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The Humble Co. Adult Bamboo Toothbrush

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The Humble Co.

The Humble Co.

Adult Bamboo Toothbrush

Bamboo replaces a fully plastic handle, but the nylon bristles are still plastic.

3 / 10 Medium plastic footprint $

FSC-certified bamboo handle with BPA-free bristles. Every purchase funds oral care for kids in need through the Humble Smile Foundation.

How this score breaks down

Plastic in the product and its packaging Some plastic
A toothbrush with an FSC-certified bamboo handle. The bristles are nylon, a plastic, as on virtually every bamboo toothbrush, so it is not fully plastic-free; pull the bristles before composting the handle.
Microplastic shedding and leaching Sheds some
Nylon bristles shed microplastics with brushing and washing, and a toothbrush is used in the mouth, so the bristles are a real shedding concern. The handle is bamboo, not plastic.
End of life: persistence and recovery Persists somewhat
Plastic-free; recyclable carton. Only partly recoverable; some of it persists.
Plastic-derived chemicals of concern Low concern
No PFAS, PTFE, BPA, or other leaching plastics in food or heat contact.
Transparency and verification Mostly disclosed
Handle and bristle materials disclosed

Strengths

  • FSC-certified bamboo handle replaces a fully plastic toothbrush
  • Recyclable plastic-free packaging
  • Each purchase funds childrenu2019s oral care

Trade-offs

  • The bristles are nylon, a plastic, as on almost all bamboo toothbrushes, so it is not fully plastic-free
  • Pull the bristles before composting the handle

What's inside

A toothbrush with an FSC-certified bamboo handle. The bristles are nylon, a plastic, as on virtually every bamboo toothbrush, so it is not fully plastic-free; pull the bristles before composting the handle.

PartMaterial
HandleFSC-certified bamboo
BristlesNylon (plastic)

Free of Plastic handle, BPA in bristles

Packaging
Plastic-free; recyclable carton
Microplastics
Nylon bristles shed microplastics with brushing and washing, and a toothbrush is used in the mouth, so the bristles are a real shedding concern. The handle is bamboo, not plastic.

Attributes

What this product is, at a glance.

Plant-Based HandleVeganCruelty-Free

Certifications

None listed. We only show independent third-party certifications we can verify with the issuing body, and this product does not currently hold any.

About The Humble Co.

The Humble Co. is a Swedish company founded in 2013 by dentist Noel Abdayem after volunteer dental work in Jamaica showed him both poor access to oral care and the waste from plastic toothbrushes. It makes bamboo toothbrushes along with floss, toothpaste tablets, and cotton swabs, and funds oral-health projects through its foundation.

The brand states it is certified by the Vegan Society and Leaping Bunny for being vegan and cruelty-free, and its social model has reached communities in dozens of countries. It is honest that the brushes are not fully plastic-free, since the handle is bamboo but the bristles are BPA-free nylon, which is still a plastic.

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Melissa Walker, founder of Thriving Sustainably

Hi, I’m Melissa-founder of Thriving Sustainably

Melissa Walker is the founder of Thriving Sustainably. A mom who started reading the labels after learning how much microplastic ends up in our bodies, she co-leads the environmental pillar of a Fortune 500 company’s employee sustainability program and rates brands against public certification databases so families can lower their microplastic exposure without the guesswork.