Flossing is an integral part of dental hygiene. Unfortunately, it’s also something that too many of us overlook—lazy flossers, we’re looking at you! While many of the options in the market today are technically vegan, as in, they don’t contain animal products or by-products, that’s not the only thing we’re considering when talking about vegan floss.
The brands we’re going to feature were specifically chosen for their values surrounding strong ethics and sustainability. Keep in mind, not all of them are perfect but we did try our best to choose brands that check all of our boxes.
Note: We talk a lot about PLA and how it is compostable in the below brands. However, compostable in this context means compostable in a compost facility, not at home. PLA is a bioplastic and requires a specific environment for composting.
EcoRoots - USA
Our Floss Pick
EcoRoots has two vegan-friendly dental flosses in their collection, but the clear winner is their zero waste floss—made of bamboo floss infused with charcoal.
The product comes in a refillable glass container with a metal lid for dispensing the floss. It’s a zero waste method to ensuring your teeth stay clean and free from build-up.
It is a fully compostable floss and you can easily toss the used floss, together with the packaging, in your compost pile. You can even just bury it in the soil and leave it be. The product comes with 30m worth of floss. But if you run out, you can also purchase their refill pack of two.
If you’ve got tight teeth, don’t worry. This floss won’t break easily and will glide through your teeth just like any other good floss, with absolutely none of the plastic waste!
This dental floss is packaged and shipped without plastics with the outer packaging made of kraft paper boxes.
Materials & Ingredients
This floss is vegan, cruelty-free, as well as fluoride-free. It also does not have any preservatives, artificial sweeteners, or coloring. The floss itself is made of bamboo fibers with activated charcoal, which makes it fully compostable! This is quite a rarity when it comes to vegan dental floss as they are often made with at least some plastic.
We talk more about the disconnect between sustainable floss and vegan dental flosses near the end of the article.
The rest of the ingredients are:
- Candelilla Wax
- Organic Peppermint Oil
- Organic Tea Tree Oil
The tea tree oil is antiviral and antibacterial, which helps kill bacteria that could cause gum disease. On the other hand, peppermint oil has anti-inflammatory properties and will help you get rid of hazardous germs in your gums.
The mint flavor will help keep your mouth feeling clean but do remember that the medicinal properties of essential oils are still largely anecdotal.
Brand Values
EcoRoots doesn’t only make their own products, they also curate everyday items from different brands so you can easily purchase multiple item categories from this store.
The good part about it is that all their products are well-designed for the planet. Plus, all their packaging is shipped plastic-free and all materials are fully recyclable and compostable.
They are also part of 1% for the Planet. This means at least 1% of their annual sales go to sustainability initiatives and movements that contribute to environmental betterment.
Dental Lace - USA
Dental Lace is the original zero waste floss on the market. Their original plastic-free floss is crafted from silk, but they’ve now created vegan-friendly options that are just as amazing.
Most of their dental floss products are 99% zero waste with the 1% being the waterproof label outside of the glass bottles.
Our Floss Pick
Unlike many of the other floss brands we’ve seen, this brand makes zero waste and vegan dental floss! However, not all of the vegan-friendly floss in their collection is zero waste. In particular, the bamboo charcoal floss is made of polyester.
The star of the show is their zero waste dental floss which comes in an assortment of adorable designs. We particularly like it in the Sea Glass motif, inspired by Maine’s seashore. It’s important to note that the design itself does not actually affect the product function.
This floss will make a huge difference in reducing the amount of waste product that comes from your bathroom. Namely, this product diverts everything from landfills.
It’s also great for those with tight teeth! This plant-based, vegan, and eco friendly option is even stronger than their regular silk ones.
Additionally, while the mint flavor in their products is one of the brand’s focuses, their zero waste vegan ones do not have any natural or artificial flavor.
If you want a flavored option, going for the bamboo charcoal dental floss might be a better option as it has peppermint flavoring.
The floss comes packaged in a glass container topped with a stainless steel cap. If you run out of your initial purchase, you can buy 100% zero waste with their refills.
