Like most paper products, toilet paper is primarily made from trees. While more sustainable methods and materials have been introduced, most commercial toilet paper products are made from wood pulp - there is no other way to make wood pulp except by cutting down trees.
Although toilet paper companies do not use specific types of trees, certain types of trees are required. Toilet paper is typically made from virgin wood pulp, consisting of 70% hardwood (oak, maple) and 30% softwood (pine and spruce).
Americans use a lot of toilet paper. On average, each person uses 141 rolls of toilet paper per year. According to Statista, the population of the United States only accounts for 4% of the world's total population, but it consumes 20% of the world's toilet paper.
The consumption of toilet paper in the United States has led to deforestation in North America, especially in the southeastern United States and northwestern Canada, where forests are being cut down in large quantities to produce toilet paper. The processing of these trees emits 28.6 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year, further exacerbating climate change.
So far, many of the biggest toilet paper brands have refused to switch to recycled materials, citing poor strength and quality. Double-layer and triple-layer, textured and super soft virgin pulp toilet papers are particularly harmful, with one report stating that these choices are "even worse than a Hummer" from a sustainability perspective.
The ZMJH bidet toilet seat is committed to making the world a greener place. Find the right bidet toilet, bidet seat, or bidet attachment for your home with our comparison guide or contact us for help. Together, we can reduce toilet paper waste and save the world at the same time.