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More people are using Bamboo toilet paper, a sustainable alternative to traditional TP.

Maybe before the events of 2020, you were taking your toilet paper for granted. But chances are, you aren't anymore. But aside from the shortages earlier in the year, there are larger problems with traditional TP. Specifically, it's pretty bad for the environment. That said, thanks to a company called Reel, it doesn't have to be. That's because their toilet paper is made from bamboo stalks and designed with environmental sustainability in mind.

If you've had any experience with environmentally friendly toilet paper in the past, you might be tempted to stop reading. But contrary to the prevailing stereotypes about eco-conscious TP, Reel is renowned for its quality and comfort -- so much so that the brand has sold more than a million rolls of the stuff and counting. And it's done so without contributing to the monstrous devastation of forests that's associated with the traditional toilet paper industry.

Every roll of Reel toilet paper is made from 100-percent bamboo, and 0 trees. But that's not where the brand's environmental consciousness ends. It even extends to the packaging, which is plastic-free, right down to the tape. No dead trees, no environment-choking plastic, no inks, no dyes, and none of the infamous synthetic compound bisphenol A. Best of all, if you use it, there's no TP-related guilt about the damage your daily bathroom habits might bring to the planet.

Why is using bamboo to make toilet paper better than using trees? For starters, it's the fastest-growing plant in existence, and can grow as much as three feet in just 24 hours. It's harvested once a year and never needs replanting, making it an essentially infinite resource compared to trees, while also using up 30-percent less water. And as you'll feel for yourself once you give Reel a try, bamboo paper is much softer than other papers made from recycled paper or wood fiber, while also retaining bamboo's natural tensile strength, which is said to be even stronger than some types of steel.

Reel Premium Bamboo Toilet Paper

Reel

Reel even has ply-counters covered, too. If you were worried that bamboo toilet paper doesn't give you the thickness and quality you're accustomed to in TP, think again, because each role is generally proportioned with three ply for extra softness. In other words: you're not having to sacrifice comfort for the good of the planet, at least not as far as your toilet paper is concerned.

And Reel's environmental friendliness isn't the only good reason to make the switch. The brand also cuts off a slice of their profits for the funding of sanitation projects in developing nations, so you're helping that important cause with each roll you buy (in addition to helping reduce deforestation and pollution).

Each 24-roll box of Reel premium bamboo toilet paper costs $29.99, but if you're paranoid about running out, they also offer a subscription service that sends a new box to your door automatically every four weeks, eight weeks, or 12 weeks, depending on how often you usually buy. Customers have also reported that each roll of Reel lasts longer than regular toilet paper since it gets the job done with fewer sheets -- another point in favor of bamboo paper..

Your toilet paper doesn't have to kill trees or choke the environment with bulky plastic packaging. There is a better way. To find out more, check out Reel at its official site, and say hello to a new era of environmentally friendly toilet paper that's also comfortable, durable, and a pleasure to have around.

*Upworthy may earn a portion of sales revenue from purchases made through affiliate links on our site.

From Your Site Articles

Why pandas are black and white and 24 other things you might not know about these animals.

True

Is there anything cuter than a panda bear?

[rebelmouse-image 19528854 dam="1" original_size="500x375" caption="GIF via Toronto Zoo/YouTube." expand=1]GIF via Toronto Zoo/YouTube.

I mean, really ... just look at that face.

Image via iStock.

It’s no accident that these adorable creatures have come to symbolize vulnerable species worldwide — they are simply irresistible. Scientists even have a name for species like pandas — "charismatic megafauna" — because these animals have such widespread popular appeal that they can help mobilize people into getting involved in conservation efforts all around the world.

In China, pandas — or Xiongmao as they are called there — have become a national treasure. People come from all over the world just for the chance to see one of these beloved black-and-white cutie pies.

But how much do you really know about this bear? Here are 25 things that you should know about the un-bear-ably cute panda.

Image via iStock.

1. For years, scientists weren’t sure if pandas were a type of bear, raccoon, or something else entirely. (Goofy fluff monster perhaps?) But recent genetic studies have shown that they are, in fact, bears.

They can be pretty goofy though, especially as cubs. Image via iStock.

2. Their fur might look silky and soft, but it's actually thick and coarse to keep them clean and warm.

3. The giant panda's range once included central, southern, and eastern China, as well as neighboring Myanmar and northern Vietnam.

But today, their habitat has been reduced to just 20 isolated patches of misty bamboo forests in western China.

4. The forests that pandas call home are located high in the mountains — at least 4,000 feet above sea level. And in the summer, pandas can climb as high as 13,000 feet in search of food.

The Sichuan province in China — one of the regions home to giant pandas. Image via iStock.

5. Pandas play a crucial role in keeping their habitat healthy because when they roam, they spread seeds, helping vegetation grow.

A panda at the Shaanxi Panda Sanctuary in China. Image via iStock.

