Who Gives A Crap: Recycled & Bamboo Toilet Paper (Review)
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Globally we cut down 712 million trees a year for toilet paper. Yuck! That sounds terribly much, especially when it’s just to wipe our bums.
That’s why sustainable companies like Who Gives A Crap are focused on creating tree-free toilet paper. But how do they do it, and how sustainable are they truly?
In this review, you will find all about Who Gives A Crap, including the pros and cons and my personal experience with their products.
Let’s begin!
Who Gives A Crap: Overview
Who Gives A Crap (US / UK) is an Australian-based eco-friendly toilet paper company launched in 2013. Their product range includes:
- Recycled toilet paper
- Bamboo toilet paper
- Forest-friendly paper towels
- Forest-friendly tissues
One aspect that makes them super cool is that Who Gives A Crap donates 50% of its profits to help ensure everyone has access to clean water and a toilet by 2050.
To date, they’ve donated AUD 10.8 million to non-profit organizations. Woah!
They are also a B-certified corporation, meaning they reach the highest social and environmental impact standards.
Who Gives A Crap is confident you will love their products, but for any reason you don’t, you can send them back (within 30 days of purchase) and get a full refund.
They ship worldwide, so the products are delivered straight to your door – with carbon-neutral delivery. But more on that – later.
Why Is Who Gives A Crap Toilet Paper Great?
Manufacturing
Who Gives A Crap toilet paper is made from 100% recycled paper or bamboo, with no dyes, inks, or scent.
Since the production process and raw material sourcing make up the vast majority of the carbon footprint, the company focuses on that.
They manufacture in China, allowing them easy access to local raw materials like post-consumer waste paper and bamboo.
By using local materials, Who Gives A Crap avoids importing from overseas.
Sourcing
Their recycled toilet tissue is 3-ply rolls made with post-consumer waste paper – things like textbooks, workbooks, office paper, etc. About 5% is post-industrial paper, like offcuts from nearby paper factories.
Their bamboo toilet paper is 3-ply rolls made with bamboo, predominantly grown in remote areas of Sichuan Province in China.
Transportation
Who Gives A Crap is never flying their toilet paper to their customers. They ship freight containers of stock into ports worldwide (US, UK, AU, Europe) and distribute from there.
Additionally, the shipping is carbon neutral, which means they pay for carbon offsets equal to the carbon they produce from manufacturing & shipping.
That creates zero net carbon emissions into the atmosphere. For any orders over $25/£20, the shipping is free, too.
Whitening Agents
Traditional toilet paper uses bleach to make it white and soft. Bleach is a chemical that is highly toxic to humans and wildlife.
Who Gives A Crap uses whitening agents that are gentler and better for your skin and the environment.
They use Hydrogen Peroxide & Oxygen for their recycled TP and their bamboo TP – Chlorine Dioxide & Hydrogen Peroxide.
While not perfect, those alternatives are much safer and more environment-friendly to bleach.
Who Gives A Crap: My experience
Who Gives A Crap sent me their recycled and bamboo TP. After months of using it, here’s what I think about their toilet paper:
Recycled Toilet Paper
It is more brittle and less dense. Because of that, you need to be more gentle when ripping pieces from it.
On the other hand, it is much softer than the different recycled TP I’ve tried in the past. It also lasts very long.
If you are used to thick, resilient TP, you will need time to get used to this one.
Bamboo Toilet Paper
Bamboo is softer, but also it is more sturdy. It doesn’t break easily, even if you use it on a wet surface (or bum).
Bamboo toilet paper has fewer sheets per roll and costs a few cents more than recycled toilet paper.
Even though it is a bit more expensive, I prefer the bamboo TP. It is noticeably more resilient, thick, and smooth at the same time.
Who Gives A Crap: Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Toilet paper made from recycled paper requires no trees to be cut down. Recycling also saves about half the water usage and one-third of the energy.
- Bamboo is more sustainable than wood pulp in that it grows much faster. It can be harvested much more frequently, so TP made of bamboo requires almost 90% less land (per finished sheet) to produce.
