What: Zero Waste Cartel Bamboo Toothbrush and Case

I might be the worst low waste blogger because I have not transitioned to bamboo toothbrushes. If you’ve been following a lot of zero waste bloggers, you’ll note a trend that one of the first things they will post about is the transition to a bamboo/zero waste toothbrush. A toothbrush made of wood whose bristles and handle can be composted. Not sure why this is the case, but this is what I noticed when I first '“found” the movement.

When I decided to try to reduce my waste, my toothbrush was the last swap on my mind. Sure it was easy, but to be honest, I had a stash of plastic toothbrushes underneath our bathroom sink from all of the years visiting the dentist and clearly I wasn’t replacing them in the recommended 3 month time frame. So for over 3 years, I’ve been diligently trying to use up all of these toothbrushes up. During this time, my husband also bought these electric toothbrushes and I ended up using that too.

Fast forward to today, as my pregnancy progresses, I didn’t realize that due to hormonal changes and increase blood flow, my gums have become very sensitive. Despite diligently making sure I was practicing good oral hygiene, some days, the sensitivity is just too much to bear. So when the team over at Zero Waste Cartel offered to have me test their bamboo toothbrushes, I jumped at the chance. Frankly, I didn’t want to have to buy another plastic item and based on the options, Zero Waste Cartel provided two different kinds of toothbrushes, one with softer bristles and the other that was a bit sturdier. I opted for the softer bristles.

This product was provided to me FREE of charge in exchange for the review. All opinions and testing process are my own. [My husband sometimes gets weary when I receive a new product to test because it means some weird projects at home. :)]

Why go with a bamboo toothbrush? Bamboo is one of the more sustainable woods out there. Unlike plastic toothbrushes which do not compost, bamboo toothbrushes fully break down and become part of the soil. Plastic on the other hand just breaks down into smaller particles making its way back to our ecosystem. Plastic, when burned also creates harmful gases that affect our environment. So while it’s a seemingly small change, switching to a more sustainable option for oral hygiene can be a good starting point.

This post contains affiliate links. See Disclosures for details.

Background
- Zero Waste Cartel is an online shop dedicated to providing more eco-friendly alternative options to today’s commonly used products.
- Zero Waste Cartel sells bamboo toothbrushes, reusable bamboo straws, vegan dish soap, reusable produce bags, bandages, sunscreens and so much more.
Material
- The bamboo toothbrush and case are made from sustainably harvested bamboo
Toothbrush Bristle Type
- The toothbrushes come in two bristle types. The beige or brown bristles are ultra soft which is what I opted to use, while the rainbow-colored bristles have a firmer, harder brush quality.
Toothbrush Case
- The case is very light and more durable than I thought. It has drainage holes at the top and bottom which is important to keep both the case and the brush dry.
Product Packaging
- Each toothbrush is packed in compostable, kraft paper cardboard.
- I received the 10 pack which was also packed in compostable, kraft paper cardboard. (See photo.)
Cost
- The 10-pack bamboo toothbrush is currently $15 which brings each toothbrush to be $1.50 each. Much cheaper than the plastic versions.
- The toothbrush case is $12. A little pricier so hopefully it lasts long.
Where to Buy
- Currently on their website, zerowastecartel.com
Shipping Packaging
- Came to me shipped in a small cardboard box without any plastic packaging. Filler was brown paper.

Verdict

I would recommend the harder bristles for normal use.
The soft bristles (beige in color) are much easier on the gums and they worked well for me for this time period. Much gentler on my gums and it still gets them clean without so much irritation.
I still have two months left for my pregnancy so I will continue to use this toothbrush until it wears out and transition back to the harder/firmer bristle brush.
I also can foresee using the soft bristles brush for children. It’s small enough that they can easily hold it in their hands.
The brush and case will go into my travel kit since it’s so light and compact. It barely takes up space unlike the electric toothbrush which tends to be bulky.
I think next year I’m going to seriously think about giving out bamboo toothbrush for Halloween. They are so light and with the 10-pack deal, fairly decent in terms of pricing.
I did do a quick burn test on the bristles and it seemed to have burned cleanly.
Once you are finished with the toothbrush, you can reuse the tip as gardening labels or compost it.