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    Home » Bathroom » Toiletries » Zero Waste Dental Floss

    Zero Waste Dental Floss

    Apr 14, 2016 + modified Apr 14, 2016 by shia

    (Updated October 23, 2017)

    Regular dental floss is just waxed nylon, rolled up in a small plastic box. Just like plastic, nylon is derived from crude oil. Unlike plastic, it does not take 500 to thousands of years to decompose, but "only" 50 - 80 years. #notimpressed Pretty much everybody who is interested in Zero Waste knows about bamboo toothbrushes, tooth powder and homemade toothpaste. However, when it comes to dental floss most of us are at a loss.

    Let me cut to the chase. If you are searching for a completely cruelty-free option, well, there is none. Well, at least not the way I see it, because I personally don't think it is ethically correct to label plastics as "cruelty-free".

    Your options are either

    • Compostable, nylon- and plastic-free silk floss. Not cruelty-free because silk worms are boiled alive in the silk manufacturing process, or
    • Nylon floss without the plastic case. A thread of nylon is extremely tear-proof! Here is one gruesome example of a seal caught in some tear-proof threads.

    So here are your options, yay...

    Silk Floss (Radius)

    Radius is probably the best-known brand and can be found in health food stores across the UK and North America. You can find them at Whole Foods and other health food stores. However, even though they seem to love to advertise how "Good for the earth" their floss is ("Not only is our floss 100% vegetarian, it’s also 100% biodegradable"), they still don't mind putting their floss into a plastic case. On the package I could find information on the floss (biodegradable in 60 - 90 days), on the paper packaging (recyclable), but none whatsoever on the plastic container. As if it didn't exist.

    They also sell their floss in sachets, which I fand rather wasteful. I wasn't able to open the package to check as to what kind of material the sachets themselves are made of. Seems like the sachets themselves are plastic-free, at least I remember something on the packaging stating "100% biodegradable packaging". Still, not impressed.

    Compared to regular floss it is quite expensive, with 30 m for £3.90 at Whole Foods UK ($5.12 US), but OK when you think about the fact that it's silk, a material generally more on the expensive side.

    Radius also sells vegan floss made from regular nylon in a plastic case, so there is no real gain compared to regular floss.

    Silk floss with beeswax (Vömel)

    Zahnseide Vömel

    If you live in Europe and are on the lookout for a completely plastic-free floss that does not have to be shipped from overseas, this is it.

    Vömel is a German manufacturer selling plastic-free silk floss coated with beeswax. The floss is either sold in a tiny, yet very classy vial or as refills in small paper bags. Most zero waste bulk stores in Germany carry it, but you can also order it online, e.g. at my favorite plastic-free online store monomeer.de or the Zero Waste online store Zero Waste Laden, opened by the Zero Waste Blogger Olga and her husband Gregor. Zero Waster and British TV presenter Kate Arnell bought the same floss from a Spanish plastic free online shop Sin Plástico, as she explains in her Non-Toxic + Zero Waste Personal Care youtube video.

    The floss itself is a bit pricey. 10 m with vial cost 3.95 € (= £3.14 or $4.46 US). 2 x 10 m without the vial are 4.90 € (£3.89 or 5.53 US$).

    Silk floss with (vegan) candellila wax (Dental Lace)

    If you live in North America and are looking for a plastic-free silk floss, give Dental Lace a try. They are based in Maine in the USA, and I appreciate that they coat their floss in vegan candellila wax instead of beeswax. It doesn't make the floss completely vegan, obviously, but at least it shows that they do try to minimize the impact.

    Dental Lace is a lot more affordable than the Vömel floss that we used to use back in Germany! It is only $7 (US) + taxes for 66 yards (= 60m) + the glass vial. The refills are only $5.70 (US) + taxes for 66 yards. The same amount of Vömel floss costs 14.70 € (=$17.30, taxes included)!

    If your local health food store doesn't carry it, don't be shy, ask them to! I have even heard that this floss has been spotted in a bulk store in Australia!

    Unravel a piece of silk fabric

    Béa Johnson's go-to method, is to unravel a piece of silk fabric, twisting a couple of threads together, and to use that to floss.

    Update: I was just told that there is at least one producer of "peace silk" who lets the silk worms hatch! So if you can get your hands on a piece of peace silk, that might be a very eco-friendly option that might or might not count as vegan, also depending on your motivation for being vegan.

    Update Oct 24, 2017: "Peace" silk isn't as cruelty-free as it sounds if you learn about the whole process. Yes, the caterpillars are allowed to hatch, emerging as moths. However, due to thousands of years of domestication, the moths cannot fly despite having wings, are blind, and cannot eat because they have no mouthes. They only live long enough to mate and to lay eggs, which translates to only a few days. Each female will lay an average of 500 eggs. This new generation will not be fed, as the population—metaphorically—explodes. Because silk worms are so highly domesticated, they cannot survive without humans feeding them under very careful conditions. So instead of killing one caterpillar in its cocoon, around 200-300 embryos or hatchling silkworms will die a slow death of starvation later. Read more here.

