Investigation into bamboo toilet paper

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is seriously concerned about allegations regarding bamboo toilet paper containing other timber fibre. The allegations made through an investigative media channel, allude to FSC-labelled toilet rolls.

In line with FSC’s process, these allegations were further investigated by Assurance Services International (ASI). The investigation included 14 certificate holders belonging to the supply chains of the brands identified by Which? – Bazoo, Naked Sprout, and Bumboo.

ASI traced the supply chains of these companies back to the source and obtained their transaction records to check the certified timber traded between them. As a result of this investigation, one of the suppliers was suspended.

The investigation also revealed a few cases of trademark misuse. While the label on the product communicated that it contains 100% bamboo from FSC-certified forests, it was actually mixed with Eucalyptus FSC Mix pulp.  

The main difference between FSC 100% and FSC Mix labels is:

• FSC 100% means that only material from FSC-certified forests have been used in the product.
• FSC Mix means that the product is made of material from well-managed, FSC-certified forests and other controlled sources.

To better understand the meaning of various FSC labels, click here.

FSC takes supply chain integrity violations, seriously and carries out investigations using various tools in its integrity toolkit, as well as through additional verification involving certification bodies and ASI. If additional investigations and collected evidence prove that the violations were deliberate, wrongdoers are excluded from the FSC system.

For more information about false claims, click here.

Background

Bamboo, often promoted as a highly sustainable material, can have detrimental effects on local ecosystems if not managed responsibly. While FSC certification allows for the labelling of bamboo sourced from certified natural forests or plantations, strict standards prohibit the conversion of natural forests into plantations and ensure responsible forest management practices.

FSC has been monitoring and taking actions to address integrity risks in certified bamboo supply chains of different products by conducting multiple TV loops over the years – in 2017 and 2018. Most recently, in June 2022, FSC and ASI launched the third TV loop on bamboo supply chains. For more information about these investigations into FSC-certified bamboo supply chains, click here.