6 days ago
I wiped with bamboo and recycled paper to find the best eco-friendly toilet paper
The best eco-friendly toilet papers we tested
Best eco-friendly toilet paper: Who Gives A Crap 100% Bamboo Toilet Paper
Best recycled toilet paper: Aria 100% Recycled Toilet Paper Living a more sustainable life can take many forms, from shopping locally and reducing single-use plastics to using a reusable water bottle or composting. However, one area you might not consider when trying to reduce your carbon footprint is your bathroom.
Most toilet paper in the US market is made from trees cut down from forests in Canada, and 'industrial logging claims more than a million acres of boreal forest every year,' according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) titled 'The Issue With Tissue.' Installing one of the best bidets can help you cut down on toilet paper use, but if you want to limit your impact, using the best eco-friendly toilet paper is critical too.
To find the best eco-friendly toilet paper, I researched the most sustainable options, using the NRDC's 'The Issue With Tissue' Sixth Edition Scorecard, and ran standardized tests on 10 of the most popular and planet-friendly options. After a thorough testing process, I found the two best eco-friendly toilet papers you can buy.
Who Gives A Crap 100% Bamboo Toilet Paper
This toilet paper from Who Gives A Crap is incredibly soft and strong thanks to its 100% bamboo construction. It scored a B on the NRDC scorecard, but it had the best combination of absorption, durability and feel of any toilet paper I tested.
Aria 100% Recycled Toilet Paper
Recycled toilet paper is more sustainable than bamboo options, but some recycled toilet papers lack durability or feel rough. Aria's 100% recycled toilet paper is the softest and plushest option I tried, and it's durable enough for most. If you want a high-performing toilet paper that's easier on the planet, look no further than Who Gives A Crap's 100% Bamboo Toilet Paper. It's strong and soft, and although it only scored a B on the NRDC's scorecard, Who Gives A Crap's other sustainable efforts will win you over.
During my product testing, I found that bamboo toilet papers normally offer a softer and more durable build than options made from recycled toilet paper. Case in point: Who Gives A Crap's bamboo paper. Even though it was one of the softest toilet papers I tested, it was also one of the most durable. It tied as the top scorer in my standardized durability test and my general wiping comfort test. I use a bidet, and the added water can make wiping with low-quality toilet paper an awful experience. But even with that extra difficulty, the Who Gives A Crap bamboo toilet paper stayed solid, with little to no rips, in both my wet and dry wipe tests.
Besides durability, the other standout feature of the Who Gives A Crap paper is its softness. This roll was the second softest of all the toilet papers I tested, coming in just behind the Aria 100% Recycled Toilet Paper. In addition to its soft and smooth feel, I never had any issues with the texture, unlike some of the other recycled toilet papers I tested, which can sometimes feel very rough and thin.
The Who Gives A Crap bamboo toilet paper scored well in my absorption test, has a convenient subscription where you can buy in bulk and was even in the top half of rolls when I calculated cost per sheet. While this roll stood out in nearly every test I ran, one area where it — and all the bamboo toilet papers I tested — fell a bit short was in its NRDC score. All the bamboo toilet papers I tested scored a B, which is the lowest score I allowed into the testing pool. These toilet papers are still miles better than options that use virgin paper, but they aren't quite as sustainable as recycled options.
Even though the paper itself didn't score as high as others on the NRDC scorecard, the other sustainability efforts of Who Gives A Crap are far above almost any other brand I researched. Who Gives A Crap is a certified B Corporation and FSC certified, and it donates 50% of its profits to help provide access to clean water and toilets to communities across the globe. If you're looking to spend your money on a brand that does good in the world, Who Gives A Crap was one of the best options I tested.
If you need a sustainable toilet paper that's soft and strong and can help make a difference, Who Gives A Crap's 100% Bamboo Toilet Paper is the roll for you. Not only was it the best-performing toilet paper I tested, but the mission behind the brand makes swapping out whatever toilet paper you have now a no-brainer.
If you want toilet paper that's even better for the planet than bamboo options, Aria's 100% Recycled Toilet Paper is what you need. It's made from completely recycled content, plus it's free of dyes, inks and fragrances, which helped earn it an A+ on NRDC's scorecard. An A+ is the highest a product can score, and only four toilet papers I tested achieved this feat. Of those four, the plush feel of Aria's toilet paper made it a standout pick.
