Are eco friendly toothbrushes worth it?
Eco-Friendly Toothbrush Review
08/24/ Update: My favorite bamboo toothbrush is now Brush with Bamboo. Read the complete review here. This brand wasn’t available when I first wrote this article.
When it comes to choosing a toothbrush, there are numerous options: do you prefer recycled plastic in a returnable wrapper, natural wood in plastic packaging, nylon bristles, or something more unconventional like a chewable stick? After extensive research on various toothbrush alternatives, I’ve found each has its benefits and drawbacks. The decision ultimately reflects your environmental and ethical concerns, which makes it a personal choice without a definitive answer. What would you select?
Preserve Recycled/Recyclable Toothbrush
Materials: Composed of 100% post-consumer recycled polypropylene #5 plastic and nylon bristles, it comes in a recycled plastic wrapper that also serves as a prepaid mailer.
Origin: Manufactured in the United States.
Why it’s good: I take the label ‘recyclable’ very seriously. If a company claims its product is recyclable but does not offer a tangible recycling solution, I don’t consider it recyclable. Preserve provides a method for returning its plastic products for recycling (often termed downcycling), which earns them appreciation for extending producer responsibility.
Preserve toothbrushes utilize recycled yogurt containers and other post-consumer #5 polypropylene plastic, which are returned via the Gimme5 program. You can bring your used #5 plastics (including Preserve products, other #5 containers like medicine bottles, Brita filters, and Tom’s deodorant containers) to select Whole Foods stores or mail them back to Preserve. The toothbrush wrapper serves as a prepaid mailer, allowing you to send it back when you're finished. However, I prefer saving them up to take to Whole Foods personally to minimize the fuel required for shipping individual items. Still, I commend Preserve for making recycling accessible.
Less Than Perfect: Note that Preserve's recycling program, unfortunately, does not fully close the recycling loop. The toothbrushes are repurposed into plastic lumber, which namely does not reduce the demand for virgin plastic necessary for products like yogurt containers or Brita filters; however, it does decrease the reliance on virgin plastic toothbrushes, extending the material's lifespan before it lands in a landfill.
Additionally, since this toothbrush is made from plastic, it’s not suitable if you are looking to avoid plastic entirely.
How it Works: I have been using these toothbrushes for some time and appreciate the bent handle and soft bristles.
Environmental Toothbrush
Materials: Featuring a bamboo handle, nylon bristles, a cardboard box, and a polypropylene wrapper.
Origin: Designed in Australia, manufactured in China.
Why it’s good: Most of the materials used in the Environmental toothbrush and its packaging are plastic-free and compostable. The company references a study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, indicating that the nylon 4 bristles are biodegradable:
9.2 Nylon 4
It has been reported that nylon 4 was degraded in soil, confirming that it can be broken down in the environment. Studies show that while nylon 4 blends decompose adequately, nylon 6 does not completely degrade.
Less Than Perfect: However, the inner white wrapper is composed of nonwoven polypropylene plastic rather than paper. After an inquiry about the shiny inside layer, I found out that the wrapper includes plastic. The company informed me:
This is as eco-friendly as we could make it while still meeting health regulations for packaging toothbrushes.
How it Works: I initially found the bristles to be stiffer compared to my usual Preserve brushes, so I had to learn to brush gently, and the shorter handle took some getting used to. Overall, it functions adequately.
Life Without Plastic’s Plastic-Free Wooden Toothbrush
Materials: Made with sustainably harvested beech wood preserved in vegetable oil and natural bristles from pig hair, wrapped in a small cellophane layer (which is plant-based).
Origin: Produced in Germany; the pig hair is sourced from China.
Why it’s good: This is the only fully plastic-free toothbrush I have discovered. If your primary aim is to eliminate plastic, this may be the toothbrush that meets your needs, and its minimal packaging is a bonus.
Less than Perfect: The bristles sourced from long-haired pigs are a byproduct of meat production. Thus, it may not suit vegetarians or vegans. But if you value using every part of the animal, this toothbrush may be a viable option. The manufacturer has expressed interest in finding natural, vegetarian alternatives.
How it Works: I honestly haven’t tried it myself due to my vegetarian lifestyle, but I encourage those interested to share their experiences.
Other Toothbrush Options
While the three toothbrushes discussed above were my main considerations, various other alternatives include varying plastic content.
Radius Source toothbrush: Although made from recycled materials like flax or wood, its disposable head is plastic and non-recyclable, packaged in plastic.
Swissco wooden toothbrush with natural bristles: It’s plastic-free but comes in a hard plastic case.
Acca Kappa toothbrush with natural bristles: The handle is cellulose acetate, a wood and cotton byproduct. However, it also comes in a plastic container.
Neem Chew Sticks
As an alternative, I am considering avoiding toothbrushes altogether in favor of chewing sticks.
In my search for alternatives, I came across Miswak sewak, a traditional method used in the Arab world. The process involves peeling off the bark and chewing the end to brush the teeth, cutting off the tip as it wears down. Although intriguing, all Miswak sticks I found are sold in plastic.
Yet, I was also introduced to Neem sticks, historically used in India. I found a company, Neem Tree Farms, that ships fresh Neem sticks free from plastic. They advised against storing them in plastic, leading me to place an order for a sample.
Neem Tree Farms operates farms in Florida and Mexico and offers seedlings for personal growth, though my initial focus is to test the sticks. This will be a topic for a future discussion.
As for my next oral hygiene challenge, I need to find a suitable plastic-free alternative to toothpaste, especially now that Tom’s of Maine has transitioned to using plastic tubes. I’ve received plenty of recommendations but always welcome more.
Additionally, if you’d like to learn about Kids' Biodegradable Toothbrush, please reach out for an expert consultation!