Bamboo vs Regular Toilet Paper: What's the Difference?
Bamboo vs Regular Toilet Paper: What's the Difference?
Most of us don't spend much time thinking about what toilet paper is actually made from.
For businesses, however, toilet tissue is a consumable that gets purchased repeatedly, often in significant quantities. That makes fibre composition, packaging, roll capacity, product performance and dispenser compatibility worth considering.
One option increasingly available alongside conventional toilet tissue is bamboo toilet paper.
So what is the difference between bamboo vs regular toilet paper, and is there a good reason for your business to choose one over the other?
The main difference starts with the fibre used to make the paper. But fibre source isn't the only consideration, and the word "bamboo" alone doesn't automatically make one toilet paper better than another.
In this guide, we'll compare bamboo and conventional toilet paper, look at their practical differences and explain what New Zealand businesses should check before choosing between them.
What Is Regular Toilet Paper Made From?
Conventional toilet paper is commonly manufactured using wood-derived pulp as its fibre source.
Wood is processed into pulp, providing the cellulose fibres required to manufacture paper.
The pulp is then prepared and formed into lightweight tissue before being converted into the standard, mini jumbo, jumbo or other toilet roll formats used in washrooms.
Individual products can differ considerably in:
- Fibre composition
- Ply
- Softness
- Strength
- Sheet size
- Roll length
- Packaging
- Bleaching process
- Certification
- Commercial format
For this reason, "regular toilet paper" describes a broad category rather than one particular product specification.
What Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Made From?
Bamboo toilet paper uses bamboo-derived pulp as some or all of its fibre source.
Bamboo is processed into pulp, which can then be used to manufacture tissue.
An important point is that bamboo toilet paper isn't necessarily made from 100% bamboo.
Different manufacturers can use different fibre blends.
Hygiene Direct's Bamboo Paper Products NZ range, for example, is made from:
60% bamboo pulp and 40% wood pulp.
Bamboo therefore makes up the majority of the fibre, but the product isn't 100% bamboo.
We state the composition clearly because businesses should know what they're actually buying rather than assuming that every product labelled "bamboo" has the same fibre content.
For a broader introduction, read our guide Bamboo Toilet Paper: What Is It & Is It Better?
Bamboo vs Regular Toilet Paper at a Glance
| Factor | Bamboo Toilet Paper | Regular Toilet Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre source | Uses bamboo-derived pulp as some or all of the fibre | Commonly uses wood-derived pulp |
| 100% bamboo or wood? | Depends on the product | Depends on the product |
| Ply | Available in different ply options | Available in different ply options |
| Softness | Depends on the finished product | Depends on the finished product |
| Roll formats | Standard and commercial formats are available | Standard and commercial formats are widely available |
| Packaging | Depends on supplier | Depends on supplier |
| Septic suitability | Depends on the specific product | Depends on the specific product |
| Biodegradability | Depends on product specification | Depends on product specification |
| Certification | Depends on manufacturer/product | Depends on manufacturer/product |
| Best option | Depends on your requirements | Depends on your requirements |
The biggest distinction is therefore where the paper-making fibre comes from.
But that's only the starting point.
Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Better Than Regular Toilet Paper?
Not automatically.
"Bamboo" tells you something about the fibre source. It doesn't tell you everything about:
- Manufacturing
- Packaging
- Product quality
- Carbon footprint
- Water use
- Energy use
- Roll capacity
- Septic suitability
- Certification
- Overall environmental impact
Likewise, conventional toilet paper can vary enormously between products.
Rather than asking whether bamboo is universally better, a more useful question is:
Which specific toilet paper best meets the needs and purchasing priorities of your business?
That requires looking at the finished product rather than simply the material named on the label.
What's the Difference in Fibre?
This is the clearest difference between the two.
Conventional virgin-fibre toilet paper generally relies on wood pulp.
Bamboo toilet paper incorporates bamboo pulp.
Hygiene Direct's bamboo toilet paper combines the two:
60% bamboo pulp + 40% wood pulp.
This provides an alternative fibre mix for businesses interested in introducing bamboo-based consumables into their purchasing.
It also demonstrates why checking composition matters.
A product can legitimately be described as bamboo toilet paper while still containing another type of fibre.
Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Softer Than Regular Toilet Paper?
Not necessarily.
Softness is influenced by more than the plant used to produce the pulp.
Factors can include:
- Fibre characteristics
- Manufacturing process
- Number of plies
- Tissue construction
- Embossing
- Product specification
There are soft conventional toilet papers and soft bamboo toilet papers, just as there are products in both categories designed more around economy and high-volume commercial use.
Rather than assuming bamboo automatically means softer, compare the actual tissue specifications.
