Best Non-Toxic Toilet Paper: Bamboo vs Recycled (What’s Actually Worth It?)

Which Non-Toxic Brands are worth a higher price tag?

Toilet paper is one of those products we use every single day, on the most sensitive part of our bodies. Yet most of us have never stopped to ask what it’s actually made of. Recently, a new wave of companies have entered the market with a “better for you” toilet paper. They claim to be non-toxic and better for the environment. But what does this actually mean? And are they worth the higher cost? For something that you use so frequently, those dollars add up quickly! So we wanted to see which ones were actually worth it. 

After diving deep into heavy metal testing, fluorine detection (a marker for PFAS), bleaching processes, and sustainability claims, one thing is clear: not all toilet paper is created equal. But, the toilet paper you’ve been using your whole life might not be as bad as you think. Some of the “clean” brands charging double are not always better. Before falling victim to fancy marketing pitches, get all the details worth knowing here. 

In this guide, we used the legacy brands Charmin and Cottonelle as a base line to measure improvement. Brands were rated across five categories:

1. Transparency – Does the company clearly list ingredients and publish third-party testing?
2. Chemical Safety – Are they Totally Chlorine Free (TCF)? Are they tested for PFAS and other toxins?
3. Materials – Are ingredients listed? Fragrances, dyes or other additives?
4. Sustainability – Are materials responsibly sourced? Is the packaging compostable or recyclable?
5. Price – Is the product a good value for families?

Our Favorites

Caboo - Tree Free Toilet Paper

• 100% bamboo

• The only MADE SAFE certified product

• BPA free, BRC Certified, Non-GMO

• Compostable

• Mamavation detected non-detect fluorine

• Soft for a non-toxic option, though thinner than traditional brands

• Rolls are small, so you may use more

• Higher price due to roll size

  👉 Best for families who want the cleanest bamboo option with strong certifications.

Betterway - Bamboo Toilet Paper

• FSC certified

• 100% organically grown bamboo

• No pesticides, No bleach, BPA free

• Claims third-party testing (but does not publish lab reports)

• Plastic-free packaging - even the tape is plastic-free!

• Compostable

• Soft and high quality

• Expensive, but feels premium

👉 Best eco-conscious bamboo option with beautiful plastic-free packaging.

Good Options

Who Gives A Crap? - 100% Recycled

• B Corp & FSC certified

• No plastic packaging

• 100% recycled paper

• Biodegradable & septic safe

• 50% profits donated

• Mamavation detected 11 ppm fluorine
  

*Recycled is environmentally responsible, but contamination is harder to control.

👉 Best for sustainability-first families who prioritize recycled materials.

Cottonelle - Ultra Comfort

• FSC certified

• 100% plant-based fibers

• No added dyes or perfumes

• Mamavation detected no fluorine

• Plastic wrapped

• Not sustainably produced

*For a traditional brand, this performed surprisingly well.

👉 Best traditional option if you want to keep costs low

365 Whole Foods - 100% Recycled Bath Tissue

• FSC certified

• 100% recycled fiber

• Whitened without chlorine bleach

• No added fragrance or dyes

• Plastic wrapped

• Likely contains trace bisphenols due to recycled content

• Low price

👉 Best budget recycled option.

… and the Not-So-Great

Seventh Generation - 100% Recycled Bath Tissue

• FSC certified

• 100% recycled fiber

• Whitened without chlorine

• Plastic packaging

• Mamavation detected 35 ppm fluorine (highest tested)
  

*This was disappointing for a brand positioned as eco-safe.

👉 Expected better for the price and branding.

Charmin - Ultra Soft

• FSC certified

• Virgin tree pulp - aka chopping trees!

• Processed with ECF bleaching

• Undisclosed conditioners

• Mamavation detected 13 ppm fluorine

• Plastic wrapped

• Not sustainably produced
  

Using Charmin as a baseline, it’s not surprising. But it also doesn’t justify premium pricing from brands that barely outperform it.

👉 Comfort-first, safety-second.

Key Things to Know:

1. Bleaching & Processing

Traditional toilet paper is often:

• Processed using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) bleaching

• Made from virgin tree pulp (aka - they’re chopping down trees to wipe your bum)

• Treated with conditioners and undisclosed processing agents
  
  

“Safer” brands often claim:

• Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) processing

• No dyes, perfumes, or lotions

• Recycled Materials

*Whitening without chlorine is definitely preferred, but it doesn’t guarantee no contamination either. 

2. Bamboo vs Recycled: What’s the Difference? 

Recycled toilet paper

• Better for the environment

• Uses post-consumer waste

• BUT because it’s recycled, you can’t identify what was in the original materials

• May contain trace amounts of BPA or BPS

• Mamavation testing has found fluorine in several recycled brands
  
  

Bamboo toilet paper

• Made from fast-growing grass (no trees cut down)

• Cleaner supply chain

• Easier to control contaminants

• Often softer than recycled

*Environmentally, recycled wins. From a contamination standpoint, bamboo often wins.

3. Certifications and Testing

Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any brands that publicly disclose their lab results even though we know this is possible because so many diaper companies do. Therefore, we had to rely on Mamavation’s independent testing for deeper insights. 

Mamavation has tested many brands for total fluorine, a marker for potential PFAS contamination.

Non-detect is ideal.
Anything detectable raises questions.

With toilet paper, most brands rely on certifications instead of lab results. The best ones to look for are:

• FSC - Sustainable forestry, but not indicative of chemical testing

• B Corp - Ethical business practices

• MADE SAFE - ingredient screening (spoiler - only ONE brand met this mark)

4. The Frustration

We expect questionable ingredients from legacy brands.

What’s frustrating? When newer brands market themselves as clean, safe alternatives, charge premium prices, and then testing shows they’re not meaningfully better.

Transparency matters, especially at higher price points. Despite the move towards lower tox alternatives, the overall space still lacks transparency. If you want the lowest contamination risk, the best things you can do are:

• Choose bamboo over recycled

• Look for non-detect fluorine results from independent testing

• Avoid heavy fragrance or lotion-added versions

• If sustainability matters to you, opt for recycled products with paper (not plastic) packaging 

Final Thoughts: What Matters Most

Toilet paper isn’t glamorous. But it’s daily exposure.

If you want:

• Lowest contamination risk → Bamboo options like Caboo or Better Way

• Most eco-friendly → Recycled (Who Gives A Crap)

• Best traditional option → Cottonelle Ultra Comfort

• Lowest price → 365 or Charmin
  
  

The biggest takeaway?

Don’t assume higher cost equals higher safety. And don’t assume recycled equals toxin-free.

Transparency and testing matter more than branding.

This page may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I personally use or believe will add value to my readers.

xoxo, Nat

Whole Bunch Club