Industrially grown hemp has many uses. This article describes it as environmentally friendly and sustainable, requiring no fertilizer or pesticides, little water, and only 70 days to reach harvest, while rebalancing compounds in the soil. Its fibers, often treated as waste, are presented as ideal for toilet paper production.

Because hemp fibers resist mold and other fungi, they have antibacterial and antifungal properties, important criteria for healthy skin. Hemp toilet paper is soft but can absorb up to four times its weight.

The article lists these advantages over ordinary toilet paper:

  • Hemp toilet paper is cheaper to produce because production uses less energy and fewer chemicals. Ordinary toilet paper requires harsh chemicals to break down wood fibers, which hemp does not need.
  • Only the cellulose portion of the plant is needed. Trees are 30% cellulose, compared with hemp's 85%.
  • Hemp toilet paper is more biodegradable than other toilet papers.
  • Because hemp grows much faster than trees, mass deforestation is unnecessary. Trees take years to reach the required size and maturity, while hemp can be harvested after 70 days.
  • Hemp produces four times as much cellulose fiber per decare as trees.
  • With up to ten tons grown per decare, it is described as the world's best biomass crop.
  • Hemp fibers have antibacterial and antifungal properties.
  • Hemp toilet paper can absorb up to four times its weight.

At the time of the article, 35% of felled trees were reported to serve paper demand. A quarter of landfill waste was said to come from paper mills, with a ton of paper polluting 76,000 liters of water. According to a 2015 Yale University study, an estimated 15 billion trees were destroyed annually worldwide while only about five billion were planted in replacement. The consequences of this rate of loss for the planet's ecosystem are deeply concerning.

Germany-based statistics portal Statista lists annual toilet paper consumption per person in selected countries as follows:

  • United States – 141 rolls – 12.7 kg
  • Germany – 134 rolls – 12.1 kg
  • United Kingdom – 127 rolls – 11.4 kg
  • Japan – 91 rolls – 8.2 kg
  • Australia – 88 rolls – 7.9 kg
  • Spain – 81 rolls – 7.3 kg
  • France – 71 rolls – 6.4 kg
  • Italy – 70 rolls – 6.3 kg
  • China – 49 rolls – 4.4 kg
  • Brazil – 38 rolls – 3.4 kg

Using hemp toilet paper would save millions of trees and help the planet's ecosystem. As a simple step toward a healthier, greener future, the article suggests replacing tree-based products with hemp alternatives. Sometimes helping the world may be as easy as choosing the right toilet paper!