    Vegan floss without a plastic case (Ecodent)

    I contacted Ecodent a couple of months ago, because I couldn't find any information on the material and whether or not their floss was biodegradable. Their live-chat customer service agent was unable to answer my question, and when the reply to my email arrived, what it said was: "We have not tested the floss for the amount of time it would take to biodegrade but I did find online that dental floss can decompose in 1-5 years." Um, right...

    So I googled "How long does it take for dental floss to decompose." The very first hit said 1-5 years in the preview. I clicked on the link, that led me to some handout for some summer camp. Right in the list it also said a plastic bag needs only 20-40 years to decompose, instead of the usual number in the hundreds. Somebody really went out of their way to find some reliable information.

    Well, it is true that they use cardboard packaging, don't have a plastic case, and provide 100 yards (91.44 m), but they failed to mention that there is another plastic wrapper inside the cardboard packaging, and that there is also 2 plastic stickers on the outside.

    At least it is really affordable with only 5.49 US$ for 100 yards (= 91.44m).

    So what is the right decision when you live vegan and zero waste?

    I'm afraid there is no right answer to that question. It's the choice between boiling silk worms alive or something derived from crude oil that might also end up strangling animals. Great.

    I have tried cotton threads, but they tear really easily, even when you twist multiple threads together. I have really thick hair, so I also tried flossing with hair. Pre-historically humans are said to have used horse hair to floss their teeth. When you think about it, it is not really more absurd than using fibres that came out of a worm, coated in bee discharge to floss... Unfortunately, hair didn't work for me at all because my hairs would tear so easily I couldn't even get them in between my teeth.

    In the end, it was this photo that made me choose silk floss. Nylon threads look so benign, but they are tear-proof, which is a huge problem.

    (More here 😢)

    We had been using Vömel silk floss and composted it in our very own worm bin along with our kitchen scraps for more than two years. It was very important to us to know the floss was compostable and, most importantly, where the floss would end up. The sad truth is that even if you dispose of your trash properly, it can still end up in the ocean.

    We switched to Dental Lace a few weeks ago because we live in Canada at the moment. Our local zero waste refill shop the Soap Dispensary even stocked Dental Lace floss after I told them about it.

    However, we still hope that one day innovation will give birth to a compostable or at least fully biodegradable* vegan option.

    Interestingly, I have been contacted by a person telling me that they would soon get their hands on floss made from corn starch based bioplastics. No company name, no more information, just asking if I was interested in their product.I asked them for more information, but haven't received a reply (yet?). That was two weeks ago.

    Luckily, I know of at least one (credible!) company that is working on it, so fingers crossed!

    *Please note that plastics do "decompose" after a couple of centuries or a millennium, but this means the plastic items will only break down into smaller and smaller pieces (= microplastics). Usually, when I use "biodegradable", I am talking about about a desintegration on a molecular level into components that are not harmful anymore.

    Related

    « Why you shouldn't recycle receipts
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Franzi says

      April 14, 2016 at 5:20 am

      Hello :)!

      I have a comment on using horse hair as floss :D.... I have a horse - an icelandic - and when I am at the stable and got something stuck in my teeth I always "borrow" (not using a scissor or something, just use the hair while it is on the horses tail) one of her tail hair to floss (already got some weird faces from stable colleagues for that :D) and I would say that it works better than any floss available on the market :)..... Just the right texture and feeling.... (want to add that I shampoo the tail regularly!!! so it is not disgusting at all 😀 )
      So now that I have seen this horrible photo of the poor seal I am seriously thinking about cutting some of my horse tail hairs and use it as floss when I used up my Gentle Floss (my horse is an icelandic, she has lots and lots of tail hair, she want miss it :)...)

      I am aware that this comment does not really help you because you do not have a horse buddy waiting to give you some of his or her hair to floss, but I just wanted to mention it :)....

      All the best, have a nice day!
      Franzi

      Reply
      • shia says

        April 23, 2016 at 3:38 am

        Hi Franzi! It's really cool you have a horse! I'd have killed to have one as a kid lol! Well, do go for using it as floss! I know I would if I had a horse ;)! Btw, I have tried my own hair, but even twisting multiple (of my really really thick black Asian) hairs they tear almost instantly :(. Some readers on the German version of my blog have recommended thicker tear-proof cotton threads and it works for them. However, when I tried they were too thick. And when I untagled the thick thread into 3 thin ones and used these, they also tore almost instantly. I guess the gaps between my teeth are just too narrow? I have put coconut oil on the thin thread, but it didn't work. When I put on beeswax it didn't tear as easily, but still tore quite often. Sighs, I'm not really sure I want to continue using beeswax though. I'm vegan and it's not a long-term solution for me. Oh well XD... #zerowasteproblems right ;)?
        Have a great weekend!
        Shia

        Reply
    2. Lithiya says

      April 14, 2016 at 1:08 pm

      Hi! I've heard that oil pulling everyday works great and that you don't need to floss anymore after that. Why not try this? 🙂 I personally rarely floss -which is not very good- but think that then the one time you get something really stuck in between you teeth, you can then either use your own hair or a wooden toothpick? If you oil pull regularly, of course!