Hygiene Direct, for example, offers a 3 ply standard bamboo toilet roll for facilities where a more premium conventional-roll format is appropriate, as well as 2 ply commercial jumbo formats where capacity is a greater priority.
Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Stronger Than Regular Toilet Paper?
Again, fibre source alone doesn't provide enough information to make that claim.
The strength of finished toilet tissue can be affected by fibre blend, ply, manufacturing and tissue construction.
A 3 ply bamboo toilet paper and a 2 ply conventional commercial tissue aren't directly comparable simply because one contains bamboo.
Businesses should assess the finished product specification and intended use.
For high-traffic commercial washrooms, capacity and reliable dispensing may matter more than comparing individual sheets in isolation.
What About Plastic Packaging?
This can be a more tangible difference between individual products.
Toilet paper is purchased repeatedly, and packaging can accumulate over time.
Some toilet paper products use plastic around:
- Individual rolls
- Multipacks
- Bundles
- Inner packs
Other products use paper or cardboard packaging.
All products in Hygiene Direct's bamboo paper range are supplied in plastic-free packaging.
For a business trying to reduce plastic packaging associated with frequently purchased consumables, this provides a specific feature that can be assessed independently of broader environmental claims.
The important point is that plastic-free packaging isn't an automatic feature of all bamboo toilet paper, just as plastic packaging isn't necessarily used for every conventional product.
Compare the actual products.
Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Biodegradable?
Hygiene Direct's bamboo paper is biodegradable under natural conditions, where it can decompose through the action of microorganisms.
This is a product-specific claim confirmed by the manufacturer.
It shouldn't be assumed that the word "bamboo" alone proves every characteristic of every bamboo tissue product.
It's also important to distinguish biodegradability from flushability.
A biodegradable paper product isn't necessarily intended to be flushed.
For more detail, read our guide Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Biodegradable?
Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Better for Septic Tanks?
Bamboo shouldn't automatically be considered better for a septic tank simply because of its fibre source.
The important characteristic is whether the finished toilet tissue is designed to disintegrate appropriately after flushing.
Hygiene Direct's bamboo toilet tissue is septic suitable and designed to disintegrate rapidly after flushing.
According to the manufacturer, it is compatible with:
- Standard septic tanks
- Municipal sewage systems
This applies to our standard, mini jumbo and jumbo bamboo toilet tissue formats.
For a detailed explanation, see Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Septic Safe?
When comparing any conventional or bamboo toilet paper for a property with a septic tank, check the product-specific information rather than making a decision based solely on fibre type.
Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Chlorine Free?
This is another area where wording matters.
Hygiene Direct's bamboo paper is manufactured using an:
ECF – Elemental Chlorine Free – bleaching process.
This means elemental chlorine isn't used during the bleaching process.
We don't describe the product as completely "chlorine free", because that would be broader than the information supplied by the manufacturer.
Different conventional and bamboo toilet papers may use different processing and bleaching methods.
If this is important to your purchasing decision, look for precise terminology such as ECF rather than vague claims such as "chemical free".
Is Bamboo Toilet Paper More Environmentally Friendly?
This is a much broader question than it first appears.
It's tempting to assume bamboo must automatically be environmentally preferable because the finished product contains bamboo fibre.
But the overall environmental impact of a toilet paper can involve:
- Raw material sourcing
- Pulp production
- Manufacturing
- Energy use
- Water use
- Bleaching
- Packaging
- Transport
- Product performance
- Waste and end-of-life
Fibre source is only one part of that picture.
Without comparable lifecycle information for the specific products being considered, we don't think it's appropriate to claim that every bamboo toilet paper is environmentally superior to every conventional toilet paper.
Hygiene Direct therefore doesn't describe its bamboo toilet paper as automatically "greener" than every alternative.
Instead, we provide the product characteristics we can substantiate.
Does Bamboo Toilet Paper Have a Lower Carbon Footprint?
You shouldn't assume so without evidence.
A product containing bamboo isn't automatically carbon neutral or low carbon.
Assessing product carbon footprint can involve emissions associated with raw materials, manufacturing, energy, packaging, transport and other stages of the supply chain.
The manufacturer of Hygiene Direct's bamboo paper range doesn't currently hold an independently verified Product Carbon Footprint report for these products.
We therefore don't make carbon-neutral or low-carbon claims for the range.
If you're comparing products based on carbon footprint, look for appropriate product-level evidence rather than relying solely on the fibre source.
What About FSC Certification?
Certification claims also need to be interpreted carefully.
Hygiene Direct's bamboo paper is manufactured by an FSC Chain-of-Custody certified manufacturer.
FSC Chain-of-Custody certification provides a system for tracing FSC-certified materials through the supply chain.
However, the manufacturer's Chain-of-Custody certification doesn't automatically establish that every finished product it makes carries an individual FSC product claim.
