Is Plastic Floss the New Plastic Straw?

Remember when the plastic straw came under siege? It was a few years back and the general public demanded alternatives, restaurants debated whether to even have them on hand, and lawmakers had to consider bans to protect oceans and sea life and to keep them out of our landfills. 

As the Great Straw Debate was taking place, it got me wondering: Why wasn’t nylon floss suffering the same fate?

After all, single-use floss not only has environmental implications but health ones too. 

More than 3 million miles of traditional dental floss are purchased in North America every year. 

That’s miles and miles of nylon filament coated in synthetic wax. It’s not biodegradable. It’s not recyclable. And it’s so strong that it can entangle, or worse still, strangle wildlife.

In short, that covers the environmental part.

Now over to the health side.

You know and I know that flossing is critical to maintaining good oral health. If you’re flossing away every day, you might be thinking “I’m an oral health hero!”.

But if you’re using traditional floss, you might also be exposing yourself to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that can leach into your bloodstream. 

PFAS are used in non-stick and water-, stain- and/or grease-resistant coatings like cooking pans, waterproof jackets, and food packaging. They don’t easily break down, can stick around in your body (and the environment) for decades, and have been linked to kidney cancer, testicular cancer, and endocrine disruption in humans. Nasty stuff, overall. 

Luckily, there’s an alternative to harming the environment and your health. It’s etee’s floss made of Ahimsa Silk!

Each 30-metre spool is made of 100% cruelty-free pure mulberry silk, candelilla wax, and natural peppermint oil. And it comes in your choice of plastic-free packaging: a glass jar container or an all-new stainless steel container.

To recap, the silk etee uses is sustainably made and 100% backyard biodegradable, the packaging is reusable and recyclable, and the whole shebang is not going to harm humans or the planet. 

I’d say that’s the best option, right?

TRY OUR FLOSS!

Keep it clean, kids!
Chantal and the whole crew at etee