Materials and Ingredients
The floss fibers are made from PLA or polylactic acid. PLA is a type of polymer that can be generated from renewable resources, in this case, corn starch. It is 100% compostable and made in a carbon-neutral process.
The floss is coated in a naturally soothing plant-based vegan wax without any harmful ingredients. However, they don’t specify what kind of vegan wax exactly. It also does not have any flavoring and is SLS, PFAS, and paraben-free.
While all the materials and ingredients here may come from natural sources [1], this is not an all-natural floss because of the PLA. Though PLA is derived naturally, it still shouldn’t be considered a natural floss because of external synthetic processes [2].
Nevertheless, it is still great that their refill storage bags are certified compostable PLA
Brand Values
All Dental Lace products are made with sustainability and effectiveness in mind. The founders were determined to create a non-plastic alternative to our regular dental floss, and the company was born.
We see their dedication to being a sustainable brand not only in their products but in their packaging as well.
We’ve mentioned that they package their floss in glass. The other aspects of their packaging involve post-consumer recycled cardboard boxes that are certified FSC and PCF-free. It is processed using renewable biogas energy.
Plus, they print using soy-based inks. All of these are certified compostable.
They also support organizations that are committed to seeing the end of plastic pollution by way of science, education, and adventure.
Lucky Teeth - USA
Lucky Teeth is all about “feeding” our teeth and nourishing them to the best of our abilities. They use organic ingredients to create an assortment of quality dental products that clean teeth well.
It’s important to note that they are not a fully vegan brand since they use peace silk in their floss selection.
Our Floss Pick
Lucky Teeth has a handful of vegan options available: personally, we would recommend the Bamboo Charcoal zero waste floss. It’s an excellent alternative to conventional floss, and it’s soothing to your gums as well!
The essential oils help with creating a minty sensation that really makes you feel the cleanliness and freshness of your mouth.
It comes packaged in eco friendly refillable glass containers. You only need to buy the container once and then just purchase refill packs for the next time.
This floss is fully compostable! It will break down in approximately 60-90 days. You can either bury it in the soil at home or in your own compost bin, or send it to a local compost facility.
Materials and Ingredients
The floss fibers are made of bamboo and coated with candelilla wax, both completely plant-based. The company only sources bamboo from areas where they don’t serve as panda habitats.
Aside from that, bamboo is a very fast-growing plant, which makes it a highly sustainable long-term choice. They say that bamboo is quite abundant in China, which gives us an indication that they source their bamboo fibers there.
The floss fibers are also infused with activated charcoal, which has anti-bacterial properties that help deal with all the plaque buildup.
It also has essential oils that give it aroma and flavor. Namely, it has organic tea tree oil, which is antiviral, antibacterial, and shoos away bacteria that can potentially cause gum disease.
It also has organic peppermint oil, which is a potent antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties. This essential oil also gives off a cooling sensation for a fresh mouth after flossing.
However, we should remember that essential oils are a relatively less studied field in health and wellness. There isn’t enough medical evidence available to make factual conclusions about them.
While some essential oils have excellent properties that could potentially help with health issues, it’s important to take this with a grain of salt. There is plenty of misinformation surrounding essential oils, and being a well-informed customer is just as important as buying sustainably and ethically.
You can read about all of Lucky Teeth’s ingredients here.
Brand Values
Lucky Teeth is dedicated to crafting organic dental solutions while making products as eco friendly as possible.
Most of the ingredients they use are organic, as can be seen on their ingredient list. The only times they aren’t organic is when they cannot possibly source an ingredient organically (e.g., coconut charcoal and sea salt).
They also try to source sustainably as exhibited by their use of bamboo that doesn’t come from panda habitats and their use of peace silk.
KMH Touches - Canada
Founded in 2015, KMH Touches is an eco-dental innovation brand based in Ontario, Canada. Its founder was deeply concerned by the growing amount of plastics in the world and set out to find a solution.
With the absence of plastic-free and eco friendly dental floss on the market, Flosspot was born.
Our Floss Pick
Before anything else, this brand is not fully vegan. Their main product Flosspot is NOT vegan as it is primarily made of silk. However, they do carry a vegan-friendly option, which is their Flosspot Gold. It’s a bit thicker than their silk option, which means it probably isn’t the best for crowded teeth.
