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Toothbrushes have come a long way since the heady days of obscene plastic consumption.
It’s never been easier to reduce your carbon footprint in the bathroom. And a vegan, bamboo toothbrush is a fantastic place to start. There are even electric bamboo toothbrushes and toothbrush heads.
And we’ve even thrown in some sustainable toothbrush options for the kids. And our favourite sustainable, cruelty-free toothbrush accessories.
Table of Contents
- Best cruelty-free bamboo toothbrushes
- Best cruelty-free bamboo electric toothbrushes
- Best cruelty-free, sustainable toothbrush heads
- Best cruelty-free, sustainable toothbrush for kids
- Best cruelty-free, sustainable toothbrush accessories
- Cruelty-free toothbrush FAQs
Best Vegan Bamboo Toothbrush
Truhtbrush Starter Set
Our favourite bamboo toothbrush is the Truthbrush Starter Set. An award-winning, fully recyclable and carbon neutral alternative to brushing your teeth you should invest in.
- £17
- Vegan
- Contains fluoride
- Recyclable packaging and product
- Carbon neutral shipping
You can read the full review here.
Best Vegan Bamboo Toothbrushes
Leafico Bamboo Toothbrush with Travel Case
The best thing about Leafico’s Bamboo Toothbrush is not necessarily the fact it is; biodegradable, sustainable, plastic and BPA-free. Although it is all of those things.
My favourite thing about this toothbrush is that it comes with:
- 4 toothbrushes
- A travel case
- Tongue scraper
- Dental floss
And this zero waste kit has charcoal infused bristles for natural teeth whitening. I am not sure how effective charcoal infused bristles are, but it sounds cool.
EveEco Bamboo Toothbrush
Whilst £27 may seem a tad pricey for some bamboo toothbrushes, there are 12 of them. In my experience they tend to last longer than traditional plastic toothbrushes (head dependent), but great for the fam.
You can also buy packs of 4, or 8. But if you get 4, you may as well get 8. And if you’re getting 8, why not a dozen?
- BPA-free bristles
- PVA-free
- Charcoal infused
- 100% biodegradable paper packaging
And bamboo as a material is water-resistant and anti-bacterial.
Truthbrush Starter Set
Isn’t Bamboo amazing!
For starters as it grows in natural environments it doesn’t require lengthy, polluting production processes.
And it’s cheap – both to produce and buy. with a much lower carbon footprint than it’s plastic contemporaries.
So any products where bamboo has replaced plastic is OK by us. Particularly when these industries – like oral hygiene – are so plastic dominant.
And the Truthbrush Starter Set is an award-winning, fully recyclable and carbon neutral alternative to brushing your teeth you should invest in.
- £17
- Vegan
- Contains fluoride
- Recyclable packaging and product
- Carbon neutral shipping
Battle Green Toothbrush Kit
Battle Green’s Toothbrush Kit is a superb starting point into the world of zero waste oral hygiene.
The kit contains:
- 4 bamboo toothbrushes – 100% plant-based bristles
- Natural toothpowder – in a refillable glass jar
- Bamboo toothbrush holder
- A tree planted in your name
If you’re new to natural tooth powders (I have to use fluoride rich cruelty-free toothpaste, don’t ask why) the experience is apparently a tad strange to begin with.
Mainly because they don’t foam in the same way as traditional paste.
And – of course – everything is sent using biodegradable, plastic-free packaging.
- £24.95
- Vegan
- Fluoride-free
- Paraben, SLS and glycerin-free
- Recyclable packaging and product
- Carbon neutral shipping
Georganics Beech Toothbrush
Georganics Medium Beechwood Toothbrush is great for those of us with sensitive gums and enamel issues. Ideal for removing plaque and tartar without causing bleeding.
It is a completely compostable, beechwood made toothbrush that is FSC-certified.
- £6
- Compostable
- Organic
- FSC-certified beech
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Comes in a plastic-free, paper box
It should last for around 3 – 6 months. It does state you should replace every 3 months, but mine has lasted well beyond that. Although it is more of a travel option for me.
If you need a slightly ‘harsher’ tooth brushing option, then Georganics also has a firm beech toothbrush option.
The Lazy Environmentalists Eco-Friendly Bamboo Toothbrushes
The Lazy Environmentalists Eco-Friendly Bamboo Toothbrushes are a superb cost-effective alternative to plastic teeth-brushing. Tooth-brushing?
