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Who Gives A Crap: Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper with a Purpose

Who Gives A Crap is a social enterprise that produces eco-friendly toilet paper while donating 50% of profits to clean water and sanitation initiatives. With a commitment to sustainability, they use recycled materials and bamboo to create high-quality products. Their mission has raised over €11 million for global sanitation efforts, making every purchase a step…

Who Gives A Crap

What the Project Is

“Who Gives A Crap” is not just any toilet paper company – it is a social enterprise on a mission. The story began with 50 hours on a toilet and a dream: a dream of changing the world by helping billions of people gain access to clean water and a toilet. Every roll of toilet paper, facial tissue, and paper goods like paper towels and kitchen towels comes with a promise – 50% of the profits are donated to clean water and sanitation non-profits around the globe. This innovative business model boldly echoes the commitment to ensuring that even the most basic necessities are within reach for everyone… and it does so with products that work well, look good, and are kind to the planet.

Main Benefit

  • 50% of profits are donated to clean water and sanitation initiatives.
  • Over €11 million has been raised to date.
  • Products are made from recycled fibres or bamboo – embracing eco-friendly practices.
  • Products have earned international recognition for high standards of environmental and social impact.
  • FSC® CERTIFIED, a testament to responsible forest management.

Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Approach

Every day, 1 million trees are cut down to make traditional toilet paper – a fact that stings when one considers the health of our planet. “Who Gives A Crap” tackled this issue head-on by choosing recycled fibres or bamboo to produce its rolls. This environmentally conscious approach is not just about making an eco-friendly product; it is about making a statement. The product line, ranging from toilet tissue to tissues and even paper towels, is designed to offer comfort and efficiency without compromising the earth’s future. It is clear that sacrificing nature is not an option when creating these good goods.

Focus on Social Impact

Beyond the commitment to the environment, the project places a strong emphasis on social impact. By donating half of all profits, the enterprise has significantly contributed – over €11 million raised so far – to provide clean water and sanitation facilities to billions of people in need. This effort demonstrates that responsible consumer habits can be fun, cheeky, and effective in making a difference. A roll of recycled toilet paper becomes much more than a household necessity; it transforms into a tool for global change.

Innovative Product Design

The design philosophy behind “Who Gives A Crap” revolves around creating soft, strong, and delightful products that are a joy to use. Despite being eco-friendly, there is no compromise on performance or aesthetics. The products, which include everything from recycled toilet paper to quality facial tissue, have been crafted for optimal comfort and durability, ensuring that users are reminded every time they reach for a roll that they are part of a larger purpose. It is a unique blend of practicality and passion – a true roll model for the industry.

Project Impact

  • SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – Every purchase helps provide access to clean water and a toilet for billions.
  • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – Eco-friendly material choices like recycled fibres and bamboo highlight a commitment to sustainable production.
  • SDG 13: Climate Action – By reducing reliance on traditional tree-cutting methods, the project supports global climate action initiatives.

The Path Forward

The journey of “Who Gives A Crap” continues to inspire both customers and other social enterprises. The brand’s blend of humor – including the playful shout-out, “Woot! Woot! Woot!” – and a rock-solid commitment to social and environmental causes creates a dynamic narrative in the paper and paper products industry. Emphasizing transparency and accountability, the project is a reminder that every purchase can contribute to a better world. Its dedication to being a leading provider of recycled toilet tissue, paper towels, and other paper goods is evident not just in the quality of the goods, but in the sizable impact they have on global development goals.

The initiative challenges conventional thinking about everyday products while proving that good goods can save the planet. It exemplifies how responsible business can move mountains – or in this case, trees – without guilt. Every roll is a testament to an innovator’s dream: a dream that started on a humble toilet but grew to become a global movement, ensuring that one day, every human being has access to essential sanitary services. By continuing along this path of ethical production and impactful donations, the project not only provides premium, sustainable products but also fosters a community that values change, innovation, and environmental consciousness. The roll is set for more impactful changes in the future, driven by a simple idea that sometimes, doing good really comes in small, recycled packages.

What Who Gives A Crap actually does

Who Gives A Crap is a Melbourne company founded in 2012 by Simon Griffiths, who raised the company’s first funding by sitting on a toilet for 50 hours in a crowdfunding campaign. It sells toilet paper, tissues and paper towels made from 100% bamboo or 100% recycled paper, donating half its profits to clean water and sanitation causes.

Where the model shows up

  • Everyday products: bamboo and recycled toilet paper, tissues and paper towels sold direct to consumers.
  • Water and sanitation funding: half of company profits go toward global clean water and toilet access projects.

Proof, not just claims

50%of profits donated to clean water and sanitation causes
€12M+raised to date for water and sanitation projects

Why this belongs on a sustainability directory

Who Gives A Crap directly supports SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) by funding water and toilet access projects with half its profits, and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) by using bamboo and recycled fiber instead of virgin forest pulp for everyday paper products.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Who Gives A Crap based, and what does it sell?

Who Gives A Crap is based in Melbourne, Australia. It sells bamboo and recycled toilet paper, tissues and paper towels direct to consumers.

Which SDGs does Who Gives A Crap support, and how?

SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation): 50% of profits fund global clean water and toilet access projects, with more than €12 million raised to date. SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production): products made from bamboo or recycled paper instead of virgin forest pulp.

How is Who Gives A Crap verified as a sustainability project?

Who Gives A Crap is a Certified B Corporation and FSC® certified (C190271).

Looking for similar eco-friendly packaging projects?

See Eco-Friendly Packaging projects on Keys for Tomorrow.

Arnaud Michel, founder of Keys for Tomorrow
About the curator

Arnaud Michel is the founder and curator of Keys for Tomorrow. In 2014, his master’s thesis on community currencies and sustainable development won the Prix Recherche at Belgium’s Prix de l’Économie Sociale; the research was later published as Ecological Economics (Elsevier, 2015). He curates this directory to the same standard, cross-checking every project against established certification bodies and directories — including B Corp, 1% for the Planet, and Solar Impulse Foundation — alongside direct research into each project’s own record. Connect on LinkedIn.

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