The truth about bleaching, bamboo and what's really in your loo roll

Most people never stop to ask why toilet paper is white. It's been white for decades. But as more of us pay attention to PFAS, sensitive skin and what's really in the things we use every day, more and more questions are. Why is toilet paper white? Is bleached toilet paper bad for me? Is unbleached toilet paper chemical-free? Is brown toilet paper better? And how do I know if bamboo toilet paper is really made from bamboo?

They're fair questions, and the honest answer is more interesting than "white bad, brown good". At Cheeky Panda, we make both white (Classic) and natural colour, unbleached bamboo toilet paper, so we've got no reason to talk you into one or the other. We'd rather give you a straight, balanced answer built on facts, not fear. Because caring about the little things (like what touches your skin every day) shouldn't mean falling for the scary headline.

Myth vs reality: The colour of a loo roll doesn't tell the full story. White doesn't automatically mean toxic. Brown doesn't automatically mean chemical-free.

Why is toilet paper white?

Toilet paper is usually white because the natural colour of the plant fibre has been lightened or removed during production. Bamboo, recycled fibre and wood pulp aren't naturally bright white. Raw bamboo fibre is closer to cream, beige or light brown before it's processed into tissue.

For decades, shoppers linked bright white tissue with cleanliness and hygiene, so white became the bathroom default. Today you can choose between white toilet paper and natural-coloured (unbleached) toilet paper, and neither colour, on its own, tells you whether a product is safe, soft, strong or well made.

Is white toilet paper bad for you?

Not necessarily. White toilet paper isn't harmful simply because it's white. Modern tissue manufacturing is regulated, and reputable brands use quality controls and testing to make sure products are suitable for everyday use.

This matters to us because we make white bamboo toilet paper and natural, unbleached bamboo toilet paper. We don't think it's helpful to scare people away from white loo roll. The far more useful questions are: how was it made, what's it made from, and has it been tested?

All Cheeky Panda toilet paper is made from 100% bamboo fibre, with our bamboo content having been independently verified by Which?, and our products are tested PFAS-free, confirming they contain no "forever chemicals". When we do make a white roll, we don't reach for harsh chlorine bleach: our white bamboo is whitened using a gentler process called Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF), which brightens the fibre without elemental chlorine gas or the harsher byproducts of older bleaching methods. Our tissue is also dermatologically tested and kind to sensitive skin, and plenty of customers tell us they find it genuinely gentle.

Recently, a customer shared how she'd struggled with skin irritation for more than 12 years before finding a tissue that suited her. You can read her story here. Everyone's skin is different and no brand can promise it'll suit every single person, but stories like hers, and being able to make this kind of difference, are exactly why we obsess over fibre quality, whitening method and testing.

Is unbleached toilet paper chemical-free?

Not necessarily, and this is one of the biggest myths online. "Unbleached" simply means the fibre hasn't been through a whitening stage. It does not mean zero processing or zero chemistry anywhere in production.

Whether tissue starts as bamboo, recycled paper or wood pulp, turning raw fibre into a soft, strong roll always takes some processing. Recycled paper is the clearest example: because it’s frequently made with post-customer material (i.e. previously printed paper and cardboard), it usually has to be de-inked. That usually means using de-inking agents that strip the original ink out. So brown doesn’t automatically mean chemical-free, and white doesn’t automatically mean “full of chemicals”. The real question is whether a product has been made carefully, tested properly, and explained to you honestly.

So, this is what you should think about: What is it made of? How is it made? What controls are in place? What's it been tested for?

White vs unbleached toilet paper: a quick comparison

Here's the honest side-by-side — because the difference between white and unbleached is smaller than the internet would have you believe.

With Cheeky Panda, whether you choose our white (Classic) and natural colour (unbleached) toilet paper rolls are 100% bamboo tissue, tested PFAS-free, and available in Double Length. Twice the sheets per roll means your loo roll will last longer and you’ll change the roll less often.

How is bamboo toilet paper actually made?

Toilet paper doesn't fall off a bamboo plant onto a cardboard tube. Bamboo is naturally strong, so to become soft, absorbent tissue the fibre has to be broken down into pulp, cleaned, worked into a smooth paste, formed into sheets, dried and converted into rolls.

