We’ve been in the water conservation business for over 35 years. Saving water is what we do. So when we started looking at the numbers behind toilet paper production, it changed how we think about the entire product category.
It Starts in the Forest
Most major toilet paper brands in North America source their wood fibre from Canada’s boreal forest, a massive ecosystem that spans from Newfoundland and Labrador in the east to the Yukon and Alaska in the west. It’s one of the most carbon-dense intact forests left on the planet, and large sections of it are being clear-cut every year to make products we use for a few seconds and throw away.
That’s a hard thing to sit with when you realize the scale of it. This isn’t some abstract, far-off environmental issue. It’s Canada’s forest. It’s happening here.
The Water Footprint Is Staggering
It’s widely reported that producing a single roll of toilet paper requires around 37 gallons of water across its full lifecycle: growing the trees, harvesting, pulping, bleaching, and manufacturing. A bidet, by contrast, uses roughly one-eighth of a gallon per use.
To put that in perspective, the water that goes into manufacturing a single roll of toilet paper could power a bidet for about seven weeks of daily use. For a company built on water conservation, that comparison alone was enough to get our attention.
Small Switch, Real Impact
You don't have to believe the planet is warming to recognize that cutting down ancient forests and burning through 37 gallons of water to make a product we use for a few seconds isn't a great use of natural resources. Regardless of where you stand on climate, wasting less and conserving more is just common sense. And every household that reduces its toilet paper consumption makes a measurable dent in deforestation and water usage.
A bidet uses a fraction of the water that goes into producing the toilet paper it replaces. It generates no paper waste. And it lasts for years. From a sustainability standpoint, it’s one of the simplest upgrades a household can make. It also happens to be a significant upgrade in how clean you feel day to day, which is what keeps people from ever going back.
Most of us don’t get many chances to make a choice that’s better for our wallet, more comfortable to use, and easier on the environment, all at the same time. That’s what makes this one worth paying attention to. Not guilt, not sacrifice. Just a smarter way to do something you already do every day. (Curious about the actual dollar savings? We did the math in a separate post.)
Water Matrix has spent over three decades helping Canadians use water more wisely, right from our home in Canada. Bidets fit naturally into that work. Want help figuring out which one’s right for your home? Our team is here for that. Real expertise, no scripts, no sales pitch.
Explore our bidet lineup or reach out to our team directly.
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Questions People Ask
How much water does it take to make a roll of toilet paper?
Roughly 37 gallons across the full production lifecycle, from growing the trees to manufacturing the finished roll. A bidet uses about one-eighth of a gallon per use.
Are bidets better for the environment than toilet paper?
Significantly. Bidets use a fraction of the water, produce no paper waste, and reduce demand on forests that absorb carbon. It’s one of the simplest sustainability swaps a household can make.
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