      Thank you for all the information and research! I love your website

      Reply
      • shia says

        April 23, 2016 at 3:31 am

        A lot of people have recommended oil pulling to me actually :D. I want to give it a try, but since I have had severe gum issues I don't think quitting flossing is an option for me. As my dentist has explained, 40% of our teeth's surface can only be reached by flossing. Not mouthwash, and probably not oil either. But I will definitely give it a try, just not as a substitute for flossing :). Thanks!

        Reply
        • Anonymous says

          August 13, 2017 at 8:18 pm

          Sesame oil penetrates the teeth right into the bone and prevents cavities and gum disease. Ayurveda advises swishing it in the mouth for several minutes each morning.

          Reply
      • Anonymous says

        August 22, 2019 at 8:02 pm

        What about a Water Pick? It's made of plastic too, but it lasts...well, I've still only ever had to buy one still a few years later, so no idea how long it lasts, but it seems worth it so far.

        Reply
    3. jade says

      May 19, 2016 at 12:05 pm

      Thank you for this awesome post, I will definitely be sharing this with my friends who refuse to accept that something as tiny as floss can cause that kind of damage to animals and the environment I recently started using the radius brand silk floss, and it comes in a little cardboard box so they must have changed their packaging? The sachets inside are anoying because it kind of turns it into a single use item, but they are compostable at least. Next time I'm in Germany I want to order some of the vomel kind!

      Reply
      • shia says

        May 29, 2016 at 2:34 am

        Especially small pieces of plastic can be very harmful! Microbeads for example:

        Radius silk floss comes either in a plastic case or in these ridiculously wasteful sachets :(...

        Reply
    4. Kim says

      June 02, 2016 at 10:45 pm

      Losing my natural floss was the main reason it took me so long to cut my hair . I thought it was so convenient to run my fingers through my hair and get "floss" from my hair that would have simply fallen out on its own. Now that I have short hair, I'm still on the search for the best option here in the states. I've been eyeing my mother-in-laws hair, long Japanese hair would be perfect to use... But she doesn't get my ZW efforts and would probably be grossed out if I asked her for some strands haha.

      Reply
      • shia says

        June 15, 2016 at 7:34 pm

        LOL, I'd LOVE to see your mother-in-law's reaction XD! I have really thick Asian hair too, but seems like there isn't enough space between my teeth. Even twisting multiple hairs they tear almost instantly when I try to use them to floss... Or maybe you have a friend with a horse ;)?

        Reply
    5. Melanie says

      July 14, 2016 at 2:15 am

      Why don't you purchase a Philips air flosser?
      It's small and easy . I realize that it is made of plastic
      But it lasts a long time . Then you won't need to floss . I'm a dentist who is also in search of a
      Compostable floss with compostable packaging
      .

      Reply
      • shia says

        July 28, 2016 at 4:05 am

        Thanks so much, will definitely look into it :)!

        Reply
      • KMH TOUCHES INC says

        March 24, 2020 at 5:40 pm

        #flosspot.com
        http://www.flosspot.com
        FLOSSPOT is the ONLY certified authentically BIOBASE dental floss globally. Buyer beware of all imitations.

        Reply
    6. nicole says

      July 18, 2016 at 9:54 am

      The picture of the seal that was heartbreaking 🙁 Was that floss that was wrapped around the seals neck? What if I cut the floss string into small pieces until I'm done with it and then I want to try stim u dent picks. Have you heard of them, their little sticks used as floss and there vegan, also have you tried the miswak toothbrush which is made from a tree.

      Reply
      • shia says

        July 28, 2016 at 4:03 am

        Hey Nicole,
        I don't use dent picks since I can't get these between my teeth. You can of course cut the floss, but either way – plastic in the ocean is a bad idea. I have a miswak twig but also a bamboo toothbrush :).
        Shia

        Reply
        • Kathryn Hogan says

          March 24, 2020 at 5:42 pm

          MISWAK are great...can we ever find one NOT wrapped in plastic?

          Reply
    7. Shea Dalziel says

      September 01, 2016 at 6:28 pm

      We have the Radius floss, but I was thinking about the plastic container while using it this morning and a quick search brought me here. I think animal hair would be a great option, if I knew where to et some, lol.

      I also wanted to share my oral hygiene routine that I started about a week ago. It really works for me. Instead of using a toothbrush, which holds onto a lot of plaque-causing germs, I scrub my teeth with a washcloth. 100% cotton cloths are easy to find, and I can wash it however often I feel the need. I've noticed, because I'm not sticking the same bacteria back into my mouth every time, my teeth build up plaque more slowly. I use the edge of my cloth, which is thicker with stitching, to get the tops/bottoms of my molars. I want to add oil pulling to my routine, but haven't yet, and I find that flossing is still the best way to get between the teeth.

