Eco-friendly toilet paper: how sustainable alternatives compare

Consumers and manufacturers are increasingly using recycled-content or alternative materials for toilet paper, and third-party groups and labels evaluate products based on bleaching methods, recycled content and forestry practices.

Many consumers and manufacturers are shifting toward toilet paper made from recycled content or alternative materials because of concerns about tree use, water consumption and manufacturing pollution. Conventional tissue is generally produced from tree fibers, often bleached with chlorine, and requires substantial energy and water during processing. Third-party assessments and certification programs now rate or label products for recycled content, bleaching methods and responsible forestry practices. The discussion has expanded as nonprofits, researchers and industry groups publish reports comparing environmental impacts. Main points: - Conventional toilet paper is commonly made from tree fibers, bleached, and produced with energy- and water-intensive processes. - The Environmental Paper Network estimated that using one roll of recycled-content toilet paper in place of a roll made from forest fibers in every U.S. household could save more than 1 billion gallons of water and 1.6 million trees. - Certifications and labels such as those from the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and rating reports from the Natural Resources Defense Council, evaluate factors like bleaching, recycled content and forestry practices; NRDC’s 2025 report rated several fully recycled products highly. - Some alternative materials, notably bamboo products made in regions that rely on coal-fired electricity, have been found in studies to have higher environmental impacts than certain conventional products, though impacts vary with manufacturing energy sources. - Bidets are presented in the coverage as another way to reduce toilet paper use; they come in a range of designs and prices and can reduce dependence on paper. Summary: Shifts toward recycled-content products and chlorine-free processing are being driven by consumer interest and third-party assessments, and some industry reporting indicates reductions in certain environmental impacts. How quickly product availability and prices change and the overall environmental outcomes will depend on production choices and market developments and is undetermined at this time.