On the other side of the sheet, Reel Paper founders Livio Bisterzo and Derin Oyekan experienced enormous growth during this time, having introduced a sustainable, bamboo-based, biodegradable toilet paper onto the market in 2019. As a result of the Covid-rush, they recently celebrated a considerable milestone, surpassing two million rolls sold of their “life-changing toilet paper”. Shit got Reel, if you will.
Oyekan grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and witnessed first-hand the health and environmental challenges that arise from communities lacking access to clean toilets and running water. These issues affect an estimated 2.4 billion people around the world, exposing vulnerable communities to deadly pathogens and contaminated water supplies.
This is exemplified in Reel Paper’s dual mission. First, they set out to sustainably re-design a staple product – toilet paper. Traditional toilet roll production causes around 27,000 trees to be cut down per day. Reel Paper developed sheets using bamboo fibres as an alternative to hardwood fibres. Bamboo has the ability to grow up to three feet in 24 hours (making it the fastest growing plant on the planet), requires 30 per cent less water than hardwood trees and can be grown without pesticides or chemical fertilisers. Ticking many environmentally positive boxes, bamboo also passes the ever-important soft and strong sheet test, meaning customers don’t have to compromise a comfortable 3-ply wipe to do better for the environment.
The organisation’s other mission involves improving sanitation in communities lacking access to clean toilets and running water around the world. Reel Paper directs a percentage of profits to partnering with SOIL, an NGO based in Haiti focused on building regenerative, waterless toilets to improve local waste management through treating and transforming waste into fertiliser. The organisation pays locals workers to distribute the fertiliser, restoring soil fertility and building a local circular economy.
It’s not a hard sell – just about everyone needs toilet paper. And with Reel Paper, your bathroom shares your values: every purchase is having a positive impact on the planet and those living in disadvantaged communities. With no compromise to the soft experience you’re likely accustomed to, by making the switch to Reel Paper’s sustainable toilet roll, you can wipe in peace, knowing your conscience is also clean.
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