Why Is Bamboo Toilet Paper So Expensive?

by Dev MG July 21, 2022

Key Takeaways

Bamboo toilet paper is more expensive because it uses sustainable materials and eco-friendly practices at every step.
Farming bamboo is faster and less destructive than harvesting trees, but most bamboo is sourced and processed overseas.
Eco-conscious choices, like biodegradable packaging and chlorine-free bleaching, raise production costs.
Shipping bamboo toilet paper increases cost due to its bulk and global supply chain needs.
Save Trees offsets double the carbon emissions from shipping to reduce environmental impact.

Most of us want to be more sustainable in how we live, down to our toilet paper purchases. According to one study, 94% of us are making some effort to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

Some sustainable actions are easy, like carrying your reusable water bottle and bringing your own bags to the grocery store. But sometimes those decisions are a bit more difficult, especially when it comes to spending your hard-earned money.

And often, the eco-friendly products that align with your sustainable lifestyle end up being more costly than their dollar-store counterparts.

So Why Is Bamboo Toilet Paper More Expensive Than Regular TP?

There’s no denying it: Bamboo toilet paper tends to be more expensive than traditional tree-based brands.

So: Why is bamboo toilet paper so expensive?

In short, it has a lot to do with sourcing a more sustainable substance: bamboo.

Today, we’re pulling back the curtain and diving deep into why bamboo toilet paper can be a bit more costly. But ultimately, it’s worth it.

To see the big picture of the costs of creating toilet paper, you must consider several factors:

Farming and/or harvesting costs
Processing and bleaching costs
Shipping costs
Packaging costs

Let’s look behind the scenes.

toilet sitting in bamboo grove

How Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Made?

You have to understand how companies make toilet paper to fully understand the cost differences between bamboo and traditional TP.

Don’t worry, this isn’t like “seeing how the sausage is made.” The TP process is relatively simple.

From Harvest to Pulp:

Traditional TP starts with chopping down trees, which then go to manufacturing facilities for processing down into a pulp.

Older trees make softer TP, but farming to grow and harvest older trees is costly and time consuming.

Only a small portion of the wood in big-name paper products comes from plantations or managed tree farms. Many virgin fibers still come from natural or old‑growth forests.

Shipping tree trunks is also expensive. Companies usually source the toilet paper you buy in the U.S. from the nearby Canadian boreal forest. There, logging continues to threaten the natural environment.

Depending on a company’s practices, the clear-cut forest may be replanted after harvest. If it is, it’ll still take decades upon decades to regenerate.

Traditional toilet paper comes from old growth forests

Bamboo TP is similar. It starts with cutting bamboo, shipping it to a manufacturing facility and grinding it into a pulp.

But the bamboo plant is actually a grass. Just like your front lawn after mowing, it regrows quickly. (Think about how often you have to mow your lawn!) That means bamboo is a much more sustainable material to farm.

Not all bamboo sourcing is equal, but at Save Trees, we source our bamboo from FSC-certified bamboo farms. This ensures the bamboo is sustainably grown and harvested. (Problems have arisen with bamboo TP companies claiming FSC certification without actual certification, so check before you buy.)

The species of bamboo we use for pulp is Phyllostachys edulis, more commonly called Moso bamboo. It takes about 4 years to regrow for harvest.

bamboo toilet paper is made with totally chlorine-free bleach, which is better for the environment

From Pulp to Paper

This part of the process is pretty much the same for tree- or bamboo-based toilet paper, with one exception: bleaching.

After the fiber is pulped, it’s bleached. (Psst: Bleaching doesn't just make the paper white; it also makes it softer.)

Standard corporations seek to make this process as cheap as possible. The cheapest bleaching method involves toxic chemicals and wastewater.

We’re committed to using only elementally chlorine-free (ECF) bleaching. Currently, it’s the primary environmentally friendly method available for bamboo processing.

And we know that even if it costs a little extra, the benefits are worth it.

After it’s been bleached, the pulp is rolled out into a gigantic sheet and wrapped around what’s called a “parent roll.”

The parent roll is then converted down into its babies: the consumer-sized rolls we’re used to seeing. Companies can configure sheet count, ply number, roll wrap tightness and more during this part.

From Paper to Plastic-Free Packaging

Once the paper is processed, it’s time to package it ... but without problematic plastic packaging.

Again, large corporations take the cheapest route and wrap toilet paper rolls in plastic. And it’s exasperating.

But we aren’t looking for the cheapest way to create and sell our products at Save Trees.

Plastic waste is a major threat to our planet. That’s why we invest more to ensure our packaging is always biodegradable and recyclable. You can even throw it straight in your home compost!

Cloud Paper plastic-free box with bamboo toilet paper on a house porch

From Packaging to Your Doorstep

Shipping bamboo toilet paper is one of the biggest reasons it costs more.

Growing bamboo in the U.S. is quite uncommon. It’s a nonnative species, and it can be invasive if not managed correctly.

We’re committed to constantly improving our supply chain. However, currently the best method for making bamboo toilet paper is to source and manufacture it in China. We can properly manage it there. Then, we ship the finished product to the U.S.

Toilet paper is a lightweight but bulky product. Imagine shipping balloons after they’re full … it takes up a lot of space. This adds to the cost, both monetary and environmentally.

Understanding this cost, we carbon offset 2 times the emissions from transportation for every part of the paper’s journey.

Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Worth the Extra Money?

Why is bamboo toilet paper more expensive? Here’s a quick breakdown.

Sourcing highly renewable bamboo from overseas helps preserve old-growth forests from being clear-cut for paper products.
Choosing totally chlorine-free bleaching costs a bit more but is less toxic to the environment.
Packaging bamboo toilet paper in biodegradable materials is more expensive than plastic, but it means our waste is responsibly managed.
To ensure we’re stewards of the Earth, we offset twice the carbon footprint of all shipping and transportation emissions.

Personally, we think the benefits absolutely outweigh the cost. But what do you think? Is the paper worth the price?

Get the Most From Your Money With Bamboo Toilet Paper From Save Trees

At Save Trees (formerly Cloud Paper), we make bamboo toilet paper that’s better for you and better for the planet.

You deserve TP that’s affordable, comfortable and consciously made so you feel good about every roll.

Browse our shop for affordable, top-notch bamboo toilet paper that gets you clean in comfort. Contact us with questions anytime.