreal Forest, which hosts the entire population of lynx, caribou, and moose.

This is why consumers are looking for more eco-friendly alternatives. Bamboo toilet papers have become quite popular among the eco-conscious consumers. In this guide, we’ll be covering several aspects of bamboo toilet paper that you should know as a consumer:

What is bamboo toilet paper?

Bamboo toilet paper is one of the most sustainable options as it replaces wood pulp. Moreover, it is one of the fastest growing grass on the earth. The manufacturing process of bamboo toilet paper is extremely simple. This is why it is becoming a popular choice.

Generally, simple toilet paper is made of hardwood trees that include oak, maple or birch and are blended with softwood trees such as pine.

But that’s not the case with bamboo toilet paper. The bamboo trees are simply cut down, broken into fibers and added in a mixture to make a pulp.

Where does bamboo toilet paper come from?

Moso Bamboo is the type of bamboo used to make good toilet paper. Typically, it is grown in Guizhou, China.

The most prominent flora where these bamboo are grown are coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest, evergreen broad-leaved forest, and montane elfin forest.

What is the process for manufacturing bamboo toilet paper?

The process of making bamboo toilet paper is relatively straightforward and simple.

Firstly, raw bamboo is turned into pulp and then squeezed into paper in giant-sized rolls.
These are thereafter split into small rolls for smaller creatures like us.
No bleach is needed.
The wastewater is managed by storing in a closed-loop system.
It is manufactured in solar powered factories, which makes them even more eco-friendly.

Forest Stewardship Council Certified

To know if the bamboo is sourced sustainably, it should be Forest Stewardship Council Certified (FSC). The FSC certified bamboo marks environmental sustainability. It also encourages the core conventions of the International Labour Organisation.

Bamboo Vs. Regular Toilet Paper—Neck to Neck Comparison

When you compare bamboo toilet paper and regular wood-based toilet paper, it is important that you consider the following factors:

Growth and harvesting

Bamboo is the world’s fastest growing grass on the earth. It grows at a rate of up to 1m per 24 hours. Isn’t it amazing to watch it literally growing? Normally, it takes approximately 7 years to become mature and being a grass it regrows as soon as you cut it down.

The extensive root system of bamboo eliminates the hassle of replanting when harvested. You can harvest it every year after maturity.

As far as wood is concerned—pine, oak and maple are used to manufacture toilet paper, and take 10-100 years to mature. Also, when you cut them down, the stumps are burnt for fertilizer.

The best part of bamboo is, it absorbs the carbon more efficiently in the environment, if compared with trees and produces 30% more oxygen comparatively. It is the hardest of all the trees and doesn’t require any pesticides or chemicals.

Moreover, bamboo has natural antibacterial properties and the fallen leaves provide you with all the nutrients needed when they begin to decompose.

Bamboo has amazing water efficiency, which is why it can produce 20 times more usable materials in a single harvest.

Did you know that the yield of bamboo is up to 150 ton per acre that extensively exceeds the yield of 25 tons for most trees? This is why it is one of the most efficient and sustainable materials around.

Also, it causes no-deforestation and the strong root system remains intact. This further halts soil erosion and naturally saves the nutrients for the upcoming crops.

Regular toilet paper production

We have already stated that the process of bamboo toilet paper production is quite easy and simple. On the other hand, regular toilet paper production is messy and difficult. Here’s the process:

To make paper, all the trees are cut down, which itself is an environmentally costly process.
A lot of water is required to clean and prepare the pulp, which causes wastage of water.
A variety of chemicals are also used to manufacture the paper such as chlorine to bleach the pulp white. Use of chemicals is neither good for the environment, nor for the consumers.

100% biodegradable and easy-to-flush

Undoubtedly, bamboo toilet paper is 100% biodegradable and can be flushed down seamlessly. Also, it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals or bleach. This is why it won’t pollute the environment.

Usage

Now that we’ve established bamboo toilet paper as an ideal eco-friendly alternative, it’s time to address the elephant in the room. We know that you might be thinking if it is skin-friendly. Well, we hear you. And the answer to your question is ‘yes’. It is amazingly soft. Also, bamboo is inherently antibacterial which makes it ideal for use in sensitive areas.