It was mainly around the 1950s that single-use toilet paper seems to have democratized and become a "must-have" everyday item. Planetoscope paints an eloquent portrait of Europeans:
A Frenchman consumes an average of 103 rolls a year, while a Belgian uses 120.
This corresponds to a total expenditure of 90 Euros (around $140 Canadian) per person.
An average user takes 8.6 sheets each time.
The ecological impact of toilet paper
- According to the WWF, 270,000 trees are used every day to produce paper-based household products worldwide (toilet paper, tissue, paper towels).
- Greenpeace states that 98% of the toilet paper used by Americans is considered luxurious (multi-ply fleece, triple-ply, etc.) and is made from trees harvested from virgin forests.
- In many parts of the world, it has been established that toilet paper is a major contributor to deforestation. Although we don't have the data, we can imagine that Quebec is no exception.
- It is estimated that a roll of toilet paper emits between 1.1g (recycled) and 1.8g (non-recycled) of carbon dioxide per sheet.
- It is also estimated that the manufacture of a single roll of toilet paper requires 140 liters of water!
Washable toilet paper: an ecological choice
Washable toilet paper is available in hemp and cotton. Some add snap fasteners so you can roll them up. For our part, we prefer them without snaps. For one thing, you have to button them up after every wash, and they end up in a flattened basket more often than not anyway. Secondly, press-studs can sometimes be very irritating.
How many sheets per person?
For a life where we work or study away from home, about twenty sheets of washable toilet paper per person per week should be enough.
If you work or study at home, double that.How do I use it?
For urine: most people will prefer or start with urine only. In this case, there's nothing special to do. Simply wipe and place in your dirty clothes bin.For feces: there's no single best way to proceed. Here are 3 tried-and-tested ways.
1. Wipe off the stool and put it in an open bin (closed stool increases the risk of fermentation and odors) or in a watertight bag. You can put baking soda in the bottom of the bin to prevent odors. Before washing, add white vinegar and water and leave to soak for a few hours.
2. We hand-rinse the toilet paper as we use it, then put it in our dirty clothes bin.
3. This last, but by no means least, is by far our favorite. Not only does it make it easier to use washable toilet paper, it also reduces its use and is economical and environmentally friendly: we use a bidet (water jet) or a rinse bottle, wipe ourselves dry and put in an open bin or watertight bag.
Care instructions:
- Use a mild soap, ideally unscented, to avoid irritation and itching.
- White vinegar can be added to the fabric softener container, as it degreases, disinfects and softens.
- Avoid bleaches and bleaching agents
- Avoid fabric softeners, which will reduce the absorbency of your washable toilet paper.
- Cold water rinse cycle if necessary
- Wash in cold water if used only for urine, and in warm or hot water for feces.
- Air dry or tumble dry
A few more tips
- Simply place your washable toilet paper in a basket accessible from the toilet.
- Carry single-use toilet paper for guests or members of your household who aren't ready (we preach by example, without imposing!).
- During menstruation, you can rinse reusable toilet paper in cold water after use and place it in your dirty laundry bin.
- Respect yourself: Are you ready for urine only? We're happy and we respect ourselves. That's already a big step.
- Be patient: The fabric will reach its maximum absorption level after 2 or 3 washes
We have two types of toilet paper to suit different needs. We offer washable flannel toilet paper in a variety of patterns, and dye-free organic cotton toilet paper for people who are sensitive to dyes.
Ecologically yours,