Alongside being a toothbrush with top quality bristles, it is:
- FSC certified
- Vegan and cruelty-free (of course)
- Biodegradable, compostable and 100% recyclable
- BPA-free
- 100% organic
- Panda-friendly bamboo
And it has a brilliant name. Of course we all want to help the planet. But ideally we’d like to do it in a way that doesn’t inconvenience us at all. Here’s a good starting point.
- £8.99
- Vegan
- FSC-certified
- Plastic-free, recyclable packaging and product
- Carbon neutral shipping
The Best Vegan Bamboo Electric Toothbrushes
Fayet Bamboo Smart Electric Toothbrush
A bamboo electric toothbrush really does seem like the future has well and truly arrived early doesn’t it! What an absolutely fantastic way to reduce our plastic waste and carbon footprint.
Firstly, the look and feel of Fayet Bamboo Electric Toothbrush is almost exactly the same as the big plastic-first high street brands.
And secondly bamboo is so tough that you won’t need to look for replacement parts.
- £59.99
- Vegan & cruelty-free
- Recyclable and recycled
- The box is actually made from paper pulp which is 100% biodegradable
- 40 days battery life – which is frankly absurd
And the brush has 5 modes: clean, whiten, polish, gum care and sensitive teeth. If like me you suffer from sensitive teeth and gums, this is a rather unique feature.
Briut Bamboo Electric Toothbrush
Another bamboo electric toothbrush that has an aesthetic quality incomparable to other toothbrushes. Briut’s Electric Toothbrush has:
- 5 cleaning settings
- A 1 year warranty
- Charcoal infused bristles
- A charging base and USB charger
- A 1 month battery life when used daily – please use it daily
And whilst the toothbrush heads aren’t compostable – but only on a technicality – it just takes 3 – 4 month to do become mulch.
This zero waste bamboo, castor oil and cornstarch brush is a bathroom must have for this year.
- £74.83
- Vegan
- Recyclable , starch based packaging and product
- Ships from the UK
- SLS, BPA, plastic and essential oil / fragrance-free
Kamose Sonic Bamboo Electric Toothbrush
The Kamose Sonic Electric Bamboo Toothbrush is completely, biodegradable and recyclable product with 5 speed settings. and 3 brush heads.
Interestingly the brush heads are designed differently. One is for plaque removal. One for whitening and another for sensitive teeth care.
- £55.99
- Recyclable and biodegradable
- 8 hours of use
- Compostable bamboo brush heads
Each head should last around 3 months and compost within 6!
The Best Vegan Bamboo Electric Toothbrush Heads
Booheads Bamboo Electric Toothbrush Heads
Boohead’s Bamboo Electric Toothbrush Heads are an excellent companion to the aforementioned products. From experience electric toothbrush heads are good for 3 – 6 months before you need to replace the bristles.
And these bamboo and bioplastic toothbrush heads are:
- Biodegradable and compostable
- Made from sustainable materials
- Plant-based
- Handmade in the UK
These softer bristles are ideal for slightly more sensitive gums and teeth too!
- £13.99
- Vegan
- Recyclable packaging and product
- Sustainable, compostable materials
- Ships from the UK
LiveCoco Recyclable Electric Toothbrush Heads
An alternative to bamboo electric toothbrushes – if you have your own plastic one already – is to purchase some recyclable toothbrush heads.
And these are:
- Handmade
- Made in the UK
- Made from kraft paper and recycled plastic
- Charcoal-infused
- Made from medium bristles, suitable for sensitive teeth
And, fortunately, this 4 pack of toothbrushes are ORAL B and Braun compatible.
- £6.99
- Vegan
- Recyclable packaging and product
- Ships from the UK
Best Vegan Bamboo Toothbrush for Kids
Georganics Beech Toothbrush for Kids
Much like the ‘adult’ versions of Georganics toothbrushes, the kids version is still:
- £4.50
- Compostable
- Organic
- FSC-certified beech
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Comes in a plastic-free, paper box
It is essentially just a slightly softer brush and jazzier looking toothbrush. Which is a nice touch.
Bubblebrush Bamboo Toothbrushes for Kids
Perfect for helping your kids reduce their carbon footprint (and getting them interested on the way), Bubblebrush’s Bamboo Toothbrush for Kids is a cleverly designed kids toothbrush with dentists at the helm.
