Plastic free: Toilet Paper
Hey, squeeze this Mr. Wimple! EnviroWoman is talking toilet paper.
Admit it…you’ve been waiting for it.
As early as January 1st, when the no-new-plastic pledge was made, EnviroWoman knew finding plastic-free TP was going to be a challenge.
For months people had told EnviroWoman…'You’ll find paper-packaged TP at Capers’ LaLaLand's mecca for all things new-age organic. But everytime she went…there was never any in sight. Maybe they were there and EnviroWoman was blind, or having blonde moments…or maybe those elusive rolls had Frodo’s magic cloak that made them suddenly invisible.
And yet, in the bathroom stalls of CorporateCanada EnviroWoman kept seeing paper covered rolls of TP…so she knew it existed.
Finally, the TP gods smiled down upon EnviroWoman. A visit to Capers proved lucky….a single roll of Seventh Generation (100% recycled, no-chlorine bleach, 1000 sheets/1 ply) packaged in paper. But oooee the stuff was pricey, $1.39 a roll. And right next to it…paper-wrapped Main Street TP (100% recycled, 500 sheets/2 ply). Cheaper at $.89 a roll.
She struck the TP motherlode again at Dan-d-Market. There she found April Soft (100% recycled, chlorine-bleach free, 500 sheets/2 ply, and the only one to carry the Environmental Choice logo) and EcoSoft (100% recycled, 500 sheets/2 ply) both for $.99 a roll.
That was still all pretty pricey compared to the 30-roll plastic-packaged Scott Premium stuff at Costco at only $.56 a roll.
So EnviroWoman started hunting janitorial supply places and finally found one (Amre Supply) that sells to the general public and that carried the same Main Street TP found at Capers but in boxes of 48 rolls, at a cost of just $.63 a roll.
EnviroWoman has to admit. She’s a bit surprised there is this much choice for plastic-free toilet paper. Especially when it seemed to be such an elusive beast for so long. Maybe the no-plastic gods are smiling down upon her. (Hey, could you gods send me some plastic-free mascara….please, oh pretty please).
Category: Toilet Paper
SAINT: Seventh Generation, April Soft, Main Street, EcoSoft
Quality: Not as plush as Scott Premium from Costco…but hey, you’re only wiping your butt with it…do you really NEED something cushy-plush for that. Is your butt worth cutting down old growth forests for?)
Price: More expensive
SINNERS: Charmin, Cascades, Purex, Safeway Recycled, Safeway Select, Basic Red, Purex, Royale, and even Seventh Generation multi-pack….all packaged in plastic.
- Shop in new places. The supermarket isn’t the only place to shop for everyday things. Sometimes they’re even cheaper in places that cater to businesses rather than the general public.
Brain food:
Okay, usually EnviroWoman ends her posts here. But I know alot of folks care deeply about their toilet paper. And although EnviroWoman has to balance buying plastic-free with other green morals, some of you folks have other 'deciding factors'. So I'm gonna point you in the direction of two good sources to help you make better choices about paper you use in the loo.
- Environmental Choice certified Toilet Paper (which likes April Soft and Main Street [SCA], but doesn't mention Seventh Generation) based on these criteria:
1. Load points assessment for resource consumption, energy consumption, COD, TEF and net sold waste (huh?)
2. Manufacturing effluent content restrictions
3. Use of wood fibres from certified sustainable sources
- Greenpeace's Ancient Forest-Friendly Tissue Products Guide (which likes April Soft and Seventh Generation but doesn't mention Main Street) based on these criteria:
1. Ancient and endangered forest friendly
2. High recycled and/or alternative fibre content
3. Produced without chlorine
Feel free to post a comment of any good sources you have too for brands found in your part of the planet. Especially you Brits and Aussies that read this blog.
15 comments. Read or write:
Or you could switch to cloth wipes instead of TP! Or just get some of that super-spendy stuff for Poop, and use cloth for Pee. Not gross, not wasteful, and totally hygenic :)
I am not aware of any brands of toilet paper in the UK that are sold not wrapped in plastic...
Hello Envirowoman!
In Australia there are a few different earth friendly toilet papers that I know of,...the obvious one is 'Safe', that comes in varying levels of recycled white to grey,...they come wrapped in paper, but can be a bit rough on the bum the darker the colour of the paper...I've found that anyway! But there are other options that are a little friendlier on the rear but often wrapped in plastic... go to World Wildlife Fund or Planet Ark for helpful tips in Oz.
