Galaxy Green bath tissue, made from bamboo fibers, is available at the Grocery Outlet, so I took this as a cue to do some research. You may come across bamboo-based paper products on your travels – particularly toilet paper (TP), or bath tissue, to use the in-vogue term. I’ve previously examined bamboo-based textiles and the consensus is that they can be a good thing, as long as they’re responsibly-made. I think it’ll be a similar situation with bamboo TP, but let’s see.
Look for the FSC logo when buying paper products
As I gazed at the different kinds of bath tissue available at the Grocery Outlet I noticed at least two different certification logos on packages (FSC and SFI). As luck would have it, I’ve been covering third-party certifications over on the Green Stars Project recently, including certifications for responsible forestry.
The bottom line of that analysis was that the Forest Steward Council is effective at preserving forests. The majority of peer-reviewed studies strongly indicate that FSC certification helps preserve forests and their fauna (from jaguars to African forest elephants). The best certifications to look out for are FSC 100% and FSC Recycled.
Galaxy Green is certified FSC 100%
Galaxy Green bamboo bath tissues have an FSC 100% logo on packaging. This is the highest FSC certification and pretty much the gold standard for responsible forestry. A couple of other brands of TP available at the Grocery Outlet had the SFI logo, but the SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) is considered to have lower standards than the FSC. Greenpeace considers SFI certification to be little more than greenwashing.
TP: Bamboo versus recycled
Is recycled toilet paper a better choice than TP made from bamboo?
Bath tissue made from recycled paper generally qualifies as the best choice, especially if it’s mainly post-consumer recycled content. Good examples here include Seventh Generation, Natural Value, and Green Forest. It looks like TP made from bamboo is usually the second-best choice, when it’s from a reputable source and/or certified FSC 100%. If you don’t have many options where you shop, then either recycled or bamboo is better than TP made virgin tree pulp with no certification. Many of the biggest, heavily-advertised brands such as Quilted Northern, P&G’s Charmin, and Aldi’s Willow rate very poorly.
Sadly, some of largest supermarkets have a surprisingly poor TP selection with no products worthy of support. If you shop at a natural grocery or zero waste store (or shop online) then you will usually find a better selection, including plastic-free options (paper-wrapped rolls). There were no recycled bath tissue products available at the Grocery Outlet on that visit, but I’ve seen some since then. On this occasion, the Galaxy Green option looked like the best of the available options – not plastic-free and not recycled, but made from bamboo and certified FSC 100%.
Check out this in-depth guide to TP from Ethical Consumer, which also recommends choosing recycled or bamboo-based products. That article also includes reader input on alternatives to TP such as washing yourself. If you get into a good pattern (eat more fiber!) where you go in the mornings, then just use a little TP and have a shower afterwards. This habit (learned during the great TP shortage of 2020) is probably one of the best ways to reduce your reliance on TP.
Ethical rating for Galaxy Green bamboo bath tissue
I’m rating Galaxy Green bamboo toilet paper 3.5/5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact, based on the following:
- Made from bamboo fibers – one of the fastest-growing plants on earth and a good way to generate wood or paper products as long as responsibly managed (like any forest).
- Galaxy Green TP is certified FSC 100%, which is the best certification for responsible forestry (better than industry-friendly certifications such as SFI and PEFC).
- Bamboo is perhaps not quite as good as post-consumer recycled TP, but it’s a solid second choice and much better than non-certified products made from virgin tree pulp (which includes most of the major brands).
- The brand is owned by MW Polar, a company with a pretty low profile and not a lot of coverage online. The company started out as a fish importer and then in 1980 started creating its own brands. I don’t love the company’s lack of detail on operations or sourcing. It’s more of an issue with their canned fish products than this one, but still not great. This is a classic scenario where I don’t really have a handle on the company so I will end up buying based on two factors: a good raw material (bamboo) and a reputable certification (FSC 100%).
- Galaxy Green bath tissue rolls are packaged in plastic but the rolls are quite big so at least a pack of 12 rolls lasts quite a while. See Ethical Consumer for suggestions on reducing the amount of TP you need.
- If you want better options, look for post-consumer recycled (certified FSC Recycled) and plastic-free.
Summary scores (out of 5) for Galaxy Green bamboo toilet paper:
- 4.5 gold stars for quality and value – decent quality, soft paper at a good price ($7.99 at the Grocery Outlet).
- 3.5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact.
What do you think? Comment below with your rating if you like!
Join the Green Stars Project!
Check out sister site The Green Stars Project for a wider discussion on ethical consumption and social/environmental issues. Here are a couple of relevant articles:
An evaluation of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification
Grocery Outlet Ethical Bargains 
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