Natural Toothbrush vs. The Humble Co.: An Honest Comparison for Eco-Conscious Brushers
Share
If you're shopping for a sustainable toothbrush, Natural Toothbrush and The Humble Co. are two names you'll run into pretty quickly. Both brands promise bamboo handles, eco-friendly packaging, and a genuine commitment to reducing plastic waste. But they differ in some important ways, from product range and pricing to how far their sustainability claims actually go. We put together this comparison so you can make a clear, informed choice.
At a Glance
| Feature | Natural Toothbrush | The Humble Co. |
|---|---|---|
| Bamboo Toothbrushes | Yes, free from harmful dyes, plastics, and synthetic coatings | Yes, bamboo handle with natural wax coating |
| Charcoal-Infused Options | Yes | Limited |
| Miswak Sticks | Yes (WHO-recommended natural cleaning tool) | Not available |
| Kids' Options | Yes | Yes |
| Toothpaste & Oral Care | Complementary dental accessories | Toothpaste, floss, whitening products |
| Pricing (Single Brush) | Competitively priced | $5.00 |
| Shipping | Free on all orders | Varies |
| Multi-Buy Discount | 10% off any 3 products | Multi-packs available |
| Customer Rating | 4.8/5 (3,393+ reviews) | Mixed (Trustpilot flags durability issues) |
| Social Mission | Honest, no-greenwashing ethos | 1% of US sales to SmileOnU foundation |
Sustainability: How Deep Does It Go?
Both brands use bamboo handles that biodegrade in roughly 12 to 18 months under composting conditions, which is a massive improvement over the 500+ years a plastic handle takes to break down. Bamboo also absorbs more carbon dioxide and produces about 35% more oxygen than most trees, so the raw material itself is a strong environmental choice.
Here's where the details start to matter, though. The Humble Co.'s bristles are made from BPA-free nylon with 65% plant-based content derived from castor beans. That sounds good on paper, but the brand's own FAQ confirms those bristles cannot be recycled and must be snapped off with pliers before you compost the handle. They go straight into general waste. The Humble Co. also sells a "Plant-Based Toothbrush" line where the handle is only 45% plant-based material (wheat straw) mixed with polypropylene, a conventional plastic. That handle is not biodegradable. For a brand that leads with sustainability, that's worth knowing.
At Natural Toothbrush, we keep things straightforward. Our bamboo and charcoal toothbrushes are free from harmful dyes, plastics, and synthetic coatings. We don't dress up partially-plastic products with green-sounding labels. We'd rather be honest about what a product is made of and let you decide.
Product Range: More Than Just a Toothbrush
The Humble Co. has built a solid oral care lineup. Their US site lists around 15 toothbrush SKUs, 6 toothpastes, 3 interdental products, and 5 whitening products. If you want a one-stop shop for conventional oral care with a sustainable twist, they cover a lot of ground.
Natural Toothbrush takes a different approach. Alongside our bamboo and charcoal toothbrushes (including kids' sizes and multi-packs), we carry miswak toothbrush sticks. This is a product category The Humble Co. doesn't offer at all, and it's one worth paying attention to.
Why Miswak Matters
Miswak has been used for oral hygiene for thousands of years, and the World Health Organization has officially recommended it as an effective cleaning tool since 1986. A 2014 systematic review published in the Journal of Periodontology found miswak was equally or more effective than manual toothbrushes at removing plaque and reducing gum bleeding. Unlike a conventional toothbrush that relies entirