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CONSUMER Q+As

The idea for our WooBamboo toothbrush was sparked back in May 2011 when our company’s co-founder, Steve Hyde, was on his weekly call to his mother in Australia. They were having their normal catch up on the family conversation when it turned to his older brother’s attempts at building a bicycle made from bamboo. His mother jokingly suggested that it may be quicker if he would make something a little simpler, maybe a bamboo handled toothbrush. They laughed at the simplicity of this and then went on to other family matters. After getting off the phone, the bamboo handle kept going through his mind, so he “Googled” it. There were hardly any results in the search and only images of some very basic models scattered around the world appeared – none of which were available in major retail stores or in the USA.
Fast forward to New York City on Earth Day 2013 when Steve, Christopher, and Tom officially launched WooBamboo by completing a PR campaign in the streets of Times Square. The time in between was spent researching the best types of bamboo to use (they decided on Moso bamboo which can grow up to 4 feet in a day and has a thicker diameter, allowing for handles to be made from a single stick of bamboo), finding the region that it could be sustainably sourced from, and finding a manufacturing partner in that region. They ended up with an innovative product that was universal, simple to use, and required little to no change of daily routine, all while inspiring people to make small, eco-friendly steps in the right direction. Years later, here we are in over 20,000 stores throughout 60+ countries and have produced over 6.5 million toothbrushes. The toothbrush sparked by that phone conversation back in 2011 now reminds millions of users every day that they’ve made a good decision for the planet, and that they have the power to make more!

We’re stoked that you want to try our products! If you head over to our shop you can use this code for $1.00 OFF your order. Code: WOOBUCK

Our floss is made from silk (a derivative of silkworms) and coated in beeswax.
Our toothbrushes, toothpastes, and interdental brush picks are all vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free!

First – thanks for being a fan! 😊
You can find our products in 20,000 stores through 60 countries around the globe! That being said, we have no control over what products each store decides to carry. We recommend calling your local store before you go, as they will be able to tell you whether or not they carry which product you are looking for. This way you don’t have to make the trip if it isn’t available.
If you are unable to find what you’re looking for in a store near you – you can order online from our shop (within the continental US) or shop us on Amazon! When shopping on Amazon, make sure the listing states “Sold by WooBamboo and Fulfilled by Amazon” to make sure you are not buying from an unauthorized seller (we can’t vouch for what you will receive if it’s not directly from us).

We do not directly put palm oil in any of our products. As you can see, it is not listed on our ingredients list. However, in general processing of ingredients – Glycerin could be derived from palm oil. We specify to our manufacturers that our Glycerin be vegetable derived, but we do not specifically know if that is from palm oil or not. So, we’d love to say that we guarantee there isn’t any palm oil, but that is not a guarantee we can make as we do not know the exact source of the Vegetable Derived Glycerin.

Our online store ships to consumers located within the continental USA only.  If you are a retailer interested in carrying WooBamboo! products, but are located outside of the USA, please contact us at: info@woobamboo for further information.

Absolutely! We can laser-etch your logo, name, phone number or web address directly onto the handle! Depending on your MOQ, we can also offer different bristle colors and even bamboo toothbrush handle shapes. Dentists – check out our ‘For A Dental Office’ page.

Not a dental office, but would still like customized toothbrushes for your company or event?  Email us at: info@woobamboo.com  for more information.

The ADA and many dental professionals recommend you change your toothbrush out every 3 months, or immediately if you become ill.
If you have any other questions that we can help out with, feel free to contact us here.

First, I want to acknowledge you for even being interested in this information. We need more humans like you in this world 😊 We are also a brand that is HUGE on customer feedback. How do we know how to be and do better unless we are receiving input from our consumers, right?

