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Taking inspiration from an unlikely source – a bright pink toilet roll encountered during a French holiday – Naked Sprout has blossomed into one of the UK’s leading eco-friendly tissue brands. By challenging the status quo of the tissue industry, the company has earned its stripes as a true eco hero, transforming an everyday product into a symbol of sustainability.
They have now sold over 12 million rolls; saving more than 2 million kg of CO2e and 117,000 litres of harsh chemicals.
They are the highest rated ethical toilet paper by Ethical Consumer.
The founders of Naked Sprout were shocked to learn the environmental impact of a seemingly harmless product – toilet rolls. The process of manufacturing traditional tissue products is archaic and environmentally damaging. It involves the use of harsh chemicals, bleaches, and dyes, the felling of millions of trees, and the production of extensive plastic waste.
Driven by passion for change and a vision for a cleaner planet, Naked Sprout set out to revolutionise this industry. The company dared to ask: “What if we could create a more sustainable toilet roll?”
In their mission to create the UK’s most sustainable tissue products, Naked Sprout turned to an eco-friendly alternative: bamboo. This fast-growing plant uses less land and water than trees, making it a perfect candidate for sustainable tissue production. By retaining the natural colour of bamboo, Naked Sprout eliminated the need for harsh chemicals and bleaches. Furthermore, the company proved that plastic packaging was unnecessary, further reducing their environmental impact.
But Naked Sprout didn’t stop there. They recognised that the manufacturing process itself was a significant contributor to environmental degradation, primarily due to the extensive energy required to convert pulp into paper, traditionally sourced from fossil fuels. In a bold move, the company shifted its manufacturing to Spain in 2021, to a site powered by onsite renewable energy at the world’s highest rated B Corp certified tissue factory. This step ensured a 50% reduction in carbon emissions compared to other eco alternatives.
They aren’t stopping there. In.2023 Naked Sprout launched recycled toilet rolls made from cardboard and paper packaging, making good use of a plentiful waste material. So far in 2024 they have incorporated electrified rail into their transport network and reduced the size of their inner cores, meaning smaller boxes and less emissions from transport.
Naked Sprout is not just about saving trees and reducing carbon emissions. The company is committed to ensuring a living wage for everyone in their supply chain, symbolising their commitment to social sustainability alongside environmental sustainability. They are also partnered with the charity Just a Drop, ensuring every box of toilet roll they sell supports clean water and sanitation initiatives around the world and the donations on every box are from revenue rather than profit.
Since its launch in 2020, Naked Sprout has sold over 12 million rolls, saving 97 thousand kilograms of CO2e and over 117 thousand litres of harsh chemicals. This achievement places them squarely in the eco hero category. While they acknowledge their product isn’t perfect, their transparency, sustainability, and highest B Corp impact score in their sector indicate a company striving for continuous improvement and inspiring change in the tissue industry.
Naked Sprout, through its commitment to eco-friendly practices and products, is not just another tissue company. It’s an eco hero, leading the way towards a more sustainable and greener future.
You can view all of the evidence of their sustainable processes and the figures used in this article on their website.
