Change Your Toilet Paper, Save a Forest! (Review of the Best Bamboo & Recycled TP Brands)

A detailed review of Reel vs. Who Gives A Crap – two of the best environmentally friendly toilet paper options. I’ve also tested and compared their other products – including eco-friendly tissues, and both recycled and reusable paper towels.

It’s pretty easy to overthink things when it comes to sustainability and trying to make better choices, so I like to start the year by going back to basics. (Here are some more easy sustainability tips to start the year – they’re two sentences each!)

Toilet paper is a perfect example of a basic swap that can have a huge impact on sustainability (same goes for facial tissues and paper towels, which I also tested below). We all use at least some of them, and who really cares what brand they are, as long as they do the job, right? 

Because here’s the clincher: The way most toilet paper is made is actually terrible for the environment.

Why care?

Well, most toilet paper is packaged in plastic, which is the first problem I thought of when I started… thinking about toilet paper while researching this review.

But the biggest problem is that it’s made of trees that are chopped down exclusively for that purpose (quite an insult to forests, if you think about it).

Processing trees into toilet paper requires massive amounts of water, energy, bleach, formaldehyde, and various other chemicals to increase strength, softness, and make it all snowy white and perfect looking.

[Side note: Except in France, where I had fun learning that most toilet paper is pink. But it’s still treated with all those chemicals.]

And we’re not just talking about any trees.

The toilet paper industry is a major threat to Canada’s centuries-old boreal forest. The forest is a huge carbon sink (meaning cutting it down contributes to climate change) and a boon to biodiversity. (Lots of plants and animals need this specific forest to survive.)

And we’re cutting it down for toilet paper? Something we use for 5 seconds, and which we could make out of just about anything else? Seriously?

Luckily though, it’s really easy to choose a more sustainable alternative to Charmin. (Which is one of the worst offenders, along with the other big names like Quilted Northern, Cottonelle, and Costco’s Kirkland Signature toilet paper.)

The best alternatives I tested for this review are from Reel and Who Gives A Crap.

The absolute most sustainable toilet paper is the kind made out of 100% recycled paper. The next best option is 100% bamboo toilet paper. (Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on earth, without requiring pesticides or fertilizers.)

While bamboo isn’t quite as eco-friendly as recycled paper, it can be a lot softer, thicker, and less likely to fall apart. It just makes for a more premium product. And it’s still a lot better than normal TP made from trees! So you don’t have to give up comfort to go greener.

Whether you go for bamboo (from Reel or Who Gives A Crap) or 100% recycled you’ll be doing far better than if you buy the normal stuff. Change your toilet paper, save a forest! (And all three of those are 100% plastic-free – unlike most recycled grocery store brands.)

Review Process

After doing lots of research on what actually makes toilet paper something worth changing, I settled on two of the best known brands that deliver to your door and are known for their commitment to sustainability and ethical manufacturing.

(And I double checked my research with the NRDC’s annual report on toilet paper sustainability, The Issue With Tissue. There’s a lot to learn from that if you give it a read!)

Then I ordered every product available from both. I also tested the more sustainable tissues and paper towels from each brand, too.

And I solicited lots of second opinions from friends and family. (Some people got rolls of toilet paper and an assignment as a Christmas gift from me this year. But I gifted myself something different.)

The details are all below! I also calculated the price per roll to compare, since I get that this might not be an area where you really want to invest. (Surprise: It doesn’t cost much more to go green in this department.)

Reel Toilet Paper Review

Reel makes just one kind of toilet paper, out of 100% bamboo, and it’s my favorite of the three eco-friendly rolls I’ve tried.

This was the first option that came into my apartment for this swap, and it was more impressive than I expected. I put a roll in the bathroom without making any announcement, and the first feedback I heard from my husband was, “I want to keep getting that.”

It doesn’t even really feel like paper (and it’s kind of not – it’s bamboo!). It doesn’t fall apart, or really tear or pill at all. It almost feels more like a thin, soft, strong fabric, which is pretty nice.