It comes packaged in a stainless steel container, and can easily be refilled with more spools (bought separately).
It’s USDA certified as 98% bio-based. However, as we mentioned, this doesn’t mean it is an all-natural floss. But it is fully compostable and biodegradable!If you’re looking for vegan and sustainable floss in Canada, this company is perfect for you. Just make sure to choose the Gold option.
The external box packaging is crafted from cardboard while the box window and safety seals are PHA and PLA cello, which are both plant-based.
Materials and Ingredients
Flosspot Gold is made of PLA fibers. PLA is a polymer derived from lactic acid monomers such as corn starch. It’s a great bio-based alternative to nylon, polyester, and other synthetic vegan fibers.
However, they cannot yet guarantee that their corn is organic and non-GMO. They’re currently working on increased transparency across their supply chain and that’s one improvement they’d like to make.
KMH Touches has tested this claim with results showing that the product is 100% biodegradable. However, they don’t indicate under which conditions the floss will biodegrade in, so we don’t know for sure whether you can compost it at home.
It is coated with candelilla wax and has a lovely ginger-mint flavor.
Brand Values
The main foundation of KMH has always been the reduction of plastic. With the many different uses for plastic and the mounting pile of it caused by the dental field, it’s clear that the time for change was yesterday.
Even in their vegan option, they chose to go for fibers that biodegrade compared to just using synthetic fibers. They make a similar effort to reduce waste through their biodegradable packaging.
Overall, this company is a good brand to get your vegan dental floss from. If you like their products, it’s a simple matter of purchasing refills completely zero waste!
The Humble Co. - USA
Founded in 2013 by a dentist, The Humble Co. is a personal care brand with roots in Scandanavian design and an eco friendly mindset.
They manufacture evidence-based products, and all their items are developed under the careful care of a group of dentists. They are also a 100% vegan and cruelty-free brand.
Our Floss Pick
Humble Co. has a handful of floss options with both picks and grips as well as regular floss. Our favorite from their selection is the classic dental floss in a fresh mint flavor.
This floss is vegan-friendly and is completely cruelty-free—certified by the Vegan Society and Leaping Bunny.
The floss itself has a textured surface, making it the perfect tool to get rid of all the nasty build-up in your gums and between the spaces in your teeth. Plus, the mint flavor adds to the flossing experience and will leave your mouth feeling clean and fresh.
The floss comes packaged in environmentally-friendly packaging made of cardboard and it can be fully recycled. The packaging will also serve as your container for the floss; a viable alternative vs. plastic floss dispensers. The floss is also available in lemon, cinnamon, and charcoal variations.
If you want to check it out, the brand also stocks floss picks with handles made of corn starch, although they aren’t fully compostable.
Materials and Ingredients
The floss is made of nylon with a candelilla wax coating. Ultimately, the floss is not compostable or biodegradable, which is a significant downside.
You’ll need to throw the floss away together with your household waste after using it. Admittedly, that’s not the most sustainable option. We prefer plant-based floss options that are biodegradable or compostable.
However, it’s still a step above using floss that comes in a plastic dispenser. You can read more about crafting a sustainable bathroom in our article on zero waste bathroom swaps.
The material will not snag in between your teeth and will easily assist you in removing plaque. The product is also treated with Xylitol to help with the pH balance in your mouth. A natural aroma gives it a fresh, minty taste.
Brand Values
The Humble Co. stands on a set of brand core values that are the driving forces behind all of their operations.
They focus on making evidence-based and premium health and wellness products geared towards socially responsible and eco friendly manufacturing.
Our favorite aspect of this brand is that they make products that work.
The vegan/natural/eco friendly circle has long been criticized for items that often sacrifice quality for values. But that isn’t at all the case with Humble’s products.
Unfortunately, we could not find information on where their floss is manufactured.
But their toothbrushes are manufactured in China while their toothpaste and chewing gum are made in Germany. This gives us a bit of insight into where their products are made.
Moreover, just like us at Puratium, the company also gives back to the community. They partner with the Humble Smile Foundation to boost oral health conditions in more than 37 underprivileged countries.
