Why to choose unbleached toilet paper, plus Eco Cheeks review
Now that we’re through the Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020 (phew!) it’s time we got picky about what we wipe our tooshes with each day. Yes, not all toilet rolls are created equal!
It seems toilet paper is back with a vengeance - there are so many brands to choose from and more popping up all the time - but which to choose?
It’s pretty scary to learn that something like 15% of deforestation globally is due to toilet paper!
I’ve been using a plastic-free, recycled toilet paper for several years now, delivered to my door, but as with everything I’m always curious to see what else is out there and how the humble loo roll is evolving.
A box of naked toilet rolls by Gold Coast-based brand Eco Cheeks. They come plastic free, unbleached (cos we don’t need the chlorine down there!), soft and ready to roll. Read on for my review of Eco Cheeks!
how to be positively picky with your toilet paper
Here are some ideas to help you choose toilet paper that is better for our ecosystem, and our butts!
Ditch the plastic outer wrapping and go plastic free, or even naked!
Support a local brand.
Go for rolls made using bamboo, a super-fast growing plant, rather than the traditional tree pulp paper (see deforestation stat above). You can also look out for brands that use recycled paper (don’t worry, it wasn’t toilet paper before!).
Choose ethically made - nope, not all workers are treated fairly, as is unfortunately the case across many manufacturing processes. Not sure what certifications a brand has, if any? Ask them!
And my newest tip: Choose unbleached toilet paper. Why? Well I dive deep on all things ethical toilet paper with the founder of Gold Coast-based brand Eco Cheeks, Tanya Roberts, on why we should stop wiping with chlorinated paper.
“I used a sustainable option for many years, but when I learned that chlorine bleach was used to whiten toilet papers and that this can cause dioxins, a known toxin, I looked for an alternative but there was nothing on the market,” Tanya says.
Unbleached, plastic-free bamboo toilet paper! Eco Cheeks ensure their manufacturing is ethical, too.
“Although some brands use a safer version of chlorine called EFC, it is still a derivative and unnecessary when we can have beautiful paper without it. I was on maternity leave at the time and felt there was an opportunity to bring this to market - I couldn’t have been the only crazy one that wanted a quality eco toilet paper with zero bleach.
“What we put in, on and around our body truly affects our wellbeing.”
Tanya launched Eco Cheeks in December 2020, not as an answer to the toilet paper shortage earlier that year but purely to get a better, more eco- and bum-friendly option to market.
I originally switched to Eco Cheeks when I saw they had an option for naked rolls! They are delivered to my door, completely plastic free (even the packing tape is paper) and all I need to compost are the rolls (and a little thank you card). They also offer a wrapped version too, great for businesses, and if you’re storing them open or on display in the bathroom.
I’ve since learnt after meeting and chatting with Tanya, that the key difference between Eco Cheeks and other plastic-free, Aussie brands is that they use zero whitening agents, AND they’re also ethically manufactured.
“I also wanted it to be better quality, eco-luxe if you will,” Tanya says.
“I believe that we all want to make better choices, but if things aren’t enjoyable then that ‘better choice’ may not be sustainable long term.”
“Our product is thicker, softer, it has a quality embossing on the back which means less wiping and we have a neat tear 100% of the time, no shredding.” I can add here - each roll holds a lot of paper! They’re tightly rolled, saving space and giving you more of what you pay for.
As with everything that is manufactured, the workers involved are not always treated ethically and fairly in the process. It took Tanya five months to find the right supplier to ensure a quality, ethically-made product.
“Choosing to manufacture offshore wasn’t an easy decision, however the ability to do it in Australia wasn’t possible,” Tanya explains.
“We don’t grow bamboo on the scale required to manufacture products, and even if I was to import the raw material the factories that do produce in Australia only produce for their own big brands.
“There is a lot of negativity around manufacturing in China. I understand the want for Australian made and I admire those who are able to avoid making offshore.”
“Although there were hundreds of suppliers I could have chosen from only a handful had the BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) audit which monitors and assess workplace standards, including wages, hours and working conditions. I was adamant that who ever I worked with needed to have this.”
Hooray for brands like Tanya’s Eco Cheeks that look for ways to push the industry forward and do better, all while educating us end-users at the same time to make more informed choices (hello my favourite word: transparency!).
To me it’s a no-brainer to choose ethical, plastic-free and unbleached toilet paper!