      Reply
    8. Leonore says

      September 02, 2016 at 10:05 am

      If you are interested in topic: can you make money on etsy
      2014 - you should read about Bucksflooder first

      Reply
    9. Jay tilley says

      October 05, 2016 at 6:48 am

      Maybe this is a silly idea or too simple to work-- i am going to test it out and see-- and please tell me if you have tried it yourself: what about buying the most durable vegan floss and reusing a strand of it repeatedly by disinfecting in with a simple, enviro-friendly agent like vinegar. I feel awful about using my floss now that i just discovered it is teflon, but since i already have the product, maybe i can take its longevity to new extremes. If you find any new ideas please keep posting. Peace and love, packaged only in 100% compostable human.

      Jay

      Reply
    10. Sarah-Jo says

      October 11, 2016 at 1:47 am

      Hello From Australia!

      Oh dear I didn't realise a lot of rubbish in Germany gets incinerated! that cannot be good for the environment!

      Is Ecodent floss made of nylon?

      Reply
      • shia says

        November 25, 2016 at 12:49 am

        Hey Sarah,
        yes, Ecodent floss is made of nylon. I even emailed them and asked if they could tell me how long their nylon takes to decompose. They told me they do not know :(. And yup, a huge part of our trash gets incinerated. It's better than landfills and at least it prevents plastic from ending up in the ocean (landfill trash very often gets blown into rivers), however, it is still very far from eco-friendly...
        Warm regards from cold, cold Germany lol,
        Shia

        Reply
    11. Princess says

      October 16, 2016 at 12:31 pm

      I am also looking for alternatives for dental floss but I couldn't find a more organic one here in my country (Philippines). But then I discovered this portable water flosser, called Pocket Flosser, in Kickstarter and I think it's a great alternative! Water flossers works just as good, or even better, than dental floss. It's basically water pressure pushing food debris (and even plaque) off. What's great about this is that it doesn't need any electricity or even batteries so you don't have to worry about energy. It only requires easy manual hand pump to accumulate pressure then it's just as good. While this doesn't necessarily fit in your pockets (as the name may suggest, the pocket actually refers to spaces in between the teeth), I still think it's a better alternative to those pricey and stationary water flossers, and it's very still handy when traveling. While the pump may be made in plastic (the developer didn't specify the exact material), at least it's BPA-free. It's also better because it's only a one-time purchase and you don't have to worry about running out or disposing anything. 🙂

      If you love this product, you can get them here and help the developer produce this awesome invention:
      https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1781019896/pocket-flosser-flossing-made-simple-and-pain-free/description

      Reply
    12. Meagan says

      January 05, 2017 at 2:07 am

      What about...
      RADIUS
      Vegan and Biodegradable Floss Sachets with Natural Xylitol, Mint, 10 Count
      ?
      It says it's both vegan AND biodegradeable. I haven't ordered it yet. I'm not sure if the packaging is eco friendly.

      Reply
      • Christine says

        January 17, 2017 at 3:44 pm

        Unfortunately it is only the packaging that is biodegradable and not the floss itself, which is nylon.

        Reply
    13. Ladybug says

      January 12, 2017 at 10:37 am

      I was shocked when I saw the poor seal, and couldn't take my eyes off the poor little guy - then I realized, that can't possibly be floss - it's way too thick - not to mention incredibly long to be able to do that. Hope that might be a (sort of) comfort to some,. I doubt flossing is hurting animals like this - but the garbage is.

      I hope everyone remembers to check with their dentist in regards to any diy floss, just to make sure they're not hurting their gums. Otherwise, may as well not floss. Thanks for the post.

      Reply
      • shia says

        November 18, 2017 at 12:11 am

        It is not floss, but it could as easily have been floss, because floss is extremely tear-proof.

        Reply
    14. Cristina says

      February 11, 2017 at 1:03 am

      Hey! Thanks for the post.

      The dental picks from Pearlbar are a good vegan option, worth giving them a try I think:
      http://www.pearlbar.com.au/product/pearlbars-planet-loving-floss-picks-2/

      Reply
    15. Eleanor says

      March 01, 2017 at 10:24 am

      Hi there,
      I bought silk floss in biodegradable packaging when I lived in France 5 years ago. I'm now back in my home country of Australia, and just starting searching online for a replacement (While I've been using a nylon floss I accidentally acquired, I clearly don't floss enough). I sadly tossed the packaging from the packet I had a year or so ago, without noting any details, thinking I'd just hop online and replace it. I can't find that brand in particular, however if you're willing to forgo the no-silk rule, but have biodegradable packaging, I have two options that might interest you!
      http://woobamboo.com/our-products/natural-floss/
      https://www.nourishedlife.com.au/natural-toothpaste/7177/dr-tungs-natural-dental-floss-smart.html

      Reply
    16. melanie says

      March 23, 2017 at 4:15 pm

      i love this so much. sometimes you have to choose what will cause the least harm. it will definitely be a personal decision. and it's not always perfect.
      ox

      Reply
    17. Christina Petro says

      April 18, 2017 at 1:34 am

      Thank you for this article! It is heartening to know that someone shares the same ethical struggles as I do! I think maybe a good option is to cut the floss after using it. It wold probably be fairly easy to wind it around your fingers and make one cut across multiple loops thereby making the floss into several pieces too short to get tangled around an animal. Still not perfect because the pieces could still end up in the digestive tract of an animal.

