How to Choose Sustainable Paper Towels

Updated on

January 30, 2025

Are paper towels biodegradable?

Paper towels are biodegradable, meaning that when disposed of correctly (such as in a composting system), they are broken down by microorganisms and leave behind matter that can be safely reintegrated into the soil. However, when biodegradable products make their way into landfills, the lack of oxygen in landfill environments causes these products to produce methane, a greenhouse gas 28-80 times more potent than carbon dioxide. To combat this waste and methane production, we recommend composting your unbleached paper towels or giving some of your old towels or t-shirts a second life by cutting them up into reusable dish rags.

Should I use a dish towel instead of paper towels?

At its core, the paper towel vs. cloth debacle comes down to water use. Because it takes less water to make one square foot of paper towel (~.05 gallons of water) than it does to make the equivalent rag AND it takes about five times more paper towels than rags to cope with similar messes, the two are equivalent from a water consumption standpoint. Even so, try designating paper towels to be used only on “special occasions”, like for those nasty spills that you never want to think about again. We recommend switching to dish towels for drying clean dishes and hands at the very least.

When shopping for paper towels, choose chlorine bleach-free and formaldehyde-free products made with post-consumer recycled or bamboo pulp. Our favorite paper towels are certified by SFI, the Rainforest Alliance, or FSC, which indicate that brands are sourcing pulp from responsibly managed forests to help with biodiversity restoration and forest conservation.

Materials

Virgin Paper Pulp

Virgin pulp is the most popular, but most damaging pulp component. America’s favored virgin pulp comes from the Canadian boreal, where industrial logging for America’s tissue products industry currently claims one million acres of forest every year. This practice harms the lives of the Indigenous Peoples in the area and kills off local animals, including caribou, which are indicator species that serve as a barometer of health for the forest. On top of these injustices, industrial logging releases carbon that had previously been stored in the forest’s soil and reduces the number of trees that can absorb earth-warming greenhouse gasses. The NRDC reports that making tissue products from 100% virgin fiber generates three times more CO2e than products made from other types of pulp. With these facts in mind, it’s shocking that the three biggest brands in tissue products (Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, and Georgia-Pacific) rely primarily on virgin pulp.

Recycled Paper Pulp

Don’t worry, it’s not all bad news! Recycled paper pulp is an increasingly popular alternative to virgin pulp and is used by brand names like Seventh Generation and Marcal. Recycled pulp minimizes damage to forests and requires only half the water of virgin pulp products. There are two sources of recycled paper pulp: pre-consumer and post-consumer waste. Pre-consumer pulp comes from sources like obsolete paper stock or unused paper products, while post-consumer pulp comes from used paper that has been recycled to give it a second life. Both types of pulp are a massive improvement on virgin fiber in terms of protecting forests, but post-consumer pulp does way more to reduce overall waste. The EPA recommends buying paper towels that contain at least 40-60% post-consumer recycled pulp, but don’t be afraid to go above and beyond; more post-consumer recycled pulp = less waste.

Bamboo

Bamboo has become a popular pulp alternative that is now used by dozens of smaller brands. It’s important to note that the use of bamboo – in paper products and as a construction material – is nothing new. Bamboo has an extensive history in Asia and South America, and it’s about time we stop colonizing the use of bamboo here! Bamboo can grow 20 times faster than trees in the boreal and its cultivation is gentler on the land than the clearing required to harvest virgin wood pulp. According to the NRDC, tissue products made from bamboo pulp release 30% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to products made from virgin pulp. At the same time, bamboo can also be considered an invasive plant, is water intensive, can require significant fertilizer application, can have impacts on biodiversity, and can result in forest clearing (i.e. deforestation). So, don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that ALL bamboo is more sustainable simply because it is bamboo. If you shop for bamboo products, it’s important to look for the FSC certification to ensure sustainable sourcing and transparency in the supply chain.

Ingredients

Chlorine Bleach

Most conventional paper towels use chlorine bleach to give them that bright white sheen. Unfortunately, chlorine bleach contains harmful environmental pollutants called dioxins. These dioxins are emitted during manufacturing, poisoning waterways and animals, and sometimes making their way into our bodies through food. At high levels of exposure, dioxins can cause hormone and immune imbalances, allergies, and even cancer. Look for paper towels that are unbleached or chlorine-free.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling chemical found in an array of products, including those made with wood and paper. Products made with formaldehyde can release the chemical in gas form which, when inhaled, is known to cause skin, eye, nose, and throat irritation.

Certifications

Here are some certifications to look for when shopping this category.

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certifications

Sustainable forestry initiative

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) has a robust set of forest certification standards that enable forest managers in the United States and Canada to demonstrate that they are measuring quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, forest conservation value, forest fiber content, and forest product traceability. The SFI is also committed to promoting forest-focused collaborations rooted in recognition and respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and traditional knowledge, as well as conservation.

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certifications

Rainforest Alliance

Rainforest Alliance certification programs promote best practices for protecting standing forests, preventing the expansion of cropland into forests; fostering the health of trees, soils, and waterways; and protecting native forests.

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certifications

FSC

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification ensures products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits. FSC has close to 50 forest management standards that apply in over 85 countries, so if you want to ensure that you’re purchasing toilet paper from responsibly managed forests, make sure it bears the FSC label.