Thanks to the growing number of eco-friendly companies out there, we’ve been able to green-ify so many areas of our lives, from our wardrobes to our pantries. But one place often neglected in the sustainable sphere is the toilet – even though that’s where a lot of toxic stuff happens (and we don’t just mean…well, you know). Fortunately, The Nurturing Co has been toiling away so we can spend a penny, sustainable-style…
It’s no secret that toilet paper isn’t particularly earth-friendly; we cull 27,000 trees a year to make the stuff and consume it just as excessively (100 rolls per year per person!). Unbelievably, toilet paper is responsible for 15 per cent of worldwide deforestation – and we use it and dispose of it in less than a minute.
Due to the lack of sustainable loo roll brands stocked in supermarkets (wood-pulp dominates 95 per cent of the market) and the lack of mainstream attention on this issue, sometimes it feels as though we have no choice but to opt for the big brands and pay the price later.
Hello The Nurturing Co
The Nurturing Co is changing that. As an umbrella company, they have created different brands that sell sustainable consumer products to both improve daily lives and take care of the planet. Their belief? That an ethical product can be a better product. Exhibit A: Bambooloo, their sustainable bamboo toilet paper brand. Unlike most toilet roll, Bambooloo paper is completely free of plastic packaging – the only retail-ready brand in the sector able to say this. Their loo roll is also free of wood-pulp, made instead from 100 per cent virgin bamboo pulp from bamboo groves in Chongqing, China. Bamboo – a grass – is extremely sustainable, growing back quickly after being cut. This means no depleting reserves, destroying or occupying more land to plant seeds, or waiting years for more to grow. It’s also a true all-rounder and can be used in everything from clothing to eating utensils. Bambooloo is grown sans insecticides and fertilizers and uses as little water as possible. It isn’t just kind to the planet, but also to our tushies: it’s anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, hypoallergenic, chemical-free, and 25 per cent more absorbent and 30 per cent stronger than wood-pulp based loo roll. Oh, and it’s 3-ply, for that luxury feel.
But then COVID-19 happened…
The Nurturing Co was due to launch two new products when COVID-19 struck. While the pandemic caused many businesses to cut back, The Nurturing Co found themselves pretty busy thanks to the increased demand for toilet paper. Once the lockdown hit, Bambooloo sold four months of stock in one weekend. Seeing the urgent need for hygiene products, and wanting to offer a meaningful, sustainable option, the business created hand sanitisers that they were able to roll out within two weeks. At the start of June, The Nurturing Co also released antibacterial wipes in a refillable, reusable, resealable canister.
Introducing even more sustainable solutions
There’s no doubt that Bambooloo is an eco-hero (further proof: it uses 2.7 gallons of water versus wood-pulp paper’s 37 gallons), but the spread of the virus – and the mass consumption of toilet paper – made The Nurturing Co realise that there had to be an even more sustainable solution to the whole wiping-your-backside-without-costing-the-earth issue. Step forward, WipeLess, the sustainable bidet. Once just a casual thing in European hotel bathrooms that confused us, bidets are set to have a mainstream moment – and we can see why. They reduce water consumption, lessen (if not eliminate) the need for toilet roll, and, let’s face it, feel quite nice. WipeLess is a bidet that can be attached to any toilet and will retail at $70 once it launches in September, making it easy and affordable to go paper-free. A Kickstarter for this project will be launching soon, watch this space.
Those conscious creators also know that the fate of the planet (and thus changing consumers’ habits) is rather urgent, so they’re launching kitchen roll in August and rolling out their brand in the U.K. in September with fundraising currently well under way. Like most sustainable companies, they want people to remember one simple thing: consumers have the power.
This article is brought to you in collaboration with The Nurturing Co.