- They have carbon-neutral shipping. This means that they pay for carbon offsets that are equal to the carbon the company produces.
- Who Gives A Crap donates 50% of its profits. Their goal is to ensure everyone has access to a toilet and basic sanitation by 2050. Find more about their yearly donations.
- Ships in bulk. A box of 48 rolls can last anywhere between six months to a year* (*depending on your household.)
Cons:
- Currently, they still use plastic tape for their boxes. Throughout the years, they’ve been slowly moving away from all plastic. They are still looking for a plastic-free alternative to the tape.
- Their recycled toilet paper isn’t as strong as other TP. It is easier to break, so you must be more gentle and get used to it.
- It is on the pricier side. Even though the price of many toilet paper brands that aren’t eco-friendly is similar, the price is still somewhat high.
- Who Gives A Crap is manufactured in China, then shipped by sea. Even though the company is trying its best to offset its emissions, if you have local brands making recycled toilet paper, it might be a more sustainable option.
Who Gives A Crap: FAQ
Where is Who Gives A Crap toilet paper made?
Who Gives A Crap products are responsibly made in China. The main reason for that is:
- They couldn’t find an Australian producer capable of making their products plastic-free and with maximum space efficiency.
- China’s supply chains are unique and don’t rely on importing raw materials from other countries.
- Production in China allows the brand to be flexible and scale quickly.
Additionally, the international growth of Who Gives A Crap is still in its early days.
The company is exploring new opportunities and partnering with local producers in other countries.
This will stimulate domestic manufacturing, reduce environmental impact, and ultimately – get the products faster to the customers.
Is Who Gives A Crap more expensive?
Who Gives A Crap is not the cheapest toilet paper. However, while it may seem more expensive, the price is close and sometimes even more affordable than conventional TP.
Most TP brands measure by cost per roll (not per sheet), so they can make single-length rolls with fewer sheets.
Who Gives A Crap has double-length rolls; 385 sheets for the recycled TP and 370 for the bamboo TP.
Cost Per Sheet
Currently, 48 rolls of their recycled toilet paper cost $62. So I calculated, and Who Gives A Crap costs 33 cents per 100 sheets.
Some of the best-selling TP on Amazon costs:
- Charmin Ultra Strong TP – 44 cents per 100 sheets.
- Presto! Toilet Paper – 35 cents per 100 sheets.
- Quilted Northern Toilet Paper – 34 cents per 100 sheets.
While there are some cheaper toilet paper options, they don’t donate half of their profits to charity, don’t use recycled paper or bamboo, nor are B-certified corporations.
Why is Who Gives A Crap toilet rolls individually wrapped?
I was wondering the same. After some digging, I found that they can’t put the toilet paper naked in the box because of sanitary reasons. It makes sense!
Wrapping them in the paper is essential and the only way to keep the toilet paper moisture-free, hygienic, and plastic-free.
Besides, the wrappers are cute, eye-catching & shareable. You can gift it to your friends and spread the word.
You can recycle or compost the wrappers or get crafty – check out these cool ways to repurpose them!
How does the toilet paper arrive?
It arrives in a recycled cardboard box with a bit of plastic tape. They are currently looking into how to remove the plastic altogether.
Which one is better – bamboo or recycled?
It depends on what you are looking for. If you want to pick the softest and strongest option – get bamboo.
If your focus is the most eco-friendly & cost-effective option – get the recycled one.
Both are biodegradable and safe for septic tanks.
Summary
If you are a living human on this planet – you have an impact on the planet. There isn’t a 100% perfect and sustainable person or company.
But that’s okay because sustainability doesn’t have to be all or nothing. It can be achieved gradually, and each small step matters.
Who Gives A Crap has room for improvement, like everyone else.
But the fact is that they do an incredible job, and they continuously strive to become more sustainable.
If you have any doubts or questions about Who Gives A Crap – leave a comment below, and I’ll do my best to answer all of your queries.
