Avoid Toilet Paper Alternatives

Avoid Toilet Paper Alternatives – Living a zero-waste or low-waste lifestyle means you’re probably thinking questions like these, and wondering, is there such a thing as zero-waste toilet paper?

The simple answer is yes, but there are many options to consider and as a busy mom you may not have time to do all the research yourself.

Avoid Toilet Paper Alternatives

So, I’ve put together this ultimate guide to help you learn everything you need to know about waste-free toilet paper and how to make the best choice for your family.

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According to National Geographic, 270,000 trees a day are “discarded in facilities or rotting,” toilet paper alone costs more than 27,000 trees a day.

There is a lot of waste, but if you think about it, toilet paper was created only as a waste product. There was no way to reuse the toilet paper (thank goodness!), and as a result, we flushed it down the toilet.

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In fact, the average American uses — and flushes — 141 rolls of toilet paper a year, according to Market Watch.

On top of paper waste, most toilet paper purchases are wrapped in unnecessary amounts of plastic packaging. If you buy it in bulk, it’s sometimes wrapped in plastic TWICE!

Most of that plastic packaging isn’t recycled or people don’t know they can recycle it. So it ends up in landfills, or worse, in the oceans.

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Want to save time and money finding waste-free replacements for your family? Download the FREE guide to 9 Waste-Free Swaps Every Family Can Make!

The good news is that you can find both low-waste and zero-waste toilet paper options. There are various alternatives. Using the guide below, you can find the best option for you and your family.

Remember, a zero-waste or low-waste lifestyle is a journey, not a destination. Many of the inspiring people involved in the zero waste movement remind me of that on a daily basis.

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So while you may not jump 100% into some of these alternatives, start with the one that works best for you and is the easiest to achieve. It’s about taking baby steps and progress.

If you’re looking for a truly waste-free toilet paper option, a bidet attachment for your bathroom is probably your best bet!

As I mentioned, this is one of the options that our family isn’t ready to try. I would be open to trying the bidet but I haven’t had my wife or kids ride in it (yet).

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This is a common question that comes up often, but the answer is simple! If you don’t have time to air dry, you can dry with a reusable towel (similar to our next option – the Family Cloth) or you can also use one of the sustainable toilet paper options listed below .

I have to admit that the name of this waste-free toilet paper is a bit unattractive. However, it is actually a washable and reusable alternative to conventional toilet paper.

It is made from reusable fabrics of any kind – from rags, old t-shirts, DIY fabric squares sewn together or purchased cloth wipes.

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If you use cloth diapers for your babies, it’s not that different! Although our family has not tried this option, I have read a lot about it and think it is a great alternative. I plan to switch to this option soon.

A search on Etsy brought up several options for Reusable Family Cloth or toilet wipes. I’ve listed some of my favorite options here so you don’t have to search!

If you sew, you can make your own from scraps, old t-shirts, other fabric you have, or flannel. If you don’t sew, you can also cut up old towels, old washcloths, or use thin washcloths that you can buy.

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Family cloth care is similar to cloth diapers and many people prefer to use them only after urinating. However, some people use it for poo and period as well. Do what’s best for you!

Keep clean cloths in a basket over your toilet. OrganicCraftStore on Etsy offers an option where they are cut together and rolled up like a regular roll of toilet paper. So you can put it in your regular toilet paper holder. Plus, she’s offering 25% off to all Simply Living Green customers!

Dirty cloth wipes can be kept in a wet bag or even a covered bin until it’s time to wash them. When it’s time to wash them, make sure you rinse any extra soiled fabric. A handheld sprayer attachment for your bathroom is great for this (see below for more details).

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Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for washing to ensure you disinfect the wipes properly. Also, do not wash with fabric softener as it will reduce the absorbency of the cloth wipe over time.

Many of your house guests may not be familiar with the use of family textiles. So you probably want to have a sustainable toilet paper option available to them (like 100% recycled toilet paper or virgin toilet paper discussed next).

This TP Holder from Julie at Rag Pads will hold your disposable wipes and you can put a roll of recycled toilet paper in it for your guests!

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Recycled toilet paper is where many people start their low or zero waste journey.

It is most similar to conventional toilet paper but made from recycled paper – sometimes up to 100% recycled paper. This means that no virgin trees are used to make toilet paper, which greatly reduces the number of trees that are cut down every day to support our toilet paper flushing habits.

Did you know that according to the makers of Who Gives a Crap, more people in the world have mobile phones than toilets?

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I was surprised by that fact, but I would love to support a company that donated $2.5 million Australian dollars (or about $1.9 million US dollars) to help thousands of people in need right now! Plus Who Gives a Crap is a Certified B Body, which means they meet the highest standards for social and environmental impact.

Recycled toilet paper is made from other paper products (usually post-consumer paper). However, paper originally came from virgin wood.

Wood-free toilet paper is usually made from bamboo, which is a sustainable resource. Bamboo grows very quickly, up to 39 inches in just one day, and is therefore highly replenishable.

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Bamboo also absorbs more carbon dioxide than other plants, which means you’re reducing your carbon footprint when using bamboo or bare toilet paper.

There are other recycled and tree-free toilet paper options such as Green2, Emerald, and others that you can find online.

However, research each one to make sure they are 100% tree-free, while free of dyes, chlorine, fragrances and plastic. I’ve noticed that many are still wrapped in plastic packaging, which is why I prefer to use Who Gives a Crap, Tushy, or other paper-wrapped toilet paper.

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Sometimes you can also find hotel suppliers who provide individually wrapped toilet paper and ship it in cardboard boxes (email them to make sure it’s plastic-free).

Buying individual paper-wrapped toilet paper rolls at the grocery store is another option if you don’t want to buy in bulk, like Seventh Generation.

Whatever the case, you’ll want to avoid multiple toilet paper options wrapped in removable layers of plastic packaging.

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All of the above options are good environmental choices. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages and the one you choose depends on your preferences, budget and your family’s needs.

Remember that using a bidet, family cloth, recycled toilet paper, or lint-free toilet paper are all great eco-friendly alternatives to conventional toilet paper.

According to an article in Backpacker, studies show that it can take 1-3 years for standard toilet paper to decompose in places like alpine areas, wetlands and deserts.

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On the other hand, there are several biodegradable toilet paper options, including bamboo toilet paper, which breaks down up to four times faster than conventional toilet paper made from virgin trees, according to ecofreek.com.

Don’t forget when you’re done with your toilet paper rolls and wrapping paper that you should compost them if possible.

If you don’t already have that option, at least recycle or reuse your paper tubes and wrappers and keep them out of landfills where they won’t decompose properly.

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I prefer to save our toilet paper tubes and wrapping paper to upcycle. We made ours into butterflies and Thanksgiving turkey crafts, and even wrapped small gifts inside, but the options are endless.

There are tons of upcycled craft projects for kids on Pinterest using toilet paper tubes. You can follow my Upcycling

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