      I read an article about peace silk and ahimsa silk and it's still not a perfectly ethical option.

      Reply
    18. Tracy says

      August 03, 2017 at 8:48 am

      Are you familiar with WooBamboo's floss? I'm curious if it's as eco-friendly as they say.http://woobamboo.com/our-products/natural-floss/

      Reply
    19. Theo says

      August 23, 2017 at 11:00 am

      I found this that sells to the US
      https://www.amazon.com/N%C3%A9gri-Natural-Dental-Floss-meters/dp/B008PIGK4Y/ref=sr_1_16_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1503511054&sr=8-16&keywords=silk+floss

      Reply
    20. Amy says

      October 09, 2017 at 9:05 pm

      Have you heard about Noosa floss? I think it's fairly new. Made of bamboo?? I'd love to try it but I live in the US and having a tiny floss shipped all the way from Australia seems extreme. But I'm curious if any companies over here will catch wind and make something similar. CMON GUYS! The silk worm thing makes me too sad. I inherited a water flosser thing that hooks onto your shower head and you can adjust the water pressure. It's been great. It's made of plastic but I'm hoping it will last a long time.

      Reply
      • shia says

        October 25, 2017 at 3:15 pm

        Hi Amy,
        thanks so much for telling me about it! I have just emailed them asking for more information. I am thrilled and willing to order enough to last me the next couple of years if the floss is truly vegan, compostable, and plastic-free LOL! I absolutely agree with you! Having only one tiny floss shipped from Australia isn't very eco-friendly. I am honestly torn when it comes to the water flosser. Despite the plastics and the resources that its production must have eaten up, I would love to switch to flossing my teeth with only water. But because I have never used one, I am hesitant to just buy one (secondhand) without being able to try it first. I might just give it a try if I can find one secondhand :).
        Thanks!

        Reply
        • Binni Ann says

          October 24, 2018 at 10:23 am

          Noosa Basics dental floss is not compostable. I bought some on the understanding it was and then I messaged them to check. They advised to "dispose of the floss as you would regular floss" - not happy, it is expensive!!

          Reply
    21. Kelli says

      October 11, 2017 at 1:09 pm

      I have not used it but in my research I ran across this floss:
      https://www.dentallace.com/.

      Made of Silk and covered in natural wax.

      Reply
      • shia says

        October 25, 2017 at 12:51 am

        Thanks, Kelli! I have started using dental lace a couple of weeks ago, but forgot to update my article. I have just updated it now ;).

        Reply
    22. Liz says

      October 16, 2017 at 9:28 pm

      @Amy, I'm in Australia and I've used Noosa Basics - it works pretty well (if you pull hard, it does snap). They even package directly into cardboard. My issue with it is purely the cost. It's about $33 for the same meterage pay $3 for in regular bad news floss. This is just so out of reach for most. And I wouldn't even want to think about the shipping from Aus...still, nice to have options, and maybe if volume goes up, price will come down?

      Reply
      • shia says

        October 25, 2017 at 3:20 pm

        Thanks, Liz! That is important for me to know before I order big supply to last me multiple years to minimize the shipping emissions LOL! Especially since what works for some people (cotton threads and hair) doesn't work for me because they snap too easily. Hmmm...

        Reply
    23. Darlene says

      November 16, 2017 at 11:15 pm

      I am vegan and have decided to find some thin yarn (no wool) that i can use for floss. Have you tried that yet?

      Reply
      • shia says

        November 18, 2017 at 12:13 am

        Yup, I have. Didn't work for me at all. Even the thick ones that I could hardly even get between my teeth tore very easily. I even soaked it in sunflower seed oil, in coconut oil, and in beeswax that I still had at home.

        Reply
    24. Darlene says

      November 18, 2017 at 10:41 am

      Hi again Shia. I found something that works! - just plain thread out of my sewing kit. It may not be 100% cotton - it seems like a polyester-cotton blend, i'm not sure (doesn't say). It's definitely not nylon I tried all the different threads in my kit and they all work but one. What a relief. Thanks for your blog on this - we need more of this information (about how dental floss can harm animals and the earth) out in the world!''

      About your rye shampoo, i am gluten-free and not sure it would work for me, so i'm trying chickpea flour instead, as well as sage-rosemary tea for changing my grays back to my natural color. I'm so excited about all of these natural remedies. Even though i use the most natural hair color i can find, it still comes in a plastic bottle.

