DING DING DING. Do you hear that? It’s the sound of two toilet paper rolls ready to rumble. We often get asked whether bamboo or recycled is the better option to wipe your behind, so we’ve pitted them against each other in the ring. (And it’s basically like asking us to choose between our children, so we really hope you appreciate it.)
Ok, ref - let’s get this match started!
Round 1: Which is more eco-friendly?
Recycled toilet paper comes out swinging - it’s made from 100% recycled post consumer paper, meaning it’s crafted from school and office paper that’s already in circulation. Take that, deforestation! Plus, since it’s already paper, less energy is needed to transform the fibers into toilet paper than with traditional wood. Strong start, but oh wait-
Here comes bamboo toilet paper, another eco heavyweight. Bamboo is the world’s fastest growing plant (it can grow up to a meter in just one day), so it can be harvested far more frequently than trees. In fact, bamboo toilet paper needs nearly 90% less land per sheet to produce than traditional toilet paper. Woah! It helps save forests and is completely biodegradable, too–how’s that for a one-two punch?
Winner:
Recycled by a whisker - bamboo fights a good fight, but it takes a bit more energy to process and costs a little more to make.
Round 2: Which feels better on your behind?
Let us beat you to the punch: recycled toilet paper isn’t the softest option around. The paper we use has been recycled multiple times before it becomes toilet paper, so the fibers are a bit more worn than those in rolls made from virgin trees. But don’t worry, we still strive to make sure it’s comfy and strong for your planet-loving behind.
Bamboo, on the other hand, has softness in its corner. It’s the strongest toilet paper we make and feels pretty similar to traditional supermarket rolls–but with the added bonus of making you feel good about your eco-friendly choice.
Winner:
Bamboo lands a heavy blow to take out the softness round.
Round 3: Which is more convenient?
And we’re back! After a quick break to mop our fighters’ brows. (Actually, they’re both really absorbent, so they took care of that themselves.)
It’s a tie this round, with both bamboo and recycled coming in strong. They can both be ordered online and delivered straight to your door. Smack! They both come in bulk boxes of 24 or 48 rolls so you never get caught TP-free with your pants down. Bam! With a subscription, you can tell us the number of people in your household, and we’ll recommend how often your TP should be delivered. Pow! And you’ll never have to hit the supermarket for toilet paper again. Kablooey!
Winner:
From our ringside seat (the toilet), we’re calling a tie.
Round 4: Which is most stylish?
Hasn’t anyone ever told you that beauty is subjective? Even so, the gloves are off with our recycled rolls, which come wrapped in a bunch of bright and friendly patterns. (We know individual wrappers might seem counterintuitive for an eco-friendly product, but we’ve done a lot of research to make sure it’s the best choice for us, our impact, and the planet–you can read more about it here.)
Oof, but bamboo really is the most elegant toilet paper ever. It’s all suited up in black and white wrapping and looks majestic next to your toilet. Plus, it gets a new look with each one of our limited editions. Swoon.
Winner:
After a full-blown slugfest, recycled takes one right in the kisser. We just can’t resist our bamboo toilet paper and its fancy outfit changes.
Round 5: The Wild Card round
It’s the final square-off! Old faithful recycled toilet paper vs. hotshot bamboo. We’re not quite sure what title they’re fighting for here, to be honest, so we thought we’d take this opportunity to highlight some of their other heavyweight qualities:
Both rolls are competitively priced with supermarket TP, so they’re easy on your behind and your budget.
Both are suuuuuper long, so won’t run out in a hurry
50% of profits are donated to organizations that provide toilets and clean water to those in need.
They both play well with most septic tanks
Conclusion: the title goes to…
You didn’t think you could force us to choose, did you? After a bare-knuckled bout like that, we think both recycled and bamboo toilet rolls are pretty great options. The main thing is that they’re both good for the world, good for people and good for your behind.
Shop for toilet paper online here!