For that reason, we use the wording:
"Manufactured by an FSC Chain-of-Custody certified manufacturer."
When comparing conventional and bamboo toilet paper, check exactly what any certification statement applies to rather than relying on an FSC reference alone.
Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Made Differently?
The starting fibre differs, but the broad paper-making principle is similar.
Bamboo needs to be processed into pulp before it can be used to manufacture tissue.
That pulp is then prepared and formed into lightweight paper, which is converted into toilet rolls.
For Hygiene Direct's range, the bamboo pulp is blended with wood pulp to create the 60/40 fibre composition.
The finished paper is manufactured using an ECF bleaching process and then converted into standard, mini jumbo or jumbo toilet tissue.
For a fuller explanation, read How Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Made?
Is Bamboo Toilet Paper More Expensive?
That depends on the products being compared.
There isn't one universal price for bamboo toilet paper or conventional toilet paper.
For businesses, comparing only the price of an individual roll can also be misleading because commercial roll formats contain very different quantities of tissue.
A more useful comparison can include:
- Carton price
- Rolls per carton
- Sheets per roll
- Metres per roll
- Ply
- Cost per metre or sheet
- Consumption
- Servicing frequency
- Dispenser requirements
A 300m jumbo roll, for example, shouldn't be compared directly with a standard toilet roll based simply on the price of one roll.
Commercial purchasing needs to consider how much usable tissue you're actually buying and how the product performs in the facility.
Which Is Better for Offices?
For an office, user experience and presentation may be relatively important.
A conventional standard-roll format is often convenient because it works with familiar dispensers.
Businesses interested in bamboo can achieve the same general format with Hygiene Direct's 3 ply bamboo toilet paper.
Each roll provides:
- 260 sheets
- 3 ply tissue
- 60% bamboo pulp / 40% wood pulp
There are 48 rolls per carton.
This allows offices to introduce bamboo toilet paper without necessarily moving to a commercial jumbo dispenser system.
Which Is Better for Busy Commercial Washrooms?
For busy washrooms, the question may have less to do with bamboo versus conventional fibre and more to do with roll capacity.
Replacing standard toilet rolls frequently takes staff time and increases the risk of a dispenser running empty between checks.
Higher-capacity commercial formats can help.
200m Mini Jumbo Bamboo Toilet Paper
Hygiene Direct's 2 ply bamboo mini jumbo toilet tissue provides:
- 200 metres per roll
- 12 rolls per carton
- 2 ply tissue
This can suit medium to high-use commercial washrooms.
300m Jumbo Bamboo Toilet Paper
Hygiene Direct's 2 ply bamboo jumbo toilet tissue provides:
- 300 metres per roll
- 8 rolls per carton
- 2 ply tissue
- Continuous, non-perforated rolls
This higher-capacity format can be useful for busy commercial facilities where reducing roll changes is important.
In both cases, make sure the paper is compatible with the dispenser being used.
Do You Need a Special Dispenser for Bamboo Toilet Paper?
Not because it's made from bamboo.
Dispenser compatibility is determined by the roll format and dimensions, not simply by the fibre source.
A standard bamboo toilet roll needs a suitable standard-roll dispenser.
A mini jumbo bamboo roll needs a compatible mini jumbo dispenser.
A jumbo bamboo roll needs a compatible jumbo dispenser.
This is exactly the same practical consideration businesses face with conventional commercial toilet tissue.
If you're changing roll format at the same time as changing paper type, check dispenser compatibility before ordering.
Bamboo vs Regular Toilet Paper for Businesses
For a business, the decision can be simplified into two sets of questions.
Questions About the Paper
- What is it made from?
- What is the fibre composition?
- What ply is it?
- Is it septic suitable?
- How is it bleached?
- How is it packaged?
- What certification claims are supported?
Questions About the Washroom
- How many people use it?
- How often is it serviced?
- What dispenser is installed?
- How much roll capacity is required?
- Is storage space limited?
- What level of user comfort is expected?
- What is the practical cost in use?
The best product is the one that performs well against both sets of requirements.
What If You're Also Considering Recycled Toilet Paper?
Then you effectively have three broad fibre options to compare:
Conventional virgin-fibre toilet paper – typically based on newly produced wood pulp.
Bamboo toilet paper – uses bamboo-derived pulp as some or all of its fibre.
Recycled toilet paper – uses recovered paper fibre.
Each takes a different approach to sourcing the fibre used to make tissue.
If recycled paper is also under consideration, read our guide Bamboo vs Recycled Toilet Paper: Which Is Better?
That article specifically compares bamboo and recovered-fibre products rather than conventional virgin-fibre tissue.
What Should You Look for When Comparing Bamboo and Regular Toilet Paper?
