6 Facts About Bamboo that will Change the Way You Look at Paper

27,000 trees are cut down every day to make toilet paper products.

It’s a harmful practice that inspired Derin Oyekan to take action. In 2018 he co-founded Reel with his business partner. Their goal? To build a brand with a heart. 

“We wanted to build a brand that brought to market paper products that were good for the environment while also using some of our profit dollars to support organizations like SOIL who are helping provide clean toilet access to people in Haiti,” Oyekan tells BLK Oceans. 

Today, Reel produces 100% bamboo toilet paper and paper towels that are free of inks, dyes, and BPA. Bamboo is a plant that grows very quickly and is abundantly available. It’s by far a more sustainable material for making paper products than old-growth, virgin tree fibers. 

The company’s mission is rooted in giving back, with proceeds from every purchase going directly to those in need. 

“By purchasing Reel, you are supporting our mission to provide access to clean toilets to those in need around the world while also giving American households a way to reduce their carbon footprint,” reads a statement on the website. 

Reel is available directly on reelpaper.com. You can also find it on Amazon in the U.S., with plans to launch on Amazon Canada very soon. Their subscription service offers deliveries directly to your doorstep every eight weeks, so you’ll never run out - even in a pandemic. 

6 Fascinating Facts About Bamboo:

1. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet.

2. It can grow three feet in height in 24 hours, under appropriate climate conditions

3. Bamboo reaches maturity after only three to five years.

4. Bamboo releases 30% more oxygen into the atmosphere and absorbs more carbon dioxide compared to other plants.

5. Because of its very unique composition, bamboo is naturally designed for strength. In fact, it has a higher tensile strength than many alloys of steel!

6. Bamboo can also tolerate extreme conditions that most plants cannot. It was actually the first plant to re-green after the atomic blast in Hiroshima in 1945.

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