UK bamboo brand Truthbrush is now B Corp certified

February 15, 2022

According to B Corporation UK, 72% of the public believes that businesses should have “a legal responsibility to the planet and people”. Majority of people also would favour brands that are doing good in the world. Traditionally, business has been profit-driven, but as consumers demand more from companies, there is a new movement that is picking up some speed – a purpose-driven business. So what does it exactly mean? Being a purpose-driven business is about fusing both; profit (for surviving and thriving) and purpose (for helping to find solutions to problems people and the planet face).

Small independent brands are well positioned to be purpose-driven because its founders usually start their business for a good reason, and with a strong purpose in mind. They want to use their business for the greater good. One way to ensure that business uses its profit for good causes, and walk the walk, is through B Corp certification. Once certified, it is a legal requirement for the business to “monitor the impact of all business decisions on all stakeholders – employees, communities, customers, suppliers and our planet.” In the UK, there are currently over 640* B Corp businesses over 55 industries.

One such business is Truthbrush, an oral care brand that is quietly disrupting the industry through ethical innovation. Their award-winning bamboo toothbrush combines beautiful design with natural materials. Started by Catherine and Catherine, two friends, one a fashion buyer and the other a NHS doctor, they got the idea for Truthbrush back in 2017, after they were given a flimsy, disposable plastic toothbrush at a hotel. Shocked by its poor performance and the fact that it was going to be joining a mountain of plastic pollution only after a few weeks of usage, they thought that there must a better way for brushing teeth. Being part of the change towards a better way of living that’s gentler on our planet, they believe that brushing with beautiful bamboo is one positive step towards cleaner teeth for a cleaner world. Here we chatted to them about becoming B Corp certified.

1. How important was it for The Truthbrush as a business to become B Corp certified?

It was very important to us and is something we have been wanting to achieve for several years. Transparency is a core value at Truthbrush and being a B Corp demonstrates our commitment to both transparency and sustainability.

2. What was the process like? How long did it take, from initial application to getting B Corp recognition?

It took a year and at times seemed unachievable. Catherine (who headed up the application process) worked incredibly hard to gather information and ensure Truthbrush fulfilled as many requirements as we could.

3. What are some of the challenges or changes you had to make?

We have tried to be as sustainable and ethical as possible since day 1 so we were fortunate that we were already fulfilling most of the requirements but just had to put it all formally into a company policy. A recent office move mid-application complicated matters slightly, but fortunately our new landlord is really helpful and shares a lot of our values.

4. What are your plans for 2022 and beyond?

We are focusing on our new launch – the worlds first solid bamboo electric toothbrush head. This took over 2 years of development and will save some of the 136 million plastic heads that go to landfill each year. It has already had a great response so we look forward to sharing it with a wider audience in 2022.