Good day my super hero!
I have found cascades tp in paper wrap at my localish capers, the one on cambie. Thank you so much for all of the information. You rock!
ww
Jessica
Maybe if I was an UberEnviroWoman I'd head in that direction.
EnviroWoman has passed herself off as green on the inside and CorporateCanada on the outside for years now. Just giving up plastic has made the green part of me rise closer and closer to the surface.
Wow, giving up paper-based TP would morph me totally into a GreenGranola.
:)
jessica at bwlchryrhyd, my friend...
No paper-packaged TP in the UK...that is so totally a bummer (no pun intended).
And surprising, because over here in Canada we know you folks in the UK are way ahead of us on all things animals rights, and a lot of things environmental.
I'm hoping one of the other UK readers comes through for both you and I and locates a paper-based TP for ya.
hrdeane
Thanks for the point to World Widlife Fund. They have a great review of European TP manufacturers at http://assets.panda.org/downloads/full_report_scoring_of_the_giants_all_sections_nov_16.pdf
And thanks for the point to Planet Ark. I'm sure I've heard about them before, but never visited. Good site. Ohhh, and look at all the stuff they have about plastic!
Many thanks.
ww
Yipee. Thanks for adding Cascades to the list. And Cascades is 'green approved' by both Greenpeace and the Environmental Choice Program.
Is it sold by the single roll, or by the box load? Box load is always cheaper.
http://www.shitbegone.com/
I first encountered this product when I was at a TP plant in Wisconsin. A funny box was in the window, with a funny name.
It turns out that if you buy enough product, this manufacturer will package, however you like, whatever recycled content you want.
This particular product was produced as a joke product for a business school student, and sold at a convention- he apparently did very well!
Tip for you: Canada has an aggressive paper industry -find out who is producing off-brand TP and ask some questions
Eco-paper may be the same thing (literally) as the 48 roll no-name cardboard box at a warehouse store, only much cheaper.
Hey - thanks for the information regarding the TP! I'm down to the last few rolls that my former self puchased during a spending spree at Costco.
I had resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to spend more in order to eliminate the plastic and had only found one supplier for TP packaged in paper (Sweet Cherubim on Commercial Drive). Granted, I haven't looked as hard as it appears you did.
Did you order online from Amre or buy directly from their location on Main Street?
Now I just have to convince SPUD.ca to carry this brand so I can add it to my regular grocery order instead of having to make a special trip.
Thanks again for the tip - it's both helpful and timely.
Late Bloomer
Glad to be of some help.
You can walk right into Amre's Main Street location and purchase over the counter (they keep it in the warehouse so you have to ask them for it). It's part # W1S1601.
Wouldn't it be great if we could convince Costco to carry it!!! Mind you, I don't shop there much any more...it's like a big temple of plastic worship.
Anonymous
Thanks for the info on ShitBeGone. I had seen a pic of it and thought it was a joke product. Guess I was wrong
I second the recommendation to look at shitbegone toilet paper. I have bought from them twice now. There are a few places that sell it now, but mainly they are a mailorder place, and sell in bulk. Not only is the paper itself made from 100% post consumer sources, but it is wrapped in paper, and shipped in a cardboard box. The only plastic used was the tape that held the box closed. Not bad at all. And, unlike seventh generation which I find scratchy, it is smooth and comfortable to use. The only hardship is the price, because I can always find other TP on sale for cheaper at the store. But, because I bought 96 rolls at a time, I almost never have to remember to pick up TP because I am out.
Hi Envirowoman! Here(in NY), Scotts and I think Marcal still come in single rolls with paper wrappers. Not premium, but old fashioned TP that I remember as a kid, which I actually prefer anyway. And those two brands are some of the cheapest when they go on sale. Marcal also features recycled content. But they are based in New Jersey and I'm not sure they sell beyond the East Coast...
The problem with Marcal, and possibly other brands that make individual rolls wrapped in paper, is that the individual rolls are packaged and shipped to the store in plastic. Check out this page on the Marcal web site:
http://www.marcalpaper.com/default.cfm?SiteMenu=Editorial&PageID=148.
They are advertising the plastic as their "innovative polycase." Part of me wishes I had never seen this web page. I could have blissfully purchased Marcal toilet paper in total ignorance of the "innovative polycase." But now I know, and I'm suspicious of all the other brands of paper-wrapped individual rolls of toilet paper now.
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