That last sentence above lead one of my readers (on this Instagram post) to ask a very good question: Does the bamboo toilet paper dissolve easily in water, or would it cause plumbing problems? And that question put me on an experimentation mission!

Does bamboo toilet paper block drains? (VIDEO)

First of all, I definitely haven’t had any clogged pipe issues, and have been using bamboo in two houses for several months. (Mine and my parents – trust me, I would have heard if there were a problem.)

Of course, Reel’s answer is that “bamboo toilet tissue effortlessly breaks down in water,” and is perfectly safe for septic tanks.

It’s also worth noting that bamboo in general breaks down more easily than wood fibers, so I would be surprised if bamboo were harder on plumbing than tree paper. Plus, these sheets are a lot thinner than the ultra-luxe, super fluffy, quilted kinds of TP.

And you can use a lot less of it! Another great thing about bamboo toilet paper is that its strength means you don’t need as many sheets. So there should be less paper to potentially clog drains.

But I still wanted to do a quick test, to actually see how well a sheet of bamboo toilet paper would dissolve in cold water.

The video below shows how it went:

Price

Reel’s bamboo toilet paper costs about $1.50 per roll. (See the price chart below for details.) At first, it seemed more expensive than Who Gives A Crap, until I realized that Reel is the only one that gives a recurring discount on all subscription orders.

Or, if you don’t want to subscribe, you can still save 20% off your first Reel order with the discount code TILTED . (Or do subscribe and double-up the discounts. Either way, you can use the code once per customer/ email.)

Shipping

At this point, Reel only ships to the contiguous United States – but it’s free shipping on all orders! They’re planning to add Canada soon, too.

(Who Gives A Crap is the only brand I’ve found that ships to Canada used to ship to Canada. UPDATE: As of March 2024, they’ve stopped shipping to Canada. I’ll keep you posted when that changes!)

Back in the US of A, Reel ships from three different warehouses – in California, Illinois and Pennsylvania. That’s great for both shipping times and carbon emissions, as the packages don’t have to travel as far.

Speaking of emissions, they also pay to offset their shipping emissions through CarbonFund.org.

[Related: Read this piece for more info about carbon offsets, and my take on them, especially in the travel industry.]

About Reel

Reel is based in California, and their products are made both in the US and China. (Bamboo products are made in China, closer to the source of the bamboo.)

They’re a very small company, and a Certified B Corp. (Which means they’ve been evaluated by a third-party for certain environmental and social impacts of their business, fair employment, transparency, and other factors.)

Other Reel Products

Reel’s Kleenex-style tissues and paper towels are both made of 100% recycled paper. (My reviews of both are below.)

They also have a cute kids’ version of their bamboo toilet paper. The paper wrapper on each roll has a drawing to color in, and it comes with a kids’ book about rainforests and sustainability.

Who Gives A Crap Review

If you’ve heard of any sustainable toilet paper brand, it’s probably Who Gives A Crap. Am I right? The Australian company isn’t the only one making more sustainable toilet paper, but they’ve been around the longest (since 2012), and they definitely have the most memorable name.

And if you live in North America, as I do, you might wonder – is this such a specialized product that I need to have it shipped from the other side of the world, with all the carbon emissions that entails?

But don’t worry – there’s no TP being air-mailed to you from Australia! The company has local warehouses on four continents.

So while Reel might be based closer to home for you, both brands make their bamboo toilet paper in China (closer to where the bamboo is sourced). It’s then shipped via sea freight to local warehouses and sent out from there. 

Bamboo vs Recycled Toilet Paper

Who Gives A Crap’s 100% recycled toilet paper is the most truly sustainable option I tested.

First, because nothing new has to be harvested to make it. Second, while it’s not unbleached, it uses a more eco-friendly bleaching process with no chlorine. (PCF instead of ECF, which is used for tree or bamboo toilet paper. For details, read page 16 here, or search the doc for PCF.)