      Reply
    25. Daniel Zybersztajn says

      December 21, 2017 at 1:23 pm

      Great article. Why not make your own. I just ordered 100g Ahimsa peace silk thread. Will let you know how I got on.

      Reply
    26. Mariana says

      December 21, 2017 at 8:04 pm

      You live in Vancouver, right? I'm assuming, because it doesn't say on your about or FAQs, but you do have a "Places to Visit in Vancouver". So I googled to see if there is recycling of plastic in Vancouver, and sure enough there is. So as long as you are diligently recycling your plastics/nylons/whathaveyous, there should be absolutely no reason why any animal would get harmed because of your use of dental floss. I'm sure that anyone who simply continues to throw all their garbage in the ocean is killing animals, but not recyclers like you. Why are you saying these things? Are you so unhappy that we now have these life-saving options that you'd rather continue to live as though they aren't there? And considering that dental floss can save your teeth and that your life matters too, I don't understand.

      Reply
      • shia says

        December 21, 2017 at 11:13 pm

        I do live in Vancouver at the moment. However, I am afraid recycling diligently is no guarantee that what you put into the recycling box will not end up in the ocean. I have written about this issue in this article. Another issue is that when it comes to recycling plastics, well, it's complicated, as I have written about in this article. It is a waste management facility that I visited in Germany, but I have also visited waste management facilities here in Vancouver and they work the same way. Hope this clarifies things, since I have obviously confused you profoundly.

        Reply
        • Mariana says

          December 22, 2017 at 8:08 am

          Thank you for linking me to that post explaining that, as the most, only a few light weight plastic sheets on the very top of a large and deep container deeply full of plastics ever have any chance of being blown away by a strong breeze; while the lion's share of plastics do indeed end up recycled, as intended.

          I have stumbled upon so many zero wasters who, just like you, talk about this issue as if recycling plastics was still not a possibility but I began to wonder if there was a secret they knew, or thought they knew, about the whole being some sort of scam to fool the public into paying for a service that is not provided.

          I hope that in the future there will be more blog posts from zero wasters drawing attention to how this system (of leaving plastics in a position where they might be blown away, a precious very few of them, but still) and blaming those whose responsibility it is to do a better job with our waste - we are after all paying for the privilege! And hopefully far less posts inflicting guilt trips on good ordinary people who already do more than their duty to prevent polluting the planet.

          Reply
          • Pascal says

            February 17, 2018 at 12:51 pm

            The service of recycling is only there because consumers choose to use the products. Recycling then becomes necisity to avoid burying it or combusting. If we don't use plastics then we can use more environmentally friendly approaches

            Reply
    27. Nora says

      January 06, 2018 at 2:15 pm

      Hi Shia,

      first of all, thank you so much for all the hard work you clearly put into researching everything you write about. Reading this article (and many others) has really helped me in my own Zero Waste journey!

      I have a question about the Dental Lace floss: I was wondering how it compares to the one from Vömel? I've tried using the Vömel one, but unfortunately it was too thick for my teeth...is the Dental Lace one thinner?
      Thanks again 🙂

      Reply
    28. Jenn says

      January 10, 2018 at 5:25 am

      Have you looked into recent bamboo alternatives. I’m trying but finding them with plastic packaging. Was wondering if you’ve had any luck

      Reply
      • Maria says

        January 15, 2018 at 11:14 pm

        I've also been looking for a vegan and plastic free alternative. Surprisingly, Woobamboo's dental floss is made from silk. I'm looking at trying Knotty Floss's spool and Lucky Teeth's bamboo fibre floss.

        Reply
    29. Tari says

      January 21, 2018 at 2:50 pm

      Bonjour from France,

      Good news! There is natural dental floss made of corn starch made i. I am not sure if they send internationally.

      http://www.frescoryl.com/boutique/produit/fil-dentaire-frescoryl-nature-a-base-damidon-de-mais/

      Reply
      • Mariana says

        January 22, 2018 at 9:21 am

        That is good news - and it's also great that the company has products that contain fluoride. So many people in the zero waste community listen to their pals instead of actual doctors, and have therefore decided to go without the teeth-saving "poison" that is fluoride, as if it was against their zero-waste religion to use it, and as a result have rotten teeth. If only more zero-waste brands contained fluoride I would be a client already. Because they believe in the no-fluoride religion I am forced to continue to use plastic toothpaste tubes.

        Reply
    30. Pascal says

      February 17, 2018 at 1:04 pm

      I just purchased some vegan biodegradable floss from ecobrush.com made from corn based plastic hopefully will be good

      Reply
    31. Jana says

      March 30, 2018 at 4:12 am

      Just found this!

      https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/570593388/knotty-pick-3-pack?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=biodegradable%20floss&ref=sr_gallery-1-3

      They have a dental floss too.

      🙂

      Reply
    32. Me says

      April 09, 2018 at 7:08 pm

      I don’t normally do this, but I read on and can’t stand just the sounding of the word “silk”. To everyone whose listening and for the one who wrote this article, try Georganics! They’re floss is made of charcoal and bamboo with mint, they are workings towards an organic certification, so try them out! All of their products are great.