We are stoked that you are onboard with the less waste and zero waste movement. For you to better understand where we came from, and more importantly, where we are going…let’s share our story with you and our plans for moving forward:
When we started in 2013, our mission was clear. We wanted to convert people who normally purchase plastic toothbrushes to our much more eco option: bamboo. To do that, we needed to be available where plastic brushes were bought – grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. The year we launched had a different mindset. What we mean by that is, in 2013 we saw the plastic pollution problem, we saw the global warming impact, and we wanted to offer products that would do good for the planet. But – doing good for the planet in 2013 wasn’t “cool”. Sustainability wasn’t even a buzz word yet. Therefore, at that time – the purchasers in charge of putting products in stores wanted absolutely nothing to do with a paper box. In fact, they hardly wanted anything to do with a bamboo toothbrush!

The only way to get on the shelf was to look “normal”, which meant – blister packaging. Was this a compromise? Yes, absolutely. But – looking at the big picture – if we couldn’t get into stores then we couldn’t make a huge difference… So, we went with a biodegradable backing card, soy-based ink, and a PET plastic blister. PET is the most recycle-friendly plastic available. We consciously knew the packaging wasn’t the MOST eco-friendly, but it WAS the most eco-friendly option that got us into stores, where we could make the MOST impact.

The brushes themselves are still 95% less plastic than a typical brush, and because of our packaging compromise that got us into these stores, we have replaced over 6.5 million (as of May 2021) plastic brushes. We can’t change the world if no one makes the switch – and no one will make the switch if we aren’t available where regular plastic brushes are bought.
However, fast forward to today, and those in charge of putting products in stores are FINALLY waking up to the idea of more eco-friendly packaging. That’s amazing news, and we’re super stoked about it. We have been diligently working on the redesign of our packaging and we are proud to say that our products now have the option of being purchased in zero waste packaging (with the exception of our toothpastes).

Our goal is to phase out all our blister packaging by 2024 – but we need your help! You see, just because we have biodegradable packaging options, does not necessarily mean that stores will automatically shift and begin purchasing the biodegradable options! This is where YOU come in – next time you are in a store, please ask for the purchasing manager and request that they begin stocking WooBamboo’s products that come in a biodegradable box! The stores will bring in what their customer wants. The power is in your hands.

In the meantime, you can purchase our eco packaged items from our Amazon store or directly from us on our online shop.

It was important to us to develop a toothbrush that dentists would approve of – which is why we use one of the industry’s highest quality dental-grade nylon bristles. They are BPA free, phthalate free, and made from recyclable materials (check with your local facility for disposal details).
When developing our brushes, we did an incredible amount of testing and found that what claimed to be “biodegradable bristles” either aren’t, or if they are, they can begin decomposing in your mouth within a week or two of use. Another alternative would have been to use boar hair. Yuck!
Instead, we decided to get the best bristle for your mouth, and the best handle for the Earth. We’re Dentist Approved, Mother Nature Recommended.®
Bristles – Did you know? There are approximately 21 bristle threads in each hole on the toothbrush. The threads are folded in half when punched into the hole, and stapled in place (we refuse any glues, toxins, or paints in our products), so 42 bristles stick out of each hole! There are 38 holes, for a total of 1,596 bristles!

We have 2 available toothbrush packaging options so it depends on your specific packaging:
Our newest packaging option is a kraft paper zero waste box that is printed with soy based ink and is 100% biodegradable.
Now, if you happen to have our toothbrush packaged in blister packaging, here are the deets: Our blister packaging is made with recycled and (re)recyclable materials. The backing cards are made with post-consumer recycled materials and are (re)recyclable. The plastic used is PET, which is one of the most easily recycled plastics available. Unlike other plastics that can be recycled only once, PET plastic is not only thinner than other plastics, but can continuously be recycled many times over. It is best to separate the kraft paper from the plastic blister (to the best of your ability) and place both in your recycle bin.
Want to know how you can help us get retailers to shift to our zero waste packaging? Our robust goal is to phase out all our blister packaging by 2024 – but we need your help! You see, just because we have biodegradable packaging options, does not necessarily mean that stores will automatically shift and begin purchasing the biodegradable versions! This is where YOU come in – next time you are in a store, please ask for the purchasing manager and request that they begin stocking WooBamboo’s products that come in a biodegradable box! The stores will bring in what their customer wants. The power is in your hands.
In the meantime, you can purchase our eco packaged items from our Amazon store or directly from us on our online shop.