While most recycled toilet papers didn't feel as soft as bamboo options, Aria bucked that trend. It was the softest, most plush toilet paper I tested by far, thanks to its extravagant three-ply construction. It has the closest feel to traditional toilet paper of anything in my testing pool.
While the softness was its shining feature, the Aria roll didn't slack in other areas either. Notably, it had top-notch absorption, scoring in the top three during my tests. Its one downside is durability, which is par for the course for recycled toilet papers. In my standardized test, the Aria sheets were tied at the bottom with the worst durability score. But in day-to-day use, those durability results didn't translate to ripped toilet paper when I wiped. In fact, during my wiping tests, the Aria toilet paper was one of the best performers.
Even so, given its poor durability rating in my other test, you should expect some ripping or crumbling depending on the situation — it is made from recycled paper after all. While it won't happen as much as with other recycled toilet papers, if durability is a top priority for you, go with a bamboo option instead.
Besides its stellar score from the NRDC, Aria has decent sustainability efforts as well. It's FSC certified, it comes in recyclable paper packaging and the brand even partners with the Arbor Day Foundation to help plant trees. I wish there were more information about this partnership and other initiatives on Aria's website so consumers could learn more about its sustainability efforts in all areas.
There is one small caveat to Aria's sustainability, though, and it's related to its paper packaging. Reducing plastic packaging is great, and the Aria toilet paper I got was wrapped in paper. Unfortunately, the paper packaging was wrapped in a plastic Amazon bag since I bought it on Amazon. Currently, Aria is only widely available online at Amazon, so I hope to see it offered at other retailers that are more committed to reducing plastic in the shipping process, such as Grove Collaborative, soon.
If you're willing to sacrifice a bit of durability for a more sustainable material, Aria's 100% Recycled Toilet Paper should be in your bathroom. It's supremely soft, strong enough for most and tied with the highest NRDC score of all the toilet papers I tested.
To find the very best eco-friendly toilet paper, I got 10 of the most popular and sustainable options and put them to the test. Here are the tests I ran.
Performance
Absorption: I weighed six sheets of each toilet paper, soaked them in water, then weighed them again to measure how much water they could absorb.
Durability: I secured one sheet of toilet paper underneath the lid of a canning jar, then dropped a marker from 15 inches high. I increased the number of sheets until the toilet paper was able to stop the marker from going through.
Wiping comfort: I used each toilet paper, and conducted dry and wet wiping tests after using a bidet.
General feel and softness: I felt each toilet paper and ranked them from softest to roughest.
Design
NRDC score: I researched each toilet paper's score on the NRDC scorecard.
Other sustainability efforts: I researched any other sustainability efforts or certifications each brand had.
Cost per sheet: I calculated how much each toilet paper costs and ranked them.
Subscription availability: I researched if the toilet papers had any sort of subscription or automatic delivery service.
There are two main types of sustainable toilet paper: bamboo and recycled. Bamboo tends to be softer and stronger, since it's made from a virgin material. However, since bamboo is a grass, it grows back incredibly fast and is a much more eco-friendly option compared to using wood pulp from trees.
Recycled toilet paper, on the other hand, is a more sustainable material because it repurposes paper that has already been used for something else. In my testing, I found these toilet papers to be less durable than bamboo options, and they often feel rougher, too. But when it comes to sustainability, nothing beats recycled toilet paper.
Choosing the right eco-friendly toilet paper depends on your preferences. If you want something more sustainable, sacrificing a bit of durability and comfort with recycled toilet paper is the way to go, but if you want a paper that performs better, bamboo will likely be your preference.
Once you know what kind of toilet paper you want, finding a brand that has the right price and amenities is just as important. Some toilet paper companies offer subscriptions, either through their websites or on Amazon. And if you want to use your money to support sustainable or charitable causes, finding a brand that donates some of its profits could be an important factor in your buying decision.
Who Gives A Crap 100% Recycled Toilet Paper
This recycled toilet paper scored an A from the NRDC, but it just wasn't durable enough in my tests. If the Who Gives A Crap recycled toilet paper were more durable, it would have been a shoo-in for the crown of best recycled toilet paper. It's not as soft as the Aria, but the brand's charitable initiatives really bumped up this paper's overall sustainability score. When wiping, I found it to rip and crumble more than most other papers I tested, which knocked it down a few pegs.