      Reply
    33. KATHRYN HOGAN says

      June 20, 2018 at 1:37 pm

      I always check the USDA Certification as it’s the toughest one to acquire. Brush with Bamboo has earned a 95% grade - and FLOSSPOT has hearted the coveted 100% Logo after many months of thorough testing.
      Most floss is plastic and called “VEGAN which is atrocious. The millions of animals that are choked, strangled slowly and mamed by the weapon of mass destruction that is plastic over many months and years should never be labelled vegan simply because animals are not being used in the production of the product. Silkworms die in the PUBA stage and are back in the soil after use within months - leaving NO carbon footprint whatsoever. Use what makes sense to You. And know when you’re on the same side. Plastick production- reduction is the goal here. Not harming eco friendly Businesses. Be careful with your words because we do want to be able to CHOOSE the products we want. There’s room for many perspectives.

      Reply
    34. Clee says

      July 08, 2018 at 6:38 am

      Hello, very interesting article ! Personally i use my own hair to floss.. i know it sounds gross but i wash my hair regulary and they are straight and thick enough, so why not! And it’s free lol.

      Reply
    35. Sarah says

      July 27, 2018 at 6:41 am

      Hi, doesn't solve the biodegradable part, but what about cutting the strand of floss into small pieces when finished so it can't tangle around things?

      Reply
    36. Wendy says

      July 27, 2018 at 9:05 am

      They now have vegan biodegradable floss! Found it on Amazon.

      https://smile.amazon.com/Organic-Activated-Charcoal-Peppermint-essential/dp/B07F2PCX4B

      Reply
    37. Louise says

      September 12, 2018 at 2:03 pm

      Georganics UK do a vegan thread made with charcoal and vegan wax in a glass refillable jar.

      Reply
      • Stella Cervello says

        October 24, 2018 at 2:54 pm

        Yes it's made with Bamboo. I asked them if it was made with the same process as bamboo fiber (As it is made with a strong chemical solvent) but they couldn't tell me....

        Reply
    38. Stella says

      September 27, 2018 at 5:20 pm

      Hello and the thanks for your article and your interesting blog! My boyfriend bought an air floss.... I wasn’t using it and had to buy dental floss but I decided it was the last time... so I will give the air floss a try as we already have it home... i will let you know 🙂

      Reply
    39. Donna says

      November 01, 2018 at 11:46 am

      I started using organic hemp thread from Rawganique ordered online. Works great and the huge spool will last a few lifetimes. It is food grade and compostable too.

      Reply
      • shia says

        November 08, 2018 at 3:35 pm

        Thanks so much for the idea! Will try to get hemp thread and hope it doesn't tear as easily as cotton threads :)!

        Reply
        • Anonymous says

          November 08, 2018 at 10:15 pm

          It is the HY1 Hemp Yarn (weaving yarn) & can be ordered at:
          https://www.rawganique.com/Organic-Hemp-Yarn-p/rgac-hy1.htm

          Note that you will be charged duty when sent to Canada from the U.S.

          Reply
    40. Jo says

      November 20, 2018 at 12:54 am

      Hey just an update that dental lace now has vegan floss too 🙂

      Reply
    41. Samantha E Rich says

      November 27, 2018 at 5:28 pm

      It looks like dental lace now has a totally vegan option? https://www.dentallace.com/products/new-dental-lace-vegan-refillable-floss

      Reply
      • Samantha E Rich says

        November 27, 2018 at 5:30 pm

        Jokes, on second look, it's not compostable. Ignore my last.

        Reply
    42. gotoothache says

      December 26, 2018 at 9:08 am

      If the tooth pain is because of gum infection, then you can do warm saline rinses and if the tooth pain is due to the tooth, then you can use clove oil, garlic or turmeric powder.

      Reply
    43. Daniel Skipp says

      January 13, 2019 at 12:02 am

      So you are "vegan" but boil animals alive because you want an efficient dental floss and #plasticbad. No choice, eh? Not for little people anyway [the caterpillars you sacrifice for your convenience]. smh #fakevegan

      Reply
    44. Hannah says

      January 22, 2019 at 9:08 pm

      I too am stuck in this regard. I've learned that I HAVE to floss my teeth to prevent cavities but there are no vegan, non plastic options. 🙁 Even finding a good toothbrush is difficult but floss is even harder. It's so frustrating. Would hemp work as a good material? I saw one failed kickstarter for hemp floss. I also found this product: https://pearlbarshop.com/products/floss-picks#shopify-product-reviews . But it doesn't say what the floss is made of and it looks like it is "biodegradable". Which means it should really be composted in a facility not in a home compost. Again.. frustrating.

      Reply
    45. K says

      February 11, 2019 at 4:32 pm

      You can get vegan eco friendly floss now, made of bamboo 🙂 several brands out there. In glass jars e metal lids.

