Throwback to March 2020 when the whole world went mad for toilet roll …
We saw people stockpiling toilet roll supplies to last them months, supermarkets limiting the amount of essential goods we can buy and an enterprising amusement arcade owner swapping the toys inside grabber machines to toilet paper and hand sanitizer instead!
The situation was no better abroad either, as an armed gang was caught robbing 600 rolls of toilet paper in Hong Kong and a video went viral at an American Costco where police had to be called after unruly shoppers fought their way through the store to pile toilet rolls into their trolleys.
Something I reflected on during the period of toilet paper hoarding and rationing was how much toilet roll do we actually consume a year and what are the impacts of this on the environment? It turns out that the average Brit gets through 127 rolls of toilet paper a year, costing approximately £40 a year. The environmental impact of this: 27,000 trees are cut down daily to produce toilet paper.
But it’s not all doom and gloom, as there are many sustainable, environmentally-friendly, charitable toilet roll brands who make high-quality, affordable toilet roll which are made without trees and delivered straight to your door.
Here are some of my favourites …
Who Gives A Crap
100% Recycled Toilet Paper 48 rolls £36
Possibly one of the most well-known toilet roll brands on the market, Australian brand Who Gives A Crap makes toilet paper that’s good for the planet, good for people and good for your bum. All of Who Gives A Craps products are made from 100% recycled paper or bamboo and 50% of profits are donated to help build toilets for the 2 billion people who don’t have access to proper sanitation. As you can see, this really isn’t your average toilet paper!
Unbleached Bamboo Toilet Roll 24 rolls £23.50
Naked Sprout is the first company in the UK to offer naked and unbleached bamboo toilet roll. These soft and sustainable toilet rolls reduce deforestation and provide an eco-friendly alternative with no unnecessary packaging. Best of all, every Naked Sprout box gives a child in Kenya safe water at school for 1 year.
Games Range 48 rolls £39.90
Everyday thousands of trees are flushed down the loo, which is why smartass use Bagasse (a waste product from sugar production) and a fast growing resource bamboo to make their toilet paper. The word bagasse actually means something along the lines of “refuse,” “rubbish,” or “trash.”
I love these designs which are quirky, fun and plastic free!