That process can involve mechanical processing, water, heat and carefully controlled manufacturing steps that create a consistent product. Without them, bamboo would feel a lot more like a plant stem than a loo roll. It's why no toilet paper (unbleached included) should be sold as completely "raw" or "untouched" fibre. The honest, more useful conversation is about responsible processing, controlled production, quality and testing.

The one point where white and natural part ways is whitening: natural colour (unbleached) rolls skip that stage and keep the fibre's original colour, while white rolls go through an extra brightening step — for us, the gentler ECF process rather than harsh chlorine bleaching.

How Cheeky Panda keeps it 100% bamboo

We don’t just tell you our toilet tissue is 100% bamboo. We have the receipts to prove it. Our 100% bamboo fibre content has been independently verified by Which?. Which? also rated our toilet paper 5 out of 5 for comfort, just as soft as the big brands.

But let’s look at it in more detail. The reality is that, like a lot of toilet paper makers, our production sites don’t just produce bamboo toilet paper for us, so machinery can occasionally be shared. Before every Cheeky Panda run it’s thoroughly cleaned down, and our suppliers keep dedicated bamboo-control processes going throughout. Even so, the very occasional trace of other fibre could slip through. We’d rather say that out loud than pretend perfection.

That’s exactly why independent verification matters so much: you shouldn’t have to just take our word for what’s on the roll. That’s why it matters to us to be able to show you that:

• Cheeky Panda toilet paper is manufactured using 100% bamboo fibre.

• Bamboo content has been independently verified by Which?

• Production follows dedicated bamboo-fibre control procedures.

• Equipment is cleaned and prepared before bamboo runs.

• Strict controls are in place, though trace levels of non-bamboo fibre may very occasionally occur due to shared manufacturing facilities.

• Products are tested PFAS-free.

• Customer feedback often highlights gentleness and Which? rated our toilet paper 5 out of 5 for comfort.

What matters more than colour?

Rather than asking only "white or brown?", look at the bigger picture. When choosing toilet paper, check:

• Fibre source: is it 100% bamboo, recycled paper, or recycled fibre blended with virgin wood pulp? Recycled pulp often needs stronger de-inking to remove ink from the original paper or cardboard, especially when it’s post-consumer materials. Virgin wood pulp relies on felling trees; choosing bamboo helps keep trees in the forests. After all, they have much better things to do than swirling down the loo...

• Manufacturing standards: is production controlled and consistent? Look for recognised certifications or published quality checks, not vague "high standards".

• Testing: has it been checked for the things that matter, like PFAS, added fragrance and dyes, and harsh bleaching residues?

• Comfort: how does it feel for you and your family? Independent ratings can help here:  Which? rated Cheeky Panda 5 out of 5 for comfort.

• Transparency: does the brand prove what it says (test results, certifications…), not just explain it nicely?

So which is better: white or unbleached?

The honest answer? It depends on what matters most to you. Some people prefer natural-coloured tissue because it feels closer to the original fibre. Others prefer white because it's what they're used to. Neither choice is automatically right or wrong.

The bottom line: facts over fear. White toilet paper isn't automatically bad. Brown toilet paper isn't automatically chemical-free. The best choice is quality fibre, made under proper controls, carefully tested, and trusted by the thousands of people who use it every day.

Our aim is simple: give you an informed choice. Whether you go for Cheeky Panda white (Classic) or natural colour (unbleached), what counts is that it's soft, strong, carefully made, rigorously tested and right for your family. Quality and honesty, no trade-off: that's what we mean by care without compromise.

Why you can trust what's on the Cheeky Panda roll

We don't just say it. It's independently backed:

• Which? Best Buy and Eco Buy. We're the only toilet tissue brand to be awarded both, which is the whole point of care without compromise: no trade-off needed.

• Bamboo content independently verified by Which?

• Tested PFAS-free with no forever chemicals.

• Dermatologically tested and kind to sensitive skin.

• Certified B Corp means we’re independently verified on how we treat people, the planet and our impact.

• EcoVadis Platinum: rated in the top 1% of companies worldwide for sustainability.

• Good Housekeeping approved, and proudly female-owned and headed.

And every bamboo roll keeps more trees in the forest instead of swirling down the loo. Bamboo's a fast-growing grass, so nothing needs felling. A small swap, but it adds up: we're on our way to saving a million trees, one roll at a time.