6. Scientists didn’t know why pandas were so distinctly black and white until recently. Turns out, it helps them camouflage and communicate.

According to a March 2017 study published in the journal Behavioral Ecology, their colors help them blend into their snowy and shady environments, while their black ears signal aggression to predators. In addition, their black eye patches help them recognize other pandas.

Image via iStock.

7. They are known as “giant” pandas because as adults, they can weigh as much as 330 pounds.

But when they are born, they are anything but giant: They weigh only 3.5 ounces, roughly the same weight as your cellphone.

Image via iStock.

8. Pandas actually have the digestive system of a carnivore but have adapted to a vegetarian diet.

They don’t have the extra stomachs that some herbivores, such as cows, have to help digest plants and grasses. This means they only digest about a fifth of what they eat.

9. In order to survive, they must spend about 12 hours eating and chow down on 26 to 84 pounds of bamboo every single day.

Image via iStock.

10. While bamboo makes up 99% of their diet, they sometimes also eat flowers, roots, honey (just like Winnie the Pooh!), fish, birds, and even the occasional rodent.

11. Pandas have an elongated wrist bone that functions like a thumb and helps them grab onto bamboo stalks while they are eating.

Image via iStock.

They also have very broad and flat molars to help them crush bamboo shoots, leaves, and stems as they chomp away.

12. Unlike most bears, pandas don’t hibernate. This is because their diet of bamboo — which is low in nutrients — doesn’t allow them to store enough fat for hibernation.

So during the winter, the bears survive by simply heading down the mountains to warmer parts of the forest.

13. But because of their unique diet of bamboo, their poop could be used as biofuel.

Pandas have a short intestinal tract, with some pretty strong microbes living in there to help them digest all that tough bamboo quickly. These microbes are so potent that they could be useful to scientists looking for a new fuel source.

14. Pandas spend up to 12 hours sleeping every day.

Image via iStock.

This allows them expend fewer calories in a day, saving energy. (And sometimes they sleep on their backs — which is adorable!)

15. They can climb trees and swim.

Image via iStock.

16. Pandas don't really play well with others.

Except when it’s time to mate (or when a mother is rearing her cubs), pandas go to great lengths to avoid each other and remain solitary. If two pandas run into each other, they’ll growl, swat, lunge, and even bite each other.

17. You won't see a panda roar, but they are very vocal.

Giant pandas make a number of different sounds, including honks, huffs, barks, howls, and bleats, which sounds just like a lamb or goat. Young cubs also croak and squeal.

18. Smell is important to pandas because it helps them communicate with each other.

Image via iStock.

Pandas have scent glands under their tail and secrete a substance that they use to mark trees, rocks, bamboo, and bushes — and the smell is so strong, even humans can smell it.

19. The scent marks they leave are like individual ID cards — they tell other pandas smelling them a whole lot about themselves.

Each scent mark tells pandas the age, sex, reproductive condition, and social status of the bear that left it — as well as how long the scent has been there. Each one is believed to be unique.

20. Male pandas like to leave their scent high up on a tree, so they’ll perform “handstands” to get it up there.

21. Pandas are commonly believed to be poor breeders, but this isn’t actually true.

[rebelmouse-image 19528867 dam="1" original_size="1500x821" caption="A newborn cub and her mother at a panda research center in China. Image via BBC Earth/YouTube." expand=1]A newborn cub and her mother at a panda research center in China. Image via BBC Earth/YouTube.

They only breed once every two to three years though, and it is very difficult to get them to mate in captivity, which is why so many people have the wrong impression about their fertility. But, according to the World Wildlife Fund, their reproductive rates are actually comparable to those of the thriving American black bear.

22. In the wild, a typical female panda will give birth to about five litters in her lifetime.

A female panda and her cub. Image via iStock.

23. A panda litter is usually one or two cubs, which are born blind and don’t open their eyes for 45 days.

Cubs are completely dependent on their mothers for the first 14 months of their lives, and they don’t usually leave her until they are 18-24 months old.

Image via iStock.

24. Today, pandas have fewer predators than they did historically.

Tigers once lived in their range, but they no longer do, and leopards that are found in the region are reduced in numbers. However, golden cats, yellow-throated marten, dhole, and weasels live in the same habitats and are known to prey on cubs.

25. But now pandas have a new threat: humans.

Large areas of bamboo forests have been cleared for agriculture, timber, and fuelwood, which has reduced their habitat and made it harder for them to find bamboo. Not only that, but roads and railroads have fragmented forests, isolating panda populations from each other and preventing them from being able to mate and reproduce.

Poaching is still a problem too. Stricter laws and greater public awareness have helped rein in the problem, but pandas are still sometimes killed by poachers, or they are harmed accidentally by traps and snares set for other animals.

But there is some good news. The number of wild pandas is actually growing, thanks to conservation efforts over the past decade.

A panda climbing a tree in the Chengdu region of China. Image via iStock.