      Reply
      • Morgane says

        April 03, 2019 at 4:59 pm

        Yes, I just saw this!
        https://www.wearthlondon.com/plastic-free-dental-floss?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsN2i4pe04QIVz5TtCh2aYgFzEAQYAiABEgIBd_D_BwE

        Reply
    46. Cathy says

      March 28, 2019 at 7:34 am

      FlossPot Gold - Vegan Plastic Free Dental Floss is now available in Australia. The container is a stainless steel jar. Perfect for travel!
      https://eorth.com.au/product_brand/kmh-touches/

      Reply
    47. Lauren says

      April 07, 2019 at 6:59 am

      In regards to the peace silk: The inability to feed as adults is not a trait that resulted from breeding and domestication. Many species of moths, like the family Bombycidae which includes the domestic silkmith, and the giant silkmoth family Saturniidae which includes luna moths, can't feed as adults. In the wild, they only live for 3-7 days to mate before starving to death. These moths are also pretty fragile since they aren't built to last - in their attempts to find mates over miles, they will lose legs, antennae, and wings.

      Not to defend the silk trade, but the sad fate of silkmoths comes from nature, not human design.

      Reply
    48. Jen says

      May 20, 2019 at 10:08 am

      There's a dental floss made of corn out of the UK. Potentially someone is making something similar in the US? https://tevra.co.uk/product/vegan-natural-dental-floss/

      Reply
    49. The ECO Brush says

      June 12, 2019 at 10:33 am

      We sell a cruelty free and compostable dental floss!!. So glad to finally be able to offer the perfect solution.
      Check it out: https://www.theecobrush.com/collections/featured-products/products/the-eco-floss

      Reply
    50. Aaron D says

      July 05, 2019 at 8:02 pm

      I found this website one of the best when it comes to flossing. But I found this other website which I got a lot of things for free. Check it out if you want to: https://www.hotfreebees.com/free-power-floss-best-electric-free

      Reply
    51. Kaylin says

      July 17, 2019 at 8:16 pm

      Wow! A lot of great information. Here I am thinking I'm doing great because I picked nylon over plastic. I didn't realize there were other options. Thank you!

      Reply
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    53. hayley says

      August 02, 2019 at 9:18 am

      Really good read! My husband uses Eco dent and he loves it. But your right it doesn comein a plastic bag inside the box. tut tut! 😉 Silk version of floss I find the worst. We'll sort out our recycling problems hopefully sooner rather than later, so i'd prefer to buy a small plastic box rather than boiling an animal alive - that's just wrong.

      The only issue with plastic made from cornstartch in the USA is that it's hard to find GMO free

      Reply
    54. Joshua Howard says

      August 14, 2019 at 6:38 pm

      Thank you for this post! I'm vegan and live the eco-friendly lifestyle. I like to use eco-dent with mint, the flavor is really pleasant. But if you have sensitive gums it can cut them.

      Reply
    55. monika says

      October 14, 2019 at 12:35 pm

      Thanks for sharing such a nice and informative blog and your knowledge with us. Brushing wipes out the plaque on the surface of your teeth, but flossing takes care of the bacteria between your teeth—and skipping this step can create a mess in your mouth. The Mess It'll Make: Cavities and gum disease, for starters, which could lead to tooth decay and eventual tooth loss if left untreated.
      http://www.dentalexcellencedelhi.com

      Reply
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    57. Carolyn says

      January 06, 2020 at 11:06 pm

      We burn nylon floss after using it, so it doesn't go in the garbage. Harm vs. harm, I'd rather contribute additional CO2 emissions than entangle and strangle living creatures.

      Reply
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    60. Maria says

      December 19, 2020 at 1:32 am

      Great ideas, thanks! I always have troubles when looking for decent sustainable dental floss and tooth brushes, they are difficult to find where I live!

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Teeth. – The Magical Blue says:
      August 15, 2016 at 1:27 am

      […] This link will take you to an article by a vegan zero-waster analysing the options available to you if you do want a floss alternative. […]

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      November 28, 2016 at 12:30 pm

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      January 26, 2017 at 6:37 pm

      […] And because I’m scared of death currently just about much as I’m afraid of getting another $600 cavity (Thanks Obamacare…100% kidding, I love and miss you Obama plz come back), I will be flossing despite the waste using the millions of mini floss packages my dentist has given me over the years with the same condescending but hella healthy smile. (I may also use a Waterpik already in possession- which uses water like floss but produces no waste.)   However, if I had to buy floss, I would look at these options. […]

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      June 25, 2017 at 4:08 pm

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      September 4, 2018 at 6:52 pm

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      December 16, 2019 at 6:19 pm

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    12. WAYS TO BE PLASTIC FREE- BATHROOM EDITION - Wholehearted Eats says:
      January 1, 2020 at 1:07 am

      […] Another plastic which can only end up in the landfill is dental floss. For compostable, but not vegan alternatives, look for silk floss which is fully biodegradable. As far as I know there aren’t any vegan biodegradable options. […]

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