And when you actually use the recycled stuff, it’s good. I mean… it’s fine.

But I’m not going to sit here and tell you it’s amazing and luxurious and fluffy. The recycled option is not as smooth and soft as the bamboo rolls (whether from WGAC or Reel). But it is much better than other recycled toilet paper I’ve tried. (And nothing like the terrible, single-ply, public restroom stuff.)

This recycled TP is perfectly decent – and is the most affordable option, along with being the most sustainable. (A rare combo!)

But if you want something more plush feeling, go for bamboo. Yes, the difference is notable – it’s softer, thicker, and just nicer feeling than recycled paper.

And bamboo is still much better for the environment than normal premium toilet paper made from trees. (Farming bamboo is better than cutting down trees in a forest. But reusing something that’s already been cut down and recycled is the best of all.)

The Best Bamboo Toilet Paper? (Reel vs Who Gives A Crap)

Honestly, there’s not a huge difference between the two bamboo options I tested. Both feel like top-of-line options.

Neither brand is quite as fluffy as the premium Charmin that they chop down forests for, but they’re very soft, strong and good.

Trying to compare Who Gives A Crap with Reel was pretty tough in this case. I asked for lots of second and third opinions, and it was a fairly mixed bag which one people preferred. Personally though, I prefer Reel.

Price

Remember that the subscription pricing (20% off) for Who Gives A Crap is only valid on the first order. So if you’re leaning toward bamboo toilet paper and automatic deliveries, the difference is just a few pennies per roll.

Shipping

Who Gives A Crap is pretty much a global operation at this point.

UK

UK orders are shipped from England, with free delivery for order over £20.

They have US warehouses in Southern California, Illinois, and on the East coast. From there they ship to the contiguous United States for free (for orders over $25). They do also ship to Hawaii and Alaska, but for a $40 charge. (Still, just like Canada, I didn’t find many brands that even offer delivery there.)

Europe

For orders delivered in Europe, Who Gives A Crap ships from the Netherlands. (So no duties or tariffs to worry about.) EU shipping is free to several countries for orders over €20.

Australia

And yes, of course, they ship to Australia (the company is from Melbourne) from 7 different warehouses around the country. Shipping is free for orders over $30 AUD to most of Australia. 

(They have all those warehouses because they compared emissions from sea freight vs road freight, and found road shipping emissions were 10x higher per mile. So they ship containers by sea and then do the final part of distribution on land. That tracks with what I know about shipping from other projects.)

Canada…?

And they ship to used to ship to most of Canada! (Most plastic-free and recycled or bamboo toilet paper brands I’ve found don’t ship to Canada, which is ironic considering its home to the forest best known for being cut down for TP.)

UPDATE: As of March 2024, Who Gives A Crap has removed shipping options to Canada. I don’t know why, but I’ll update this when that changes.

About Who Gives A Crap

The Australian brand has a good cause built into its business: In 2012, when the founders learned that more than 2 billion people (40% of the global population) didn’t have access to a toilet, they wanted to help. According to the founders, that meant “around 289,000 children under five die every year from diarrheal diseases caused by poor water and sanitation.”

So they donate 50% of their profits to help built toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world. That’s not something you see from many companies, and it makes them the kind of business that I’m happy to support. (Even if it means paying a few cents more for my toilet paper.)

And, like Reel, they’re also a certified B Corp.

(Note: There was a bit of a Who Gives A Crap controversy a few years back, when they used to package their products in plastic. They don’t anymore, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing about them.)

Other Who Gives A Crap Products

Who Gives A Crap makes paper towels with 100% recycled paper, while their facial tissues are 100% bamboo. I ordered both of them to compare with Reel, so there’s more about them below.