In fact, the number of wild giant pandas has increased from 1,596 in 2003 to 1,864 in 2015 — nearly 17%. In September 2016, their conservation status was updated from “endangered” to “vulnerable.”

Of course, pandas still need our help because they are not out of danger just yet. They still need our support so their populations can keep growing. And that way, maybe one day soon, we can have a thriving population of pandas in China once again.

From Your Site Articles

11 panda facts that are really just an excuse to look at some pandas.

There are a lot of things you might not know about the no longer endangered species.

In September 2016 news broke that the giant panda was no longer considered "endangered" and there was much rejoicing.

Panda party.

Thanks to the incredible conservation efforts of the Chinese government and international groups like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the species is now classified as "vulnerable." Conservation efforts began back in the 1960s, when four panda reserves were set up in China and hunting the species was outlawed.

It's always a victory when a species starts bouncing back from extinction, but here's so much more to these gentle giants than most people even know.

Here are 11 other awesome reasons to celebrate the great giant panda:

1. Giant pandas have a bone in their wrists that acts like an opposable thumb.

Photo via Virginie Feflour/Getty Images.

Thought apes were the only ones who could grip things like humans? Guess again. Pandas actually have six "digits" on each paw, including something called a radial sesamoid — a bone in their wrist that acts as an extra digit, similar to a thumb, and allows them to hold and munch on thin bamboo rods with ease.

2. Dogs can make great surrogate parents to baby pandas who are abandoned at birth.

That's about the size of a stick of butter. Photo by STR/Getty Images.

While it is rare for a female panda to have twins, if she does, all her attention will go to the larger, more capable cub, and she will abandon the other. This sounds cruel, but it's part of natural selection and, often, the only way any panda cubs survive at all.

Conservationists, however, have discovered dog moms make great substitutes when panda moms reject their young. Dog milk is similar enough to panda milk that if a new dog mom accepts the panda baby into her puppy litter, the baby panda is much more likely to survive.

3. America received its first pair of pandas thanks to President Nixon.

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images.

Even though the Cold War was going on, Nixon famously extended an olive branch to Chairman Mao Zedong and the People's Republic of China in 1972.

As a thank-you, Chairman Mao gave America its first two giant pandas: Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling. An estimated 75 million visitors got to see them throughout their long lives at the National Zoo.

4. Female giant pandas only ovulate once a year.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

Once a year, female giant pandas become fertile for a mere two to three days. This extremely tight procreation window makes the species' population increase all the more significant and amazing, especially considering females often only have one or two babies at a time.

5. Their bamboo diet is actually not very nutritious.

Photo by Peter Parks/Getty Images.

The giant panda diet consists almost entirely of bamboo, which is rather lacking in nutrients. As such, the species is known to eat an estimated 26-48 pounds of bambooa day.

6. While the species has been upgraded from "endangered" to "vulnerable," climate change may hurt the giant pandas' population growth and land it back on the endangered species list.

Tourist looking at bamboo forest. Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images.

Due to the giant pandas' proclivity for bamboo (and need to eat a lot of it), the species could end up back on the endangered species list because climate change is predicted to eliminate 35% of pandas' bamboo habitat in the next 80 years.

7. Giant pandas play a vital role in the conservation of bamboo forests.

Photo by John Thys/Getty Images.

While eating all that bamboo, giant pandas are helping spread bamboo seeds around, which in turn helps new bamboo plants grow. In saving the giant pandas, China is saving the bamboo forests, and all the other species that live in them.

8. Giant pandas might look like roly-poly land dwellers, but they're actually magnificent tree climbers.

Photo by Karen Bleier/Getty Images.

Their broad paws and retractable claws are extremely helpful in all tree-climbing scenarios.

9. Giant pandas communicate by rubbing their butts on things.

Photo by Roslan Rahman/Getty Images.

Pandas don't see too well, but they have a great sense of smell. When they want to send a message, they rub their anal glands on the ground, rocks, and trees. The message could be anything from, "Hey, let's meet up here!" to "I'm looking to get busy with a mate!"

10. They've got huge molars to crush all those bamboo stalks.

Photo by Paul Bronstein/Getty Images.

The giant panda's diet is 1% carnivorous (meaning, 99% of what they eat is vegetation, though they've been known to eat meat on occasion); giant pandas have the largest molars of all carnivores. Of course, unlike their carnivore cousins, giant pandas use them for crushing bamboo stalks rather than bone.

11. Because the species is elusive and lives in remote, getting an accurate count for the giant panda population is challenging.

The process of estimating the growth of the giant panda population has been one of the most extensive in history for one entire species.

Giant panda hiding (not really). Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images.

The official estimate of their numbers is 2,060, but studies have shown there might actually be more like 2,500 to 3,000 out there in the world today.

Whatever the number is, hopefully it will continue going up. There's still much to be done in terms of conservation, but all things considered, the giant panda is definitely on the right track.

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