Vegan Toilet Paper: The Best Cruelty-Free & Sustainable Brands

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It seems that the list of things that are not vegan is almost never-ending, with many vegans shocked to discover the hidden animal parts lurking inside everyday household items like toilet paper!

But fear not, vegan-friendly toilet paper is available to buy in the UK. As well as being cruelty-free, the best vegan toilet paper is also environmentally-friendly and sustainably produced.

But which brand should you go for? I’ve reviewed the most popular vegan toilet paper brands to help you make that decision in no time at all.

The Best Vegan Toilet Paper

Is Toilet Paper Vegan?

Most toilet paper is not vegan-friendly because it contains gelatine which comes from the bones and skins of animals or stearic acid, which is animal fat. These are used to glue the paper fibres together. Many toilet paper brands also test their products on animals.

Here’s a comparison table of the top 3 vegan toilet paper brands, with more info on each below.

BrandWhy Choose?Made FromBuy
Who Gives A CrapBest OverallRecycled PaperCheck Price
Cheeky PandaSoftestBambooCheck Price
BumbooPlants TreesBambooCheck Price

If you’re not sure which is the best vegan toilet paper for you, read on for my detailed review of all of the vegan toilet paper companies.

Every toilet paper brand in this list is:

  • Free from animal products
  • Cruelty-free
  • Eco-friendly
  • Available to buy in bulk

As most of us vegans are eco-conscious as well as concerned about animal welfare, when considering the best vegan-friendly toilet paper brands, I’ve made notes about which toilet rolls are sustainably-sourced and plastic-free.

I’ve avoided any brands that include virgin paper because I don’t think that wiping your bum is a good reason to be cutting down trees!

Plus, I’ve only included brands that allow you to buy in bulk, because buying a whole box at once is the best way to reduce the carbon emissions that come from the delivery.

The Best Vegan, Cruelty-Free & Sustainable Toilet Paper

1. Who Gives a Crap

Who Gives A Crap Toilet Paper

Who Gives a Crap is an Australian toilet paper brand that produces eco-friendly, vegan toilet rolls, wrapped in cute, brightly coloured paper. These toilet rolls will certainly liven up your bathroom. There’s even an orange one labelled as the ‘Emergency Roll’ with some humorous text.

I found this 3-ply toilet paper to be very soft compared to most other brands of toilet paper that I’ve tried. It’s plenty thick enough and each tube is densely rolled, meaning that each roll lasts for a really long time.

Who Gives a Crap company is a certified B-Corp that proudly donates 50% of its profits to help to build toilets for people in need.

The only problem with this toilet paper is that it is shipped from China. While bamboo toilet paper cannot be made in Europe because bamboo doesn’t grow here, recycled paper toilet rolls certainly can, so there’s really no need to make it in China. However, the company has informed me that this is something that they’re working on, so we can expect that to change soon. Yay!

Features

  • Material: 100% recycled paper
  • Packaging: Paper and cardboard
  • Ply: 3
  • Sheets per roll: 400
  • Sheet size: 10cm x 10cm

Pros:

  • 50% of profits donated to fund sanitation projects
  • 100% recycled paper
  • Looks pretty in your bathroom
  • Money back guarantee

Cons:

  • Each roll is individually-wrapped
  • Made in China

2. Who Gives a Crap Premium

Who Gives A Crap Premium

The Australian-owned Who Gives a Crap toilet paper company has a premium brand of bamboo toilet paper in addition to its recycled-paper variety.

This version is a little more expensive, but I wouldn’t say it’s any softer as the standard version is already very soft. It is a little thicker and stronger though, so you may find that you need to use less of it.

These sustainably-sourced and vegan-friendly bamboo toilet rolls come individually wrapped in black, white and gold patterned paper for an elegant look. If you like to store your loo roll in a basket or on a stand then these will look lovely.

Being manufactured in China is certainly more acceptable for bamboo toilet paper than recycled paper rolls. However, the use of paper to wrap each roll seems unnecessary and you may find yourself struggling to make good use of it unless you like to do a lot of arts and crafts with the kids, in which case, it’s fab!