They also sell Swedish dish cloths, which are a washable, reusable and 100% biodegradable alternative to plastic sponges! (And to paper towels, for that matter…)

(And they used to sell shampoo bars, but have apparently given that up. That’s okay, because I’ve tested a lot of other brands! These are my favorites. (And you can save 15% with that link – no discount code required.) Here’s my detailed review. And here’s my favorite alternative for bars, and for a non-bar option that still cuts way down on plastic.)

Price per roll: Reel vs Who Gives A Crap

BAMBOO	Reel	Who Gives A Crap
48 rolls, one-time order	$83	$68
– per roll =	$1.73 each	$1.42 each
– with discount code TILTED (20% off 1st order) =	$1.39	N/A
– subscription =	$70 ($1.45)	$55 ($1.13 – 1st order ONLY, then $1.42)
– subscription + discount code TILTED =	$1.16 (1st order ONLY, then $1.45)	N/A
———————-
24 rolls, one-time order	$44	$44
– per roll =	$1.83	$1.83
– with discount code TILTED (20% off 1st order) =	$1.46	N/A
– with subscription =	$37 ($1.54)	$35 ($1.46 – 1st order ONLY, then $1.83)
– subscription + discount code TILTED =	$1.23 (1st order ONLY, then $1.54)	N/A

RECYCLED – Who Gives A Crap	NO Subscription	WITH Subscription (discount on 1st order ONLY)
48 rolls, one-time order	$62	$50
– per roll =	$1.29	$1.03
24 rolls, one-time order	$38	$30
– per roll =	$1.58	$1.26

Most of these options cost a bit more than the cheapest toilet paper you could buy, but honestly not much.

The well-known brands on Amazon cost about $1 per roll. That includes their best-selling house brand Presto, which comes in at $1.10 per roll, and absolutely failed the NRDC’s sustainability test.

If you look at it as a percentage, sure you might be spending 30% more, or even 40%. But if you look at it as the actual price you’re paying – an extra 30 cents or so, in order to not destroy a priceless resource that has value to the entire world – then it’s not such a hard decision.

The Best Deals

There’s an unusually big difference in subscription prices between the two brands.

Buy more, save more, share with friends.

The larger orders cost significantly less per roll. Even for a small household, you could order the larger shipment, and only have to restock twice a year. (Or split it with friends!)

Who Gives A Crap gives a discount only for the first subscription order.

Your first order will be 20% off, but recurring orders are charged at the regular price. (While Reel’s discount is on every subscription order, and it’s easy to change the frequency – between once a month, all the way up to once every six months.)

Small household and just want to try it?

If you want just a small order (24 rolls) without dealing with a subscription, there’s no difference in price. They’re both exactly the same at $1.83 per roll for bamboo.

An alternative (which I haven’t yet tried) is Repurpose, which sells the smallest bamboo order I’ve found, with 12 rolls. (But they’re a bit spendier, at $2.58 each.)

Want to stock up on bamboo toilet paper just once?

The large order (48 rolls) with no subscription costs least from Who Gives A Crap ($1.42 per roll vs. $1.73 for Reel).

Least expensive and most eco-friendly toilet paper overall?

Go for Who Gives A Crap’s 100% recycled TP with subscription delivery of 48 rolls. It’ll be $1.03 per roll on the first order then $1.29 per roll for every order after that.

Even Better Toilet Paper Alternative: Get a Bidet installed!

Okay, but yeah, that’s more of a commitment. That’s okay. Just start with the better toilet paper. It’s important to make progress, not just try to be perfect. Order it today, so you don’t forget!

The “Best” Recycled Paper Towels…?

Both Reel and Who Gives A Crap make paper towels from 100% recycled paper. I ordered both of them to compare, and was surprised to discover that… they’re the same!

No, seriously, as far as I can tell, they’re exactly the same. The pattern stamped into the paper is identical, as are the dimensions listed on their compostable/ recyclable paper wrappers.

The rolls are the same size, both brands are made in the USA, and I would bet money that they’re made in the same factory. But I can’t be sure.