These countries include India, Cambodia, Cuba, Tanzania, and more.
They donate whatever dental products are required by the foundation as well as a monetary sum proportional to their annual sales. You can read more about their mission here.
Cocofloss - USA
Cocofloss offers a fresh take on dental floss. The founders set out to make the flossing experience fun and laid back with their unique and fun scents (think coconuts and strawberries).
They are a cruelty-free and vegan brand, and they’ve recently gotten Leaping Bunny certified!
Our Floss Pick
Cocofloss sets itself apart from other floss because it doesn’t glide in between your teeth like what you may be used to. Instead, it has textured threads that really grab on to the plaque stuck between your teeth.
They’re also great for flossing with crowded teeth. The fibers are durable and will withstand tight spaces without shredding.
True to their promise, Cocofloss has plenty of fun dental floss fragrances. It’s really tough to choose just one, which isn’t an issue since they also have different kinds of bundles where you can test out fragrances.
They also offer a sampler set where you can try all 4 of their base aromas. At this moment, among our favorite scents, they stock the following:
- Delicious Mint
- Fresh Coconut
- Pure Strawberry
- Cara Cara Orange
You can get these aromas in various scent packs. If you want to buy just one, we recommend getting the Cocofloss single. You can also get refills in a pack of 3 spools.
Sadly, the packaging is made of plastic. If you do decide on buying this product, you can just go for refills in your next purchases. If you are ready to discard, make sure to recycle them in your local facility.
Materials and Ingredients
The floss fiber itself is made of polyester. The brand is starting to use 85% recycled polyester in their floss to make it more sustainable. All their products should reflect this change by the end of 2021.
The product is coated with microcrystalline wax and infused with coconut oil, essential oils, as well as food-grade aromas.
Because the floss material is waxed, it will be difficult to recycle. Hence, will have to be thrown away along with other household waste. It isn’t biodegradable either, so composting is not an option.
Overall, this isn’t the most sustainable floss on the market. But, they are a great idea if you struggle with flossing and want the experience to be more engaging.
There’s no doubt that these fun aromas available are more fun than others. They’re perfect for kids who aren’t that keen on flossing but are easily engaged by bright colors and fun scents.
Brand Values
At its core, the brand has always been about cultivating better oral hygiene. The company makes flossing fun, colorful, and experience-rich. So far from the monotonous flossing patterns that many of us (unfortunately) dread.
Cocofloss is actually a dentist-led (in a sister duo) enterprise. They take a minimalist approach to product creation and design, with a special focus on making sure it’s a well-rounded product.
While Cocofloss still generates waste as polyester isn’t exactly eco-friendly, we are seeing some progress in that department. Hopefully, they can improve upon their methods and design a low/no waste option soon!
All floss products are made in Italy in a family-run factory. Similarly, all the fragrances are sourced in Italy under strict EU regulations. They are also a fully vegan brand! Their floss is vegan-friendly as it does not contain any beeswax.
They also partner with the Wildlife Conservation Network in keeping habitats safe for animals and people worldwide.
Bambaw - Belgium
Bambaw is a Brussels-based brand dedicated to pushing the zero waste movement and encouraging conscious and ethical consumption.
They stock various zero waste swaps for your home and kitchen, as well as health and beauty products.
Our Floss Pick
Our pick from Bambaw is a PLA corn starch floss that comes in 50m spools. It is 100% plant-based and vegan-friendly.
However, this product is not for people with crowded teeth. If you are someone who struggles with crowding and tight teeth, this one is not for you. Other options on this list could probably accommodate you better.
Though it works fine on well-spaced teeth, the floss is not well received in tight areas. There’s a high chance that it will shred and break.
But other than that, this is a pretty good product. It comes packaged in a stainless steel container that you can refill for the determinable future. You can also buy refills in a set of two spools.
The floss has a mint flavor and will freshen your mouth as you go. It’s a pretty good eco friendly alternative to conventional products. All Bambaw products are packaged without any plastic.
Materials and Ingredients
The main material used to make this floss is corn-based PLA. It is completely plant-based and fully compostable in industrial facilities. Check below for a deeper dive into what PLA is and how viable an alternative it is.