The colourful heads make them fun – in a way – and the product itself is:
- BPA-free
- Soft-bristled
- Anti-bacterial bamboo handle
- Crafted from sustainably sourced bamboo
- Biodegradable
And…
- £8.99
- Vegan
- Made from organic, sustainably sourced bamboo
- Plastic-free, recyclable packaging and product
Best Vegan Toothbrush Accessories
From cruelty-free, vegan mouthwash to vegan, bamboo-centric floss. There are some absolutely brilliant additions to sustainable, animal-friendly oral hygiene products we’d love to share with you.
Not literally of course.
Me Mother Earth Floss
Ever since I had a huge dentistry bill, I was told to floss more frequently.
Studies have shown that effective flossing between specific teeth can promote gingival/periodontal health.
And whilst traditional plastic-based floss can be a nightmare for the environment, Me Mother Earth’s Floss is brilliant.
- Vegan
- Biodegradable
- Charcoal-based
- Bamboo-centric
Coming complete with refillable glass container.
- £9.89
- Vegan
- Made from organic, sustainably sourced bamboo
- Plastic-free, recyclable packaging and product
- Biodegradable
- Me Mother Earth donate 10% of our profits to ocean and environmental conservation
Ecodenta’s Whitening Mouthwash
Certainly the most striking mouthwash on the list, Ecodenta’s Whitening Mouthwash contains charcoal, salts and mint oil and is designed to offer long-lasting freshness and plaque defence.
Absolutely jet black in colour when you shake it, this alcohol-free, fluoride-free mouthwash is a great option for those of us looking to freshen their breath and provide some protection from plaque.
It does contain glycerin (from vegetable sources) and polysorbate-20.
They do also have an Organic Minty Coconut Mouthwash that contains aloe vera and fights plaque and bacteria.
- £6.99
- Vegan
- Fluoride-free
- Alcohol-free
- Recyclable packaging and product
FAQs
All toothbrushes in this list had to be:
– Cruelty free, either certified by PETA or via a cruelty free guarantee
– Vegan. While not all the brands are vegan, all the products featured here are
– Good quality and readily available to buy (a true necessity)
– Made with a material that is better for the environment than plastic. And it must be recyclable / recycled / biodegradable (in an ideal world)
Typically toothbrushes are not a sustainable product.
Traditionally made from plastic and polymers, they can’t be recycled – at least not easily – and the bristles are made from nylon. A synthetic fibre that is not biodegradable.
Modern more eco-friendly alternatives are available. Bamboo toothbrushes have become very popular thanks to it’s speed of growth and all-natural ability to biodegrade.
Plastic-based toothbrushes will take 100s of years to fully decompose. If they ever do.
It is estimated that the PET in plastic toothbrushes will take 450 years to decompose. With 3.5 billion sold each year, that’s an extraordinary amount of waste that cannot decompose.
They are unequivocally better than the plastic alternative. And almost anything you can do to reduce your single use plastic consumption is a good step.
Because bamboo doesn’t require significant manufacturing, it’s carbon footprint is already lower.
Alongside this it is a recyclable, all-natural, biodegradable material. A material that is – in some countries – considered compostable.
Whilst bamboo is a sustainable plant – it grows quickly, easily and doesn’t require a huge amount of nutrients – there are potential issues with bamboo cultivation at scale.
So quickly in fact that one type of Chinese bamboo has been known to grow 1 meter per day! Thank god for evolutionary pressure.
And bamboo can be cultivated with almost no fertiliser / chemical pesticides, harvesting machinery or irrigation. And its root systems can protect steep banks from erosion. Ideal for supporting habitats.
Unfortunately when anything is cultivated at scale there are problems. Naturally forested land can be destroyed in favour of higher value crops for example.
This is because bamboo is high in lignin, a component that takes a long time (but not compared to plastic) to decompose and relies on fungi, not bacteria, to do so.
In order to speed up the process you should shred the bamboo – although that requires a machine – or utilise worm or hot composting.
No bamboo toothbrushes are not worse for your teeth than the plastic alternative.
Some bamboo toothbrushes still use nylon for the bristles, so whilst it doesn’t break down it will have no impact on your oral hygiene. Some utilise a newer form of biodegradable nylon and some are entirely plant-based and USDA / EU-certified. So no worries about the quality.
Because larger scale manufacturing processes create economies of scale. And these processes haven’t diversified to bamboo toothbrush production at anywhere near the same rate.
When these larger companies buy-in to eco-friendly toothbrushes, the prices will drop.
How do we pick the best cruelty-free, sustainable toothbrushes?