When developing our brushes, we did an incredible amount of testing and decided to design our brushes with the best bristle for your mouth, and the best handle for the Earth. We’re Dentist Approved, Mother Nature Recommended.®

For disposal:

You have two options for the head of the toothbrush: 

  1. Break off the head of the brush.
  2. Remove the bristles from the brush handle by pulling them out with pliers. 

 

The bristles are not biodegradable, but they are made from (technically) recyclable materials! We say technically because only some recycling centers accept them since they are extremely small pieces. For this reason, we recommend you contact your local recycling facility and if accepted, have them advise you of the best way to guarantee they get recycled. 

This leaves you with the bamboo stick that will naturally biodegrade so you can toss that in your compost bin. Don’t have an at home compost or compost facility in your area? No worries, just throw that baby in your regular trash – because even in a landfill, bamboo will biodegrade in a few years. Pretty sweet, we know. 😉

Another cool idea we’ve seen is repurposing the handles. We’ve seen them made into cool keychains, plant markers, or just using the entire brush as a cleaning scrubber for everything around your home. Have another idea on how to repurpose your brush? We’d love to hear about it!

We harvest our Moso Bamboo from a natural bamboo farm in China. The farm covers 22 million acres – that’s a lot of bamboo! From planting, to harvesting – our bamboo is sustainably sourced.
Did You Know? Bamboo is known to grow up to 4 feet per day in the right conditions? Pretty sweet, right? Due to this rapid growth, bamboo needs to be cleaned out and harvested regularly, otherwise it would be a complete cluttered mess – win/win!
And don’t worry – Panda’s don’t eat Moso Bamboo so our usage doesn’t affect their food sources. We’re 100% Panda friendly <3

Our WooBamboo toothbrushes are the highest quality available.
WooBamboo served as the Official Eco Oral Care Brand of Forbes Travel Guide for 2019 and 2020, meaning our toothbrushes passed a rigorous vetting process of luxury standards! Our bamboo is sustainably harvested and ethically manufactured in FDA approved facilities. And then of course, our bristles! The bristles are dental-grade nylon, which is why we’re Dentist approved, and Mother Nature recommended.®

Silk (derived from silkworms)
Beeswax coating
Natural Mint Flavor (derived from Spearmint Oil, Cornmint Oil, Menthol, + Anethole)

Our newly updated floss packaging is a 100% biodegradable / home compostable plastic-free box, made of post-consumer recycled paper coated in an eco-friendly aqueous coating that, too, breaks down completely in nature leaving no toxic trace! The inner sachet (that keeps the floss spool sanitary) is made from wood pulp and is also 100% biodegradable / home compostable.

Wholesale, Retail, + Distributor Q+As

Thank you so much for your interest in carrying our products! We’re flattered & so happy to hear that you’re taking your business in an eco-friendly direction! With our rapid growth we have found that the best way for retailers to get our products is through one of our distribution partners…

Here are a list of the US distributors who carry our products:

You’re looking to carry WooBamboo in your store? Amazing! We look forward to working with you! Please email orders@woobamboo.com for wholesale information and pricing.

Yes! We offer special dental pricing! You can contact our Dental Associate through the form on our dental office wholesale page, here. Go ahead and fill it out and someone from the Woo Crew will get back to you shortly.

The best kind – from a real life human being! We’d be happy to speak with you about any questions or concerns you may have! simply email smiles@woobamboo.com or call 855.966.2262

If you are a retailer or distributor located outside of the US, and are interested in carrying WooBamboo products, please email orders@woobamboo.com. A member of our international sales team will be happy to assist you.

Still have questions? We got you!