Why is it more eco-friendly than bamboo toothbrushes?
Are bamboo toothbrushes eco-friendly toothbrushes?
The craze for bamboo continues to grow and many people are choosing this type of toothbrush thinking that they are 100% compostable. Here are some information intended to re-establish the truth on this subject so that you can make an informed choice! It is not a question of pillorying bamboo but of pointing out the false marketing arguments that mislead many consumers.
Are bamboo toothbrushes really 100% compostable?
No . Only the handle of a toothbrush is potentially compostable.
The vast majority of sites and brands offering bamboo brushes present it as a 100% compostable object. Unfortunately, This is just a marketing ploy . Nylon bristles are not compostable and are often attached with metal rings that are also not compostable. The bristles can also be glued with a chemical glue that is not biodegradable either. You must therefore cut off the upper part of the handle in order to compost it.
Are the bristles on some bamboo brushes really biodegradable nylon – nylon 4/nylon 6-10?
No . Today, it does not exist no biodegradable nylon .
Focus on nylon-4 or polybutyrolactam or polybutyrolactam nylon (PA4). Made from tetramethylenediamine and adipic acid, it is declared biodegradable by some brands. This is an extremely rare nylon on the market whose the degradation processes of polyamides are neither established nor reliable at present.
Focus on the nylon 6 Or nylon 6-10. We also speak of polyamide 6,10 (PA 6,10 or nylon 6,10). This type of nylon is composed of 50 to 60% bio-sourced compounds synthesized using hexamethylenediamine and sebacic acid – an acid obtained by the decomposition of castor oil. It is not biodegradable.
Are some bamboo toothbrushes really Made in France?
No. Today, there is no production of bamboo toothbrushes on French soil.
ALL bamboo brushes come from Asia – extremely large carbon footprint. Some brands affix an engraving or logo in France, but these are in no case products manufactured in France.
Bamboo brushes are therefore an alternative like any other but are not THE sustainable solution that brands promise. They remain disposable objects . At Caliquo, we offer products that are not intended to be thrown away but are designed to LAST .
Our rechargeable wooden toothbrushes are here
Our rechargeable bioplastic toothbrushes are here
[1] . Putrescine, or tetramethylenediamine, is a nascent organic chemical compound NH24NH2 that is related to cadaverine; both are produced by the breakdown of amino acids in living and dead organisms and both are toxic in large doses.
[2] Presented in the form of a crystalline solid, adipic acid is an organic compound of the family of dicarboxylic acids. Also called 1,6-hexanedioic acid, it is particularly used in the manufacture of nylon, of which it is one of the two intermediate products
[3] Body resulting from the reaction of a polyacid on a polyamine, constituting many plastic materials
Another important piece of information that is often not mentioned is that bamboo composts very poorly and very slowly. It sometimes biodegrades more slowly than certain bioplastics. If you do use products of this type, remember to cut the handle into very thin pieces before putting it in your composter.
Many of you are looking for biodegradable and vegan products, but you often have to know how to separate fact from fiction before rushing in because the organic product market is currently a real El Dorado and some marketing practices under the guise of zero waste are sometimes questionable.
From our point of view, bamboo toothbrushes are a very poor alternative to disposable plastic toothbrushes because instead of throwing away plastic you are throwing away bamboo handles from China.
Unfortunately, a 100% biodegradable toothbrush does not currently exist. The best alternative remains the ecological and rechargeable toothbrush made in France Caliquo!
Our rechargeable toothbrushes , our children's toothbrushes , our razor and our shaving brush .