Grove Collaborative 3-Ply Bamboo Toilet Paper
A close contender for the bamboo title, this roll is a great alternative to Who Gives A Crap. If I could have named a runner-up for the best bamboo toilet paper, it would have been this set from Grove Collaborative. It was similar in strength to the Who Gives A Crap rolls, but it was just a touch rougher. I also love how Grove Collaborative is a certified B Corp and has a program to help remove plastic from nature. Plus, this was one of only two rolls to be delivered completely plastic-free (the other was Reel).
Reel Bamboo Toilet Paper
The bamboo toilet papers I tested were all great, and this roll from Reel was no exception. It was just a little bit rougher and less durable than Who Gives A Crap, which knocked it down. If you choose Reel's bamboo toilet paper over Who Gives A Crap's for whatever reason, I can't blame you. It's nearly as soft and strong, but it just couldn't quite match the stellar performances of our winner. However, it's still a great roll from a great brand that has some good sustainability initiatives too.
365 by Whole Foods Market Sustainably Soft Bath Tissue
This recycled toilet paper did decently well in my tests and has a stellar A+ score from the NRDC. This recycled toilet paper was one of the stronger recycled options I tested. Similar to the Aria roll, you'll probably only get a little ripping or crumbling when using this toilet paper. It wasn't nearly as soft and didn't absorb as much as the Aria paper, which kept it out of the winning circle.
Marcal 1646616PK 100% Recycled 2-Ply Bath Tissue
This was the strongest recycled toilet paper I tested, but it just felt too rough to be a winner. The Marcal rolls surprised me with just how durable they were, even though they're made from recycled paper. However, this was the roughest toilet paper I tested, and it felt like something you'd find in a public bathroom. Even though the Marcal is strong, I think the added comfort of the Aria makes it the better pick.
Green Forest Premium 100% Recycled Bathroom Tissue
Another A+ scorer on the NRDC list, this toilet paper just couldn't stand out above the competition. These recycled rolls from Green Forest weren't bad, but they didn't soar above the competition either. The toilet paper absorbed a lot of water but had middling durability and comfort. It's not a bad toilet paper by any means, but I think there are better options out there.
Seventh Generation 100% Recycled Bath Tissue
This toilet paper didn't have the best durability, and it didn't shine in my comfort tests either. Seventh Generation's recycled toilet paper is another solid, but not special, option. It didn't perform well in my standardized durability tests and had just OK results from my wiping tests. You probably won't be mad if you buy this toilet paper, but I think you'll be happier with one of our winners.
Trader Joe's Bath Tissue (only sold at brick-and-mortar Trader Joe's locations)
The Trader Joe's recycled toilet paper had pretty good results in most of my tests. It absorbed quite a bit of water, felt nice to wipe with and got an A+ from the NRDC. It fell in the middle of the pack out of the recycled toilet papers when it came to durability and feel, and it is the cheapest toilet paper I tested. It wasn't quite good enough to beat out the other toilet papers I tested, but it's a good option to snag if you're already shopping at Trader Joe's.
The following FAQs were answered by Kai Burkhardt, this guide's writer and CNN Underscored's sustainability editor.
Is bamboo toilet paper eco-friendly?
Is bamboo toilet paper eco-friendly?
Yes, bamboo toilet paper is eco-friendly. Bamboo is a much more sustainable option than toilet paper made from virgin wood pulp; however, the most eco-friendly alternative is recycled toilet paper.
What is eco-friendly toilet paper?
What is eco-friendly toilet paper?
Normal toilet paper is made from trees that are cut down just to be flushed in your toilet. Eco-friendly toilet paper is made from either recycled paper or bamboo, both of which are more sustainable materials that have a smaller impact on the planet.
CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test most of the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have an experienced team of writers and editors with many years of testing experience who ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted.
The writer of this story, Kai Burkhardt, is CNN Underscored's outdoors, pet and sustainability editor. For this guide, he acquired all the eco-friendly toilet paper mentioned in this story and tested the rolls himself. He performed standardized tests and also used them in day-to-day life to discover the best.