Features

  • Material: Bamboo
  • Packaging: Paper and cardboard
  • Ply: 3
  • Sheets per roll: 370
  • Roll size: 10cm x 10cm

Pros:

  • 50% of profits donated to fund sanitation projects
  • Looks pretty in your bathroom
  • Extra strong
  • Money back guarantee

Cons:

  • Each roll is individually-wrapped
  • Made in China
  • Slightly more expensive

Get £5 OFF your first order with discount code CHOOSEVEGANISM

(on orders over £36 until 22 April 2022)

3. The Cheeky Panda

The Cheeky Panda toilet paper is made from bamboo, so it’s exceptionally soft and strong.

This toilet paper comes in a simple cardboard box with no fancy wrappers or gimmicks. It’s just quality toilet paper that will keep your conscience clean, as well as your bottom. If you don’t like the idea of individually wrapped rolls, this is the one for you.

The Cheeky Panda has partnered with three charities – World Land Trust, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and ToiletTwinning.org.

Features

  • Material: Bamboo
  • Packaging: Cardboard
  • Ply: 3
  • Sheets per roll: 200
  • Roll size: 12 cm x 10.5 cm

Pros:

  • Super soft
  • Vegan Society certified
  • Supports several charities
  • Large sheets

Cons:

  • Made in China

4. Bumboo

Bumboo toilet paper is soft, strong bamboo toilet tissue that comes wrapped in pretty paper.

The rolls look beautiful in your bathroom. But, if you’re turned off by the thought of all that wrapping paper going to waste, you can say no to the individual wrappers and order it plain. Great idea, Bumboo!

Bumboo works alongside Eden Reforestation Projects to employ people who live in areas of deforestation to plant trees. For every box of toilet tissue that you buy, a tree will be planted.

Features

  • Material: Bamboo
  • Packaging: Paper and cardboard
  • Ply: 3
  • Sheets per roll: 300
  • Roll size: 10cm x 10cm

Pros:

  • Super soft
  • Looks pretty in your bathroom
  • A tree planted for every box purchased
  • Choose wrapped or naked rolls

Cons:

  • Made in China

5. Ecoleaf

Ecoleaf is the UK’s first eco-friendly and vegan toilet paper brand. It has been manufactured by Suma for over 30 years. It’s made from 100% recycled fibre which is sourced exclusively in the UK, for a lower carbon footprint.

Reviewers report that this toilet paper is of good quality and is soft and strong. Each pack of four toilet rolls comes wrapped in a biodegradable wrap which can be composted along with your food waste.

Features

  • Material: 100% recycled paper
  • Packaging: Compostable wrap
  • Ply: 2
  • Sheets per roll: 240
  • Sheet size: 12.5cm x11.2cm

Pros:

  • Cheaper than other brands
  • Made in the UK
  • Unscented and unbleached
  • Good quality
  • Large sheets

Cons:

  • Not as soft as others
  • Amazon sellers sometimes add plastic packaging

6. Renova

Spanish brand Renova has is an eco-friendly brand of toilet tissue that’s made using recycled paper to save natural resources. It’s free from animal-derived products, fragrances, chlorine and dyes.

This toilet paper has mostly five-star reviews on Amazon. Reviewers report that it is pretty much average in terms of softness, thickness and strength. You can expect it to be of similar quality to your average supermarket own-brand toilet paper, but without the gelatine and without the same impact on the environment.

Features

  • Material: 100% recycled paper
  • Packaging: Paper
  • Ply: 3-ply
  • Sheets per roll: 180
  • Sheet size: 11.5cm x 10.2cm

Pros:

  • No dyes, no fragrances, no chlorine
  • Does not contain virgin paper
  • Made in Europe

Cons:

  • Expensive for the quality
  • Not the softest

The Verdict

My overall choice for the best vegan toilet paper brand is Who Gives A Crap because these recycled paper toilet rolls are soft, strong and look great in your bathroom. I also love that the company donates a whopping 50% of its profits to charity.

But, if you hate the thought of wasting paper by individually wrapping each roll, then you should go for Cheeky Panda. This toilet paper is of great quality, has a good price and the company does a great job of supporting eco charities.

I do also like Bumboo because this 3-ply bamboo toilet paper is incredibly soft and strong whilst remaining eco-friendly. I love that this company gives you the option to request your rolls to be individually wrapped or just delivered in a cardboard box. Plus, they do some great work with the Eden Reforestation Project to plant trees in areas affected by deforestation.

