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If you’re still trying to understand the Toilet Paper Gate of 2020...join the party. I wasn’t among the herd of people hoarding mounds of toilet paper because I already had a closet full of butt wipes. But, after my toilet clogged for the 3rd time in a year I realized I was going to have to make a change.
I’ve also been consciously working to make more sustainable switches to my everyday needs. Now, I’m all about saving the planet, but on a budget. I allocated a $150 monthly budget to experiment with sustainable brands I could convert to. Subscriptions work best for my repeat purchases. Where better to start than one of my everyday necessities: toilet paper.
I’d heard bamboo toilet paper has a much smaller environmental impact and is safer on septic tanks. However, my past experience with eco-friendly toilet paper has been tough (literally). They typically look and feel like I’m wiping a brown paper bag. The worst.
During one of my long toilet therapy sessions scrolling through TikTok, I came upon a millennial’s guide to making sustainable switches, TP edition with Reel bamboo toilet paper.
Delivered straight to my door?
*Adds to cart*
The Tissue Issue
Reel is a tree-free, 100% bamboo toilet paper with zero plastic packaging. Reel’s subscription based service not only saved me from a trip to the grocery store, but Reel is saving the world by delivering us one reliable ingredient: bamboo.
The Problem: 27,000 trees are cut down daily for toilet paper.
The Solution: Bamboo toilet paper is 100% biodegradable and grows rapidly.
Outcome: Smaller environmental impact for this essential household staple.
Toilet paper is one of the biggest essential consumer products causing 27,000 trees to be cut down daily to meet demand. In February 2019, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) issued failed sustainability scorecards to all the biggest selling toilet paper brands like Charmin, Quality Northern, and Kirkland Signature (Source: The Issue With Tissue). This massive deforestation is disrupting our environment, but what environmentally-friendly toilet paper alternatives are out there?
Bamboo toilet paper is significantly more sustainable than traditional toilet paper. Bamboo is generally 100% biodegradable, which means it requires less water to break down. The lifecycle of a bamboo tree is also much faster. Bamboo grows rapidly without harmful pesticides or irrigation. The roots are strong enough to grow back no matter how often you cut it. That makes bamboo trees much quicker to harvest than trees. That’s why every roll of Reel is made from 100% bamboo with plastic-free packaging -- even the tape.
Huge win for the environment and us.
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Shit Happens: The Toilet Test
My consciousness feels great knowing I’m invested in a great brand, but the real test is how it holds up in the bathroom. Here are my findings:
1- Worst, 10 - Best
Softness: 7/10 Soft yet strong.
Strength: 10/10 Need about 4 sheets for #2 (The 3 Ply holds up great!)
Aesthetics: 9/10 Love the packaging. I can keep them on display!
The first win with Reel is how convenient the delivery is. I just moved into my own apartment so I can’t holler to my roommates to bring me toilet paper whenever I run out. I’m guilty of toilet waddling to find paper towels and napkins whenever I run out of TP. Thankfully, Reel’s subscription service makes it easy to set up monthly deliveries with a 24 pack. It gets delivered to me before I even run out. I didn’t find myself going through the entire box because the 3 ply rolls do the dirty work to decrease my sheet use. What used to take 6-8 sheets with other brands now takes me about 4 sheets for a solid #2. Soft on the tush, yet strong enough to do the duty.
Pro Tip: Set your toilet paper with the flap under for less usage.
Toilet paper flapped over is a marketing ploy to get us to use more and buy more, because it’s easier to pull. *Mind Blown*
I scrolled through the Reel instagram page to find lots of fun ways to reuse the Reel box and packaging. The simple packaging with the modern “R” Reel logo is a chic touch displayed in my bathroom for guests (and me) whenever it’s time to refill. I even used the Reel paper wrapping as tissue paper in the gift bag for a present!
Credit: SOIL
Reel Change: Good for the Planet & People
When Co-Founder Derin Oyekan set out to disrupt this tissue issue, he did it with heart. Derin saw firsthand how 2.4 billion people in developing countries like his native community of Nigeria, struggle to have access to bathrooms. I personally have seen this impact my community in Bangladesh. When I first visited my family’s farmworkers in the Grameen villages of Bangladesh, I quickly learned that using the bathroom meant squatting onto the ground into the abyss of a dark hole with flies lingering. I didn’t eat or drink anything during that 5-hour trip to avoid the hole, but I realized that wasn’t an option for the locals there.
I love that every purchase of Reel helps fund sanitation projects in developing countries to prevent threats of illnesses. Reel’s recent partnership with SOIL has provided access to clean sanitation to more than 7,300 people in Haiti by providing 1,200 toilets. It’s great to see a customer-centric brand that has a core mission for doing good for the planet and people.
Just Roll With It
It's no surprise that Reel’s bamboo toilet paper has earned over 3,500 reviews. Each box is delivered in a 24 pack of 3 ply rolls for $29.99. That’s about $1.25 per roll, which is definitely a premium in comparison to your standard toilet paper. Since I found myself going through fewer sheets of the 3 ply Reel rolls, it was worth the sustainable upgrade and saved my maintenance’s time with no clogged tanks! Get a one-time order or a monthly subscription delivery to your door. The brand even just rolled out in Target with its 12 pack option for city dwellers like me that are limited on space!
It feels good knowing Reel is an all-around great brand making waves, and I’m thrilled I made the switch to a sustainable brand I can strongly support with my wallet and conscience.
5 More Reasons to Love Reel:
- Sustainable & 100% Tree-Free Paper and plastic-free packaging.
- Bamboo toilet paper is biodegradable. Bamboo has a much smaller environmental impact for such a high-volume household essential.
- Easy and convenient home delivery. Each box comes with 24 three-ply rolls, and costs $29.99 per box. Order a one-time order or a monthly subscription service. You can get 25% off your first subscription order.
- Funding access to clean toilets. Reel has partnered with SOIL to help more than 7,300 people in Haiti gain access to clean sanitation by providing more than 1,200 toilets.
- Soft yet strong does the duty. 3-Ply Ultra-plush comfort is easy on the tush and septic tanks.
