One of the lighter and more surprising things this year has taught us is the value of toilet paper; the COVID-19 pandemic and the panic buying that ensued has created a heightened demand (and anxiety) on the availability of toilet paper. With higher numbers of people also working from home or in some form of home self-isolation or lockdown, we are also using more precious toilet paper at home than before.
An industry and household essential that is often overlooked, most people are unaware that the creation of toilet paper wipes out 27,000 trees around the world every single day. With limited eco-friendly toilet paper options, it’s wonderful to see this industry growing with the recent introduction of How We Roll.
An Australian-owned and operated business, How We Roll manufactures sustainable, plastic-free and tree-free household products including bamboo toilet and recycled toilet paper, paper towels, tissues and biodegradable bin bags.
In its quest to offer eco-friendly products at reasonable price points that everyday Australians can afford, the company produces in China. As the world’s largest processor of post-consumer waste as well as the world’s largest supplier of sustainably-grown bamboo, it made business sense to manufacture close to its source of raw materials and ensure an efficient supply chain. To produce in Australia would have resulted in a higher retail price that would have been out of reach for many.
But why bamboo?
Bamboo is a completely regenerative grass (though it looks like a tree, it isn’t!), grows very quickly, is pest and drought resistant and thrives in stressed and remote areas. These attributes make it a low-impact alternative to paper and its soft texture makes it ideal for your bum. Sourced in the Chinese Sichuan province where much of the bamboo production occurs (a resource that unfortunately Australia is not native to) the company is able to minimise its carbon footprint by manufacturing close to the source of this raw material.
Giving back
How We Roll have also partnered with One Tree Planted, a non-profit environmental organisation that focuses on tree regeneration projects all around the world. For every box of toilet paper, tissues or paper towels sold, a tree will be planted. And the impact is real! At the time of writing, How We Roll have planted over 3,848 trees in bushfire affected regions in New South Wales thanks to customers. For those unaware of the impacts of the devastating Australian summer bushfires of 2019/2020, the fires burnt through 5.4 million hectares in NSW alone and an estimated three billion animals were killed or injured. As Aussies, this initiative is one dear to our hearts.
“I love the fact we plant a tree for every box sold. It’s nice to be able to give something back, especially planting the trees in bushfire affected regions around Australia.” – Georgia Wright, founder
Subscription service
The brand’s subscription service is super handy, ensuring customers have one less thing to worry about in their weekly shop. Providing a subscription service to an essential item not only reduces stress but makes purchasing eco-friendly products easier and more accessible. In the height of pandemic lockdowns when many were hesitant to make trips to the supermarket or, when there, found few toilet paper options (and even fewer eco-friendly ones), sustainable toilet paper that is conveniently delivered to your door is our idea of an essential service.
“We honestly really appreciate every order that comes through, I reply to all the customers personally on social media and the reviews and they don’t go unnoticed!” – Georgia Wright
As the brand’s flagship product, tree-free toilet paper is only the beginning for How We Roll. The company has long-term goals of extending their product line and become a one-stop shop for plastic-free household essentials. Their mission is simple: to substitute everyday essentials with more sustainable 100% plastic-free alternatives
As a new sustainable business launched in May this year, the company is both optimistic about its impact and transparent about its challenges. “This period is particularly difficult in not knowing what’s coming next, what our product demand will (or won’t be) and making sure we have enough stock – or not too much,” shares founder Georgia Wright. “When dealing with biodegradable products like the bin liners (they only have a certain shelf life) we really need to try and project our volume and sales to ensure no wastage.”
The business is looking to expand its range of eco-friendly household products over the next 12 months and if branding and initial customer feedback is anything to go by, How We Roll is very much on a roll.
To shop its current range of products, visit the How We Roll website at www.howwerollco.co.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by How We Roll. All images supplied. Any opinions expressed are that of the writer’s. To learn more about our policies, visit this page.
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