If vegan toilet paper seems too expensive and you don’t need the softest paper you can find, then I would recommend that you try Ecoleaf. At just half the price of Bumboo, this recycled toilet paper is good quality and made in the UK.

vegan toilet paper

Does Vegan Toilet Tissue Matter?

Unless you live in a cave somewhere, it’s impossible to be 100% vegan as many of the things we use every day, from petrol to banknotes, are not vegan. So should we even care about vegan toilet paper?

If you’re new to veganism, then it absolutely makes sense to focus on the areas where you can have the biggest impact – by stopping eating meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. If you worry about things like vegan toilet paper from day one, you might find your transition to a vegan lifestyle to be a little overwhelming.

But, if you’ve been vegan for a while and prefer to go for cruelty-free, vegan cosmetics and household products, then switching to a vegan toilet paper brand is a logical step.

best vegan toilet paper

Things To Look For In Vegan Toilet Paper

Still not sure which is the best vegan toilet paper to buy? Here are some of the things that you should consider when making your decision…

Is bamboo or recycled paper better for toilet roll?

One of the main environmental issues caused by using regular toilet paper is deforestation. Bamboo toilet paper and recycled toilet paper are both good alternatives, but which is the best?

Let’s look at the pros and cons…

Recycled toilet paper

  • Doesn’t require trees to be cut down
  • Uses less energy and water than making virgin paper
  • Cheaper than bamboo
  • Chemicals are needed to break down the paper for recycling
  • May contain a mix of recycled and virgin paper
  • Bleach is often used for whitening

Bamboo toilet paper

  • Grows 20 times faster than trees
  • Produces 35% more oxygen and absorbs 35% more carbon dioxide than trees
  • Regrows after harvesting
  • Softer than recycled paper
  • Must be shipped thousands of miles to reach the UK
  • Expensive
  • Bleach is often used for whitening

The verdict

Bamboo toilet paper is a better choice than paper toilet roll because it is more sustainable and eco-friendly, even compared to recycled toilet paper. Bamboo is naturally soft, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, odour resistant and hypo-allergenic. However, it is usually a more expensive option.

bamboo forest

Plastic-free toilet paper

As awareness grows over the environmental damage caused by plastic, plastic-free toilet paper is growing in popularity.

These days, it’s easy to find sustainable toilet paper that’s wrapped in other materials such as paper, cardboard or biodegradable plant-based cellophane which may be made from things like potatoes.

It’s important to remember that these other materials aren’t carbon neutral, so while a box of toilet rolls that are individually wrapped in colourful paper may look cute, all that paper isn’t doing any favours for the environment.

How can you tell if toilet paper vegan?

It’s very difficult to tell which brands of toilet paper are vegan-friendly. The only way to know for sure is to email the brand, and even then they don’t always know themselves as they’re not always aware of where the paper comes from and what happens along the manufacturing process.

I emailed many of the major toilet paper manufacturers to ask if their toilet paper contains animal products or is tested on animals.

Some of them give vague replies about how they “do not test our products or ingredients on animals unless required by law” (which basically means that they do test on animals if they sell products in China, a country whose laws state that everything must be tested on animals).

Regarding animal ingredients, many toilet paper companies say that they simply do not know whether their toilet rolls contain things like gelatine or not.

For example…

Is Cushelle toilet paper vegan?

“Although our tissue products consist of more than 95% cellulose and 5% residual moisture they do not, strictly speaking, fulfil the defined criteria for vegan products. This is because the paper-making process requires the use of process aids and we cannot exclude that some of these might be based on animal-derived chemistry.

We also use post-consumer recycled fibre in many tissue products and recycle tissue waste back through our process, so we cannot guarantee that our recycled paper and/or the systems used to produce this paper do not contain animal-derived adhesives, inks or additives from external sources.”

Cushelle Customer Services

The Bottom Line

When it comes to toilet paper, sometimes only the best is good enough. The softest, most luxurious toilet paper is made from sustainably-sourced bamboo and often comes wrapped in beautiful paper for you to display proudly in your bathroom.

If you don’t want to throw money down the drain (quite literally) and just want to make sure that your toilet paper is vegan-friendly, then there are some brands that are no more expensive than supermarket own-brand toilet paper. So make the switch today and enjoy guilt-free toilet trips at home!


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