What are bamboo toothbrush bristles made from?

The Bam&Boo bamboo toothbrush bristles are made of nylon 6 bpa free. We are well aware that it is not yet the best eco-friendly solution. But it is still the best way to grant good oral care. Until today the only 100% biodegradable and efficient option is animal hair, which is a very controversial material, or else PLA. But according to our standards these aren’t yet a good alternative.

In the earlier days of toothbrush, way back in Chinese Tang Dynasty (607-907) bristles were sourced from hogs and later in the 13th century they were made of horsetail hairs attached to oxbone handle.

It was a long journey until animal bristles were replaced by synthetic fibers, such as nylon, in 1938. Obviously, this event followed the rise of plastic and mass production, which has devastating effects on today’s environment.

At The Bam&Boo we stand by cruelty-free and vegan products. Therefore, using animal-sourced bristles is not an option. Furthermore, we are aware that the nylon bpa free bristles account for 5% of non-biodegradable product. So, we are working closely with our manufacturers to develop better solutions.

However, there’s good news: you can recycle the bamboo toothbrush bristles! When it’s time to dispose of your old bamboo toothbrush, you should remove the bristles with a pair of tweezers. Since they are too small, we strongly advise not to throw them in the big plastic recycling bin. Instead, you can reuse a plastic bottle and create an ecobrick, keeping all the tiny plastic waste tight in one place. In time you may discard it correctly.