Before making a purchasing decision, consider these questions.
What Is the Actual Fibre Composition?
Don't assume bamboo means 100% bamboo.
Likewise, check the specifications of conventional products if fibre sourcing matters to your organisation.
How Much Tissue Do You Get?
Compare sheets or metres per roll rather than simply counting rolls.
What Ply Is the Product?
Ply can affect the user experience, but it should be considered alongside the overall tissue specification.
How Is It Packaged?
Look at whether plastic is used around individual rolls, packs or cartons.
Is It Suitable for Your Wastewater System?
If your facility uses a septic tank, confirm septic suitability.
Will It Fit Your Dispensers?
Changing fibre doesn't necessarily require a new dispenser, but changing roll format might.
What Claims Can Be Verified?
Look for specific information about fibre composition, manufacturing, packaging and certification.
What Does It Cost in Use?
Consider tissue quantity, consumption and servicing requirements rather than carton price alone.
Why Hygiene Direct Doesn't Simply Say Bamboo Is "Better"
It would be easy to say bamboo toilet paper is simply better than conventional toilet paper.
But that isn't a claim we can responsibly make for every product and every situation.
Instead, we can tell you what is verified about the Hygiene Direct bamboo range.
It is:
- Made from 60% bamboo pulp / 40% wood pulp
- Supplied in plastic-free packaging
- Biodegradable under natural conditions
- Manufactured using an ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) bleaching process
- Manufactured by an FSC Chain-of-Custody certified manufacturer
The toilet tissue is also:
- Septic suitable
- Designed to disintegrate rapidly after flushing
- Compatible with standard septic tanks and municipal sewage systems
We don't make unsupported carbon-neutral or low-carbon claims.
That allows businesses to decide whether those characteristics make bamboo toilet paper the right choice for their own facilities.
Bamboo vs Regular Toilet Paper: Which Should You Choose?
Consider bamboo toilet paper if:
- You want bamboo-derived fibre to make up part of your paper purchasing
- Plastic-free packaging is important to your business
- You want clear information about fibre composition
- You require septic-suitable toilet tissue
- Standard, mini jumbo or jumbo commercial formats suit your facility
Conventional toilet paper may remain appropriate if:
- Your current product performs well
- It meets your organisation's procurement requirements
- Your existing dispenser system and servicing arrangements are efficient
- A particular conventional product offers the performance and cost your facility needs
Changing to bamboo shouldn't be treated as an obligation.
It should be a considered purchasing decision based on the specifications of the products involved.
So, What's the Difference Between Bamboo and Regular Toilet Paper?
The fundamental difference is the fibre source.
Regular virgin-fibre toilet paper commonly relies on wood-derived pulp.
Bamboo toilet paper incorporates bamboo-derived pulp.
For Hygiene Direct's range, the fibre composition is 60% bamboo pulp and 40% wood pulp.
Beyond that, businesses should compare the actual finished products.
Packaging, ply, roll capacity, septic suitability, manufacturing, dispenser compatibility and price can all be just as relevant as whether the fibre started as bamboo or wood.
For Hygiene Direct's bamboo range, the verified characteristics include:
- 60% bamboo pulp / 40% wood pulp
- Plastic-free packaging
- Biodegradable under natural conditions
- ECF bleaching
- Septic-suitable toilet tissue
- Manufacture by an FSC Chain-of-Custody certified manufacturer
- Standard, mini jumbo and jumbo commercial toilet roll options
Those specific characteristics provide a much better basis for comparison than simply assuming one material must always be "greener" or "better".
Shop Bamboo Toilet Paper in NZ
Hygiene Direct supplies bamboo toilet paper to offices, hospitality businesses, accommodation providers, schools, commercial buildings and other workplaces throughout New Zealand.
Explore our Bamboo Paper Products NZ range and compare:
- 3 ply bamboo toilet paper – 260 sheets x 48 rolls
- 2 ply bamboo mini jumbo toilet tissue – 200m x 12 rolls
- 2 ply bamboo jumbo toilet tissue – 300m x 8 rolls
Need help choosing between standard, mini jumbo and jumbo toilet rolls? Contact Hygiene Direct and we can help you find the right paper and dispenser combination for your washrooms.
Related Bamboo Paper Guides
Continue exploring our Bamboo Paper guides:
- Bamboo Toilet Paper: What Is It & Is It Better?
- Bamboo vs Recycled Toilet Paper: Which Is Better?
- Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Septic Safe?
- Bamboo Toilet Paper for Businesses: Is It Worth Switching?
- How Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Made?
- Is Bamboo Toilet Paper Biodegradable?
- Plastic-Free Toilet Paper: What Should Businesses Look For?
- Why Is Our Bamboo Paper 60% Bamboo and 40% Wood Pulp?