The coating is plant-based candelilla wax, which gives it the necessary lubrication. This is so it’ll slide in between your teeth smoothly and not roughen up your gums. This type of wax is a non-gelling thickener with protecting properties.
There is a mild peppermint flavor in this product.
Brand Values
Bambaw’s core is all about providing zero waste swaps to everyday plastic items. You can read more about how they provide alternatives here. For the basics on zero waste, check out our guide on zero waste principles and how you can begin your journey.
On top of that, the brand’s entire supply chain is carbon neural. They try to limit their emissions as much as possible, but what is left over is invested in carbon offsets. You can find more information here.
Their products are made in various locations under ethical working conditions. On their product listing, you can even see a testimony by one of the workers. The floss we featured is made in Shandong, China.
Overall, we appreciate the company’s dedication to providing excellent swaps to single-use plastic. Plus, they tackle the issue holistically and try to reduce their emissions as well.
Are All Dental Floss Vegan And Cruelty-free?
Most dental floss you see on shelves is made of waxed nylon. This makes most dental floss vegan as nylon is a synthetic material. Most dental floss isn’t tested on animals, BUT the brands that carry them may still use such practices. And that’s what you need to look out for!
However, the fact that most floss is vegan doesn’t immediately mean that they’re good! There’s still the major issue of floss product and packaging being made out of plastic—an issue that many sustainable brands are trying to fix.
When we chose the brands on this list, we went for brands that made efforts towards sustainability. While not all brands we featured are zero waste, we tried to select those with minimal environmental impact.
Those ones are usually plant-based and are compostable/biodegradable. If you want to go for synthetic plastics, go for brands with ethical and sustainable practices.
Sustainable vs. Vegan Dental Floss
In an ideal situation, we wouldn’t have to choose between the two. If we want to, we should totally go for items that are both sustainable and vegan. And while it is possible, there’s still a gaping market gap for dental floss that is both vegan and sustainable.
You may have noticed that many of the vegan options laid out above are made out of plastic still, which is exactly what we’re trying to avoid in buying regular floss, right?
The most common alternative for dental floss in the zero waste community is silk floss. It’s biodegradable and doesn’t generate plastic. BUT it is not vegan. This issue nearly makes zero waste floss and vegan floss two mutually exclusive categories, emphasis on nearly.
Today, however, product innovations have led us to better and better options. Some floss options, like the one from EcoRoots and Lucky Teeth, are fully compostable and vegan!
In the near future, we hope to see vegan dental floss options that don’t back customers into a corner and make them choose which cause they want to champion. It’s one of the best ways we can achieve holistic change.
The Deal With PLA
Many of the products featured in this round-up are made of PLA. As previously explained, this is a type of plant-based plastic that biodegrades in a compost facility. While this is a worthwhile choice that is a step above petroleum-based plastic, it isn’t the final answer to our problems.
The majority of places in the world do not have industrial composting facilities that are capable of processing bioplastics.
This means that even if the whole world only used bioplastics, there’s still going to be an issue of plastic pollution if they aren’t composted properly—which is the case in areas where the service isn’t available.
Another possible issue with PLA is that it comes from plant sources. This is a bit of a double-edged sword because while plants are renewable, we are diverting resources away from food production [3].
Overall, bioplastics like PLA can be better for the environment under certain conditions. If you are able, just make sure to dispose of it properly and ensure it goes to the right place.
Final Thoughts
We hope you found something you liked in this list of vegan and sustainable floss! We know that it can’t be easy to always find the perfect product that fits with your values, so hopefully, these brands gave you a head start.
If you didn’t like any of them or they’re not available in your location, just remember to choose (and ideally combine) products that are reusable, sustainable, ethically and consciously designed.
Remembering those three things will help lessen your impact and improve your consumption habits. If you’re curious about a wider oral care analysis, check this one on vegan toothpaste.
Resources:
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323461429000086
- https://bioplasticsnews.com/2019/10/08/which-are-natural-polymers-in-the-sense-of-the-single-use-plastic-ban/
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/are-bioplastics-made-from-plants-better-for-environment-ocean-plastic