Reel’s paper towels got an A+ from the NRDC. (For some reason, they didn’t test Who Gives A Crap in this category. I’ve reached out to ask why, and I’ll update this here if I hear back.)

I tested both brands during the holidays at home with family (making an effort to actually use more paper towels, instead of cleaning up with washable versions, like the ones below).

The results? No one in the house could tell the difference.

Which means the decision mostly comes down to price.

Price per Roll: Recycled Paper Towels

Reel paper towels cost just over $4 per roll, or about $3 if you subscribe. (Automatic deliveries can be spaced out as much as every 6 months, but you do have to order 12 rolls. That might be a lot if you mostly use washable options like these.)

From Who Gives A Crap, they cost about $3 per roll, and you can order fewer of them. (There’s no subscription option at this time.)

	Reel	Who Gives A Crap
Price	12 rolls, $50	6 rolls, $20 ~OR~ 12 rolls, $36
per roll =	$4.16	$3.33 ~OR~ $3
with subscription =	$3.33 (20% off)	not available

The verdict? I’d order these from Who Gives A Crap if you don’t need many, or from Reel if you use a lot of paper towels.

(Or if you’re already ordering toilet paper or tissues from one brand, stick with them. Fewer packages mean fewer carbon emissions from shipping.)

Even Better Alternative: Reusable Paper Towels

Even better than single-use paper (even when it’s bamboo or recycled), are reusable paper towels!

Who Gives A Crap sells “Dream Cloths” (AKA Swedish dish cloths) that are not only washable and reusable but COMPOSTABLE! (I get excited about these things.)

I ordered a set and have been using them for wiping up countertops and spills. When they start to feel dirty, I throw them in the laundry or the top rack of the dishwasher. They’re great. No complaints. Highly recommended!

(And I’m excited to test out composting one in my Lomi, once it gets too roughed up! Check out my Lomi review here if you don’t know what that is.)

Best Eco-friendly Tissues

Okay, the final category: Facial tissues to replace boxes of Kleenex (which are at least partially wrapped in plastic, and filled with virgin trees).

Who Gives A Crap makes 100% bamboo facial tissues.

Reel’s tissues are made of 100% recycled paper.

Based on my tests of the bamboo vs recycled toilet paper options, I expected the bamboo facial tissues to be a clear winner here…

But when I tried them from Who Gives A Crap, I can’t say I was overly impressed. The tissues are decent, and don’t feel too thin, but they’re also not extremely soft.

As a sustainable alternative to regular Kleenex, I’d keep ordering them, but I’ll also stay on the lookout for alternatives.

And Reel just might be that alternative – but their recycled tissues have been sold out for months. When I can get my hands on a box to compare, I’ll update this here. 

Tissue Prices

	Reel	Who Gives A Crap
Price (one-time order)	24 boxes for $55	12 boxes for $20
per box =	$2.29	$1.67
with subscription =	$1.83 (20% off)	not available

Even Better Alternative: Reusable Tissues

Hey, as I said above, as I say all the time, a lot of sustainability “hacks” are just about going back to basics. Remember handkerchiefs? Your grandma’s reusable, cloth tissues? Get yourself some of those and you’ll never have to buy (or throw away) tissues again.

I’ve had the LastTissue Box from LastObject in my bathroom for years. I just keep a little laundry bag under the sink to collect the dirty tissues and throw it in the wash when it’s full.

(The box part isn’t entirely necessary though, and it is another thing, so if you want to skip it and just order some handkerchiefs on Etsy, that’s another route!)

Even More Sustainable Toilet Paper Brands 

If you’re looking for alternatives to Who Gives A Crap or Reel, there are a few other legitimately eco-friendly toilet paper brands that I’ve come across in my research: Repurpose, Bumboo, How We Roll, and Betterway.

