What Is Coreless Toilet Paper?
Coreless toilet paper is straightforward: it's a roll of toilet paper without the cardboard tube in the middle.
Instead of rolling the paper around a cardboard core, coreless rolls are compressed and wound tightly enough to hold their shape on their own. The result is a roll that functions identically to standard toilet paper, i.e. it unrolls smoothly, feels the same, and flushes the same, except there's no cardboard waste at the end.
It's a simple idea. In principle, a genuinely good one.
In Principle: Coreless Makes Sense
The logic behind coreless toilet paper is sound.
A standard toilet roll generates one cardboard tube per roll. For a family of four using roughly 450 rolls per year, that's 450 cardboard tubes heading to recycling. Multiply that by millions of households, and you're talking about significant cardboard waste.
On paper (pun intended), it's a win: less packaging waste, smaller storage footprint.
The Contradiction: Coreless Toilet Paper Wrapped in Plastic
The leading coreless toilet paper brand on the UK market wraps their rolls individually in plastic.
Think about that for a moment. The entire point of coreless toilet paper is to eliminate waste. But instead of using minimal plastic-free packaging, this brand has chosen to wrap each coreless roll in plastic film.
As a result, you swap one type of packaging waste for another, and plastic is arguably worse than cardboard because it takes centuries to decompose and often can’t be recycled curbside.
What Actually Matters When Choosing Sustainable Toilet Paper
If reducing packaging waste is important to you (we knew you were a good egg!), don't get distracted by coreless as a silver bullet. Instead, consider the product as a whole, including:
1. What It's Made From
This is the single biggest factor.
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Bamboo vs. virgin forest: Bamboo grows in 3-5 years; virgin softwood trees take up to 30 years. Bamboo regrows from its roots; trees must be replanted. Putting it simply: we’re advocating for keeping trees where they belong (in the forest, not swirling down the loo).
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Recycled vs. virgin: Recycled uses existing fibre; virgin requires harvesting new material. Recycled has its own issues (de-inking, processing chemicals), but keeps trees in the forest.
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FSC-certified: FSC certification means the forests are managed responsibly, protecting biodiversity and worker rights.
Also be mindful that sometimes, things aren’t what they seem. Which? testing in 2024 found that some brands claiming "bamboo" contain as little as 3-4% actual bamboo, with the rest virgin soft or hardwood. Read the label and verify the claims, ideally using independent certifications.
2. Processing & Chemical Safety
How the paper is made matters enormously.
- PFAS-free: Some toilet papers contain "forever chemicals" (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) that persist in the environment.
- Fragrance-free: Fragrances are common irritants and add unnecessary chemicals.
- Unbleached or ECF-whitened: Unbleached paper avoids bleaching chemicals entirely. ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) whitening is a safer alternative to chlorine-based bleaching.
- No dyes or lotions: These are unnecessary extras that add chemicals.
These processing choices have real impact and are often overlooked because they're less visible than "less packaging" or "plastic-free packaging."
3. Packaging
Yes, packaging matters too.
- Minimal, recyclable packaging: Cardboard is recyclable. Plastic is not reliably recycled. If a product is coreless and in cardboard or paper packaging, great. If it's coreless and wrapped in plastic, less so. Be mindful that individually wrapped rolls add a lot of unnecessary packaging, too.
- Bulk buying: The more rolls per pack, the less packaging per roll. A 48-pack has a lower packaging-per-roll ratio than a 4-pack.
4. The Whole Picture
Look for brands that are honest and transparent about:
- What the product is actually made from
- How it's made/processed
- What it's tested for
- What the supply chain looks like
What About Those Cardboard Tubes? What Can I Do With Them Instead Of Throwing Them Away?
With a bit of imagination, cardboard toilet paper tubes have genuine value. They're actually a resource with multiple practical uses.
Common Uses for Cardboard Tubes
Gardening & Plant Starting
- Seed starting pots: Fill with soil and plant seeds. When seedlings are ready, plant the whole tube directly in the ground (it will decompose). Saves buying plastic seed trays.
- Compost: Cardboard tubes break down in compost, adding organic matter.
- Bulk filler for large planters: Shredded cardboard (including cardboard tubes) can be used to fill the bottom of large planters underneath your compost to keep things lighter (and more budget-friendly).
Craft & Storage
- Kids' crafts: Painting, collaging, building projects (bird feeders, binoculars, organizers).
- Cable organizers: Wrap and label cables to keep drawers tidy.
- Gift wrapping: Stuff with tissue and wrap as small gift boxes.
- Shipping & packing: Protect fragile items during moves.
Pet & Animal Care
- Small animal enrichment: Guinea pigs, rabbits, and hamsters enjoy chewing and playing with cardboard tubes.
- Bird feeders: Coat with peanut butter and seeds, hang as an outdoor feeder.
The point: cardboard tubes aren't necessarily rubbish. Many families actively reuse them. They have genuine second lives in gardens, craft projects, and household organization.
The Bottom Line
Coreless toilet paper is a fine idea. In principle, eliminating unnecessary cardboard makes sense. But the execution matters. And when a leading coreless brand wraps their product in plastic, it undermines the entire concept.
If packaging waste concerns you, look at the product holistically:
- Material sourcing (What is it made of? Is it FSC-certified?)
- Chemical safety (PFAS-free, fragrance-free, no dyes)
- Reasonable packaging (cardboard-based, bulk-friendly, recyclable, no individual roll-wrapping)
And of course, if you have cardboard rolls at hand, why not have a little think about ways you could re-use them before you put them in the recycling bin?
