Q&A with Best Buy Label Honest Supplies

Tell us a bit about Honest Supplies

Honest Supplies was born in 2021 with an idea to supply the UK with ethical, recycled & plastic free toilet roll that's made right here in the UK. Sustainability is at the heart of every decision we make, so there is no bamboo, virgin pulp, plastic or chlorine in our toilet roll, so our customers can guarantee they are helping to save the planet one sheet at a time.

Through our approach to manufacturing in the UK using recycled pulp & removing plastic from our packaging, we are minimising our carbon footprint to the bare minimum, preventing the need for massive carbon offsets.

We are passionate about trying to highlight the irreversible damage that deforestation, plastic pollution and chemical runoff is having on our planet. To prove that we are doing everything we can, we've had our sustainability claims verified, and only support verified gold standard carbon reduction schemes.

Founded by Tom, Honest Supplies offers consumers across the UK a viable toilet roll alternative with environmental protection and sustainability at its heart.  

Why do you think you received our Best Buy label? What separates you from other ethical toilet paper suppliers?

Honest Supplies is one of the newest eco toilet roll companies in the UK, so it's a real honour to have received the Best Buy label early into our journey. 

When consumers choose Honest Supplies recycled toilet roll, they aren't just reducing their own carbon footprint, they are also helping to save 22 trees, 30,000 litres of water, 4,000 KwH of electricity & hundreds of animal habitats for every tonne of toilet roll. 

Not only is there a commitment to use recycled products and remove all plastic, our suppliers also have to go through a rigorous process to ensure they meet our high ethical standards from looking at waste and recycling, emissions, fair and equal gender pay, and diversity. We've always taken great care of how we source and manufacture our products.   

Partnering with Ecologi, we are offsetting all unavoidable emissions by 200%. As part of this work, Honest Supplies has supported the build of wind and solar farms, hydro power stations, and tree planting in the UK and around the world. 

What separates us from other ethical toilet paper suppliers, is that all of our products are manufactured right here in the UK. This enables us to regularly inspect our manufacturers, and easily ensure that workers are protected. Also by manufacturing in the UK we immediately have a lower carbon footprint compared to products that are manufactured in, and shipped from, Europe or China.

Do you see a growing demand for ethical toilet paper options?

Yes, most definitely. With consumers being more knowledgeable and conscious regarding ethical business practices, and the plastic pollution challenge the planet is currently facing, the market is growing at an incredible pace, not just for toilet roll, but for a variety of bathroom and home products. 

Consumers are making their demands clear by prioritising sustainability and products that offer transparent sourcing and manufacturing. Honest Supplies, with our commitment to eco-friendly and ethically produced toilet rolls, is perfectly positioned to meet this demand. Consumers want to reduce their carbon footprint, they want to reuse what they can, and recycle more.

Have you ever had to make a business decision that challenged your ethical standpoint?

Yes we have, and it's mainly been focused on what platforms we should sell our eco toilet roll on. We have our own website where consumers can buy directly from us, but also there has been the option to sell on larger online platforms. As a small business this was a hugely important decision for us, because these bigger e-commerce sites get millions of visitors every single day so it would have enabled us to get in front of more potential customers. 

However, as we've all seen in recent years, these platforms have come under heavy criticism for their large carbon footprint, the massive amount of waste and dreadful employee working conditions. So if Honest Supplies is going to be a truly ethical business, we cannot justify selling on these platforms and support those business models. 

This promise and care that we will only sell on platforms that match our own high level of ethical standards means that yes, we may grow a little slower, but our approach and ethical standpoint will not waiver, and we like to think this sets us apart from other eco toilet roll suppliers.

Where would you like to see Honest Supplies in the next 5 years?

Honest Supplies hopes to be a leader in eco-friendly and ethical home products. By developing innovative sustainable products that customers want, we will be able to cater to our customers wider needs. 

By strengthening our partnerships with environmental organisations, improving our supply chain for better eco-efficiency, and ensuring there is transparency across the business, we want to further develop our reputation as a market leader. 

Honest Supplies is challenging the way businesses should be run, and by highlighting new environmental issues, we will be growing trust in a market that is becoming increasingly aware of greenwashing.

By 2029, we want to be supplying homes and businesses across the UK with the most sustainable tissue products and provide an even better service than our customers have come to expect.