Only Betterway is rated on the NRDC sustainability scorecard, but they all use plastic-free packaging and either recycled or bamboo paper.

Bamboo Toilet Paper Brands – UK & Australia

Bumboo is a UK brand of bamboo toilet paper that’s pretty similar to Reel. (They only make a bamboo option, and only toilet paper, at this point. They ship to the US, as well as the UK and Ireland. And of course, they have plastic-free packaging.)

I haven’t tried them, but I’ll update this review when I do! For now, I’d recommend ordering from Who Gives A Crap’s UK warehouse.

BambooSoft is another UK option I’ve come across recently and plan to test soon! It’s a small brand that claims to be the softest, most “luxury” sustainable toilet paper option for the UK market.

In Australia, How We Roll is another option with a product range similar to Who Gives A Crap. (They make both bamboo and recycled TP, as well as sustainable paper towels, tissues, and How We Roll sells lots of other eco-friendly products. They currently only ship to Australia.)

… But if I were in Australia, I’d just support the local business that started the sustainable toilet paper movement and order from Who Gives A Crap.

Bamboo Toilet Paper ­– other US brands

Repurpose is the way to go if you want just a few rolls.

They make bamboo toilet paper and paper towels, and they’re the only one I’ve found that lets you order just 12 rolls of TP.

They also make compostable replacement for lots of items normally made of plastic – from plates and cups for parties, to sandwich bags. It’s true that washable is always better than disposable, but when you do need these items, compostable is definitely better than regular plastic.

(I use a similar kind of small compostable garbage bags in my Lomi compost machine, which I’ve also reviewed.)

Betterway is another US-based brand (they currently only ship to the continental US). They make bamboo toilet paper, bamboo paper towels, and have an unbleached, “natural brown” option for the paper towels.

And of these alternatives, Betterway’s bamboo toilet paper is the only one rated on the NRDC toilet paper guide. (It got a B, just like Reel.)

Betterway and Repurpose are also both available on Amazon. (But since these are small businesses, I prefer to order directly. Amazon is a bit of a bully and small businesses have better margins – and more sustainable packaging – when we buy direct.)

Grocery store brands

Whole Foods and Trader Joes got some of the best ratings in the NRDC’s latest Issue with Tissue report on sustainable toilet paper. But both come packaged in plastic.

(The report also gave Who Gives A Crap’s 100% recycled version a top rating. They gave Reel’s bamboo toilet paper a grade of B, mostly because bamboo just isn’t as good as recycled.)

And be careful!

The high grades are for the “100% recycled” toilet paper from Whole Foods and the one not labeled “Super Soft” from Trader Joes. (And Whole Foods actually calls another kind of TP “Sustainably Soft,” but the NRDC gave it an F. So pay close attention if you’re doing this the grocery store way.)

Bottom line:

At the end of the day, these newer, small companies that deliver toilet paper to your door are the only ones that combine both sustainable, “tree-free” materials with plastic-free packaging.

They’re a worthwhile swap that doesn’t cost us much more, but has a big impact on our climate through living forests.

For the greenest and cheapest option, go for Who Gives A Crap’s 100% recycled toilet paper.

For the softest (and still pretty green), Reel’s 100% bamboo toilet paper is my favorite. (Or, for the smallest order possible, try 12 bamboo rolls from Repurpose.)

And while you’re at it, you can replace both paper towels and tissues with more sustainable alternatives from either brand!

If you decide to order from Reel, don’t forget to use the code TILTED for an additional 20% off your first order! (Including subscriptions.)

Next? Check out my list of easy two-sentence sustainable living swaps! And I have a whole library of detailed reviews of eco-friendlier products.

Other sustainable delivery services to simplify your life:

• Misfits Market – perfectly good groceries that would have gone to waste, delivered to your door. Check out my Misfits Market review here.
• Bite Toothpaste Bits – the best way to stop buying those non-recyclable tubes! Here’s my Bite review (along with all the other brands I tested).

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