More and more people place a premium on knowing precisely what resources are utilized to manufacture the things they use. Essential items like food and drink are only one category here; other items such as clothing and standard household items like toilet paper are also covered.
The pulp of “virgin” trees is typically used to make toilet paper. However, some producers have begun producing toilet paper from raw materials like hemp, bamboo, sugar cane, and recycled materials. Water, bleach, chemical sulfates, and others are also included.
I’ll go into more detail regarding the materials used to make toilet paper and the chemicals used in its manufacture in this piece. I’ll also look at the materials used to make recycled toilet paper and how some top brands are produced.
Are Trees Used To Make Toilet Paper?
A blend of softwood and hardwood trees is typically used to make toilet paper. The majority of toilet paper comes from pulpwood trees. Furthermore, the tree pulp is frequently “virgin,” meaning it comes from young trees.
The trees used to produce toilet paper in the United States typically occur in both old-growth and second-growth forests. However, 22% to 48% of all toilet paper is also made utilizing trees from nurseries.
Toilet paper is typically made from 70% hardwood and 30% softwood trees. The most popular hardwoods are oak and maple, whereas the most popular softwoods are fir and pine.
What Is Used To Make Reusable Toilet Paper?
Typically, wood fibers rather than cotton are used to make toilet paper (or cotton pulp). Some toilet paper manufacturers, like Cottonelle, do, however, use cotton in some (or all) of their products. Additionally, cotton-based reusable toilet paper is available to purchase.
The term “reusable toilet paper” describes precisely what it is: toilet paper that can be washed after use to be recycled in the future. This option has been around for a while, but it gained popularity as toilet paper ran out at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak.
What’s in Scott’s Toilet Paper?
Virgin wood fibers are used in the production of Scott toilet paper. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) fiber certification standard is used to source these fibers, guaranteeing the sustainability of the forest from which the wood was sourced.
However, the Scott brand’s paper towel rolls and toilet paper cores are created from recycled materials.
Typically, virgin wood pulp is used to make toilet paper. One of the primary causes of people’s concern about toilet paper’s long-term viability and environmental friendliness is this tree pulp, produced from a blend of softwoods and hardwoods.
Suppose you want to have as little of an impact on the environment as possible. In that case, you can also purchase “reusable” toilet paper. To make their products, some producers are switching to bamboo or recycled materials, both of which are environmentally friendly.
Is Chinese Paper Used For Toilets?
Unlike most goods imported from foreign markets, paper products are primarily produced in domestic facilities. About two-thirds of paper products, such as toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, tissues, and diapers, are produced domestically. Only approximately 5 percent is imported from China.
Where Are Toilet Paper’s Raw Materials Sourced?
As was already mentioned, trees overall and wood pulp, in particular, are used to produce the majority of toilet paper. How about the origin of the trees?
One of two sources—tree farms or forests—provides the wood used to create toilet paper (both old-growth and second-growth). These woods and tree farms are most frequently found in the United States, Canada, South America, or Russia.
Once the raw materials are located, they are shipped to companies that make toilet paper. In the United States, manufacturing predominates. Mehoopany, Pennsylvania, and Clatskanie, Oregon, are two of the nation’s major toilet paper production hubs.
The Process Of Making Toilet Paper
To extract the fibers and treat the paper, toilet paper makers utilize a variety of chemicals. Fillers, holding agents, wet and dry tensile agents, colors, and biocides are a few of them. These substances are poisonous, including formaldehyde, petroleum-based oils, and bisphenol A (BPA).
To produce entirely white toilet paper, bleach is also used in the production process. When toilet paper is made, bleach comes in two different varieties:
Toilet paper that has been processed chlorine-free (PCF) means no bleach was used in the manufacturing process. But it’s essential to remember that before the paper reaches the plant, the fibers may have already been treated with bleach.
Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF): This designates a technique that uses chlorine dioxide rather than pure elemental chlorine. Due to its high concentration of cancer-causing dioxins, elemental chlorine has been prohibited from use in the production of toilet paper since 2001.
To achieve the same outcome, manufacturers of recycled toilet paper also utilize additional components, such as:
- Peroxide sodium hydroxide with ozone
Some of the substances used to make toilet paper can be harmful to those utilizing the finished product. For instance, a 2010 study discovered that one potential reason for chronic irritation is the formaldehyde in toilet paper.
What Is Charmin Toilet Paper Made Of?
The composition of Charmin toilet paper varies by product line. Their Ultra Strong, Ultra Gentle, and Ultra Soft product ranges are created using water and virgin wood pulp. They also add conditioners to the product to enhance its appeal, and a water-based adhesive holds them together.
The formulation of Charmin’s Flushable Wipes also includes renewed cellulose and citric acid. Technically speaking, this product is a wet wipe rather than toilet paper.
What Components Make Up Recycled Toilet Paper?
Recycled toilet paper is frequently chosen by those who are worried about the environmental effects of toilet paper but are unable to switch to utilizing a bidet.
Buying Major Brands of Toilet Paper
Given the factors that must be taken into account when purchasing toilet paper and the notion that it is used on the most delicate body areas, many consumers favor well-known brands. These brands have a solid reputation and are frequently more reasonably priced.
However, you should first ensure you are aware of each company’s materials to create its toilet paper before you contemplate purchasing from them.
How Should a Clogged Toilet Paper Be Flushed?
Dishwashing soap and hot water To soften the clog, wait 10 to 15 minutes while using hot water and dish soap. The toilet will then flush easily and unclog. If you like to clean your toilet without leaving your bathroom, you could also use hot water and shampoo from the sink.
Is Toilet Paper Eco-friendly?
“Post-consumer recycled material,” or PCR, is used to create recycled toilet paper. Basically, this is paper that was once utilized in houses and offices.
The paper used for printing office papers and paper used in textbooks is a couple example of PCR paper. The choice to make toilet paper out of PCR paper not only lessens the number of trees cut down but also affects the other steps of production.
Repurposed toilet paper is more environmentally beneficial because it uses 90% less water and 50% less energy to manufacture than toilet paper created from virgin tree pulp.
I advise using Amazon’s Seventh Generation White Toilet Paper. The paper used to make this toilet paper is entirely recycled and doesn’t have any added dyes, inks, or scents. Your exposure to dangerous chemicals is so minimized.
Additionally, this two-pack comprises 24 rolls with 240 pages each, which will last a very long time.
Eco-friendly Toilet Papers
Bamboo toilet paper
Additionally, if you’re looking for more environmentally friendly solutions, bamboo toilet paper should be considered. Just as it sounds, bamboo toilet paper is produced entirely from the bamboo plant instead of a blend of hardwoods and softwoods.
Similar steps are used in the production of bamboo and conventional toilet paper. The raw components used to make this product, however, are unique.
It takes years for the trees used to generate ordinary toilet paper to reach a size where they are helpful for production. Toilet paper has a substantial environmental footprint since it requires a lot of water and energy to flourish, a significant resource.
What You Should Know
However, bamboo is a plant that grows incredibly quickly. The growth that a conifer would need a year to reach can be reached by bamboos in just one hour. Furthermore, bamboo plants are far more adaptable to growing conditions than conifers.
Because of these reasons, bamboo emits much less pollution than young trees. When compared to the production of traditional toilet paper, the presentation of bamboo toilet paper produces emissions that are 30% lower.
Betterway Bamboo Toilet Paper is highly recommended if you switch to using bamboo toilet paper. Having 360 sheets per roll, this product is very soft. You’ll have plenty of rolls to last you for months because it has 12 double rolls.