Few products are as personal as toilet paper. From comfort and convenience to environmental impact, there’s a lot that goes into picking your perfect roll.

Thinking about upgrading your toilet paper’s quality? Using key factors like softness, strength, tearability and flushability, we’re here to help you make the best decision for a cleaner bottom and environment. 

Softness comes first

Life is too short for scratchy toilet paper. For the quickest way to quality check, look out for the number of tissue layers — the ply number makes a major impact on softness. The more ply, the more cushy it is for your tushy.

Many premium brands tout a 3 ply roll, but if you want to get really up close and personal, we suggest a touch test. Run a sheet through your fingers, feeling for smooth and consistent softness. 

Durability for the task at hand

You don’t want toilet paper that falls to shreds or leaves bits behind (at least we hope not). The most high-quality TP stays strong regardless of what you throw its way.

According to a YouGov poll, most people (44 percent) fold their paper into squares or bunch up a tissue ball (22 percent) before wiping. If your toilet roll can’t stand up to your personal style of bathroom origami, you’re in trouble. 

Avoid sheets with visible fibres or pilling. This suggests a potential for linting and pilling, a telltale sign that the roll lacks durability. 

If it passes the initial inspection, give the sheet a little tug. If your TP’s not strong enough to handle your harshest wipes, it doesn’t deserve you. 

The two sides of tearability

Tearability is a two-sided coin. You want sheets that tear easily from the roll but still remain intact during use. Strength across the sheet ensures a mess-free experience, while a reliable tear eliminates wasteful excess. 

Here’s our tear test: pull a sheet from the roll and try to rip it across the middle. High-quality TP neatly breaks along its perforations but holds firm everywhere else. 

Flushability for a smooth exit

The best toilet paper is gentle on your skin and your plumbing — breaking down quickly when it's submerged in water so as not to cause clogs in your system.

If you have a septic system, be sure to choose a product labeled as septic safe. Those rolls are designed to disintegrate rapidly, protecting sensitive tanks from massive plumbing headaches. 

If you’re still worried, try putting it to the test. Drop a sheet in a cup of water, then stir gently. Paper that breaks apart within a few minutes deserves an A+ in flushability. 

Why the type of material matters 

The type of material used in toilet paper manufacturing makes a big difference – both in the quality of the rolls and the impact on the environment. There are three common kinds of material in most toilet paper: virgin pulp, recycled paper, and bamboo. Understanding the materials and processes behind each type of TP empowers you to make smarter decisions.

Virgin pulp

Traditional TP brands use pulp derived directly from freshly cut virgin trees — a process that’s responsible for cutting down more than a million trees every single day. Yikes!

After the trees are chopped, the wood is harvested, stripped and chipped. It’s then cooked in a chemical solution to create paper fibres. Finally, the pulp is cleaned, bleached and formed into sheets. 

Recycled paper

Recycled paper comes from pre- and post-consumer waste paper — things like newspapers, cardboard boxes and your old math homework. 

Once the waste paper has been collected, sorted and cleaned, it’s treated similarly to virgin pulp and formed into environmentally friendly paper. 

Bamboo paper

The world’s fastest-growing grass, bamboo plants make for a great alternative to traditional paper sources. Producing bamboo toilet paper includes harvesting, cutting, and cooking the plant fibres into pulp. 

It’s a common misconception that bamboo and recycled options aren’t as soft as virgin pulp. We’re happy to report that modern manufacturing techniques that use sustainable materials offer the comfort and strength that bums can get behind without the environmental impact. 

Conclusion: Quality isn’t in the eye of the beholder

Choosing the right TP is all about softness, durability and tearability. These are key for daily comfort, while flushability and types of material can impact both your plumbing and the planet.

Whether it’s opting for recycled materials, supporting TP brands that give back, or finding a fuss-free roll that gets the job done — you’re ready to pick your next roll.

Speaking of good deeds and companies that give back, Who Gives A Crap is leading the way. Our rolls are soft, strong, eco-friendly and purpose-driven.

With 50% of profits donated to clean water and sanitation organisations, we’re working to make the world a better place — one flush at a time. 

Ready to join us? Set up your TP subscription now.