SUSTAINABLE BATHROOM SWAPS: TOOTHBRUSHES

It might not be the first place you think of when you want to minimize your plastic waste at home. Yet the bathroom holds a good percentage of plastic packaging. Like the plastic toothbrush that you use on a daily basis and eventually throw away. Or the shampoo bottle where you try everything to get that last bit of shampoo out (we've all been there). Even the substance of toothpaste appears to contain microplastics.

That's why I'm writing this little guide to zero-waste bathroom alternatives. Part one: toothbrushes!

Bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic toothbrush

Why on earth bamboo!? That's because bamboo plants grow very quick. Therefore it takes less energy (water but also pesticides and labour) to produce. Plus it's a strong material with fibres that are naturally anti-bacterial. And of course it is fully biodegradable!

Sadly this wonderful plant likes the Asian mainland over...well anywhere else. It is therefore not surprising that China is one of the largest leaders in the bamboo business right now. But shipping that bamboo to Europe is not the most sustainable solution... (uhum can I just mention the brand-new railway line that connects Yiwu in China to London? Big fan over here :))

In my opinion the low carbon footprint of the material and the production of it exceeds the question of transport. The small, innovating bamboo toothbrush companies give forth a strive for carbon neutral commitment. They may be more likely to choose ecological transport alternatives than a million-dollar company that uses plastic because it is just cheap.

Another thing I'd like to mention is the bristles. Most bamboo brushes have Nylon-6 bristles. Luckily these are already BPA-free certified (stands for Bisfenol A, which has a hormone-disrupting effect) but Nylon-6 is basically a non-biodegradable plastic. Caprolactam, the raw material for Nylon 6, is made from the diminishing supply of fossil fuels. An alternative to this is not easy but there is hope. I love how innovative the brand Hydrophil is: their bio-nylon are obtained from castor oil, a natural product obtained from the seeds of the castor oil plant. It's still not fully biodegradable but the harvesting is a greener step forward!

• Hydrophil Bamboo Toothbrush

Eine Deutsche innovation. My favourite because of having the most eco-friendly bristles on this list. I find the bristles a bit hard, but luckily they have a 'SUPER soft' version, pheww.

Handle: Moso bamboo

Bristles: bio-nylon obtained for the castor oil plant, has different hardnesses (super soft, soft, medium, hard)

Paint: solvent-free paint made from natural resources by the Dutch brand AURO

Packaging: recycled cardboard

Plus: they partnership with ClimatePartner to support climate protection projects and 10% of the brand's profit goes to Viva Con Aqua. Oh and vegan.

Stores: Content in Leuven, Ohne in Ghent,... (it's well distributed in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands,...)

• NextBrush

The brand was founded by Dutch entrepreneurs to make sustainable oral care products accessible to everyone. And it lives up to its purpose as it is the cheapest of the list.

Handle: bamboo (I couldn't find which specific sort)

Bristles: BPA-free nylon-6, has different hardnesses (soft, medium, hard)

Packaging: cardboard and window is made of 100% recyclable PET bottles

Plus: not tested on animals and vegan!

Stores: Holland and Barret, Origino,...

• Humble Brush

"When you want to change the world, there are no shortcuts." The Humble Co. is an eco-friendly Swedish brand that also highly values fair production and the pursuit of better oral care worldwide.

Handle: Moso bamboo from India Bristles: nylon-6 bristles from Dupont + natural vegan wax (ultra soft, soft, medium, sensitive) Packaging: recycled materials and afterwards 100% recyclable

Plus: vegan, FSC certified and cruelty free! They try to make little profit for themselves and donate to The Humble Smile Foundation: global outreach projects to bring better oral care to less fortunate children.

Stores: Content in Leuven, Supergoods in Mechelen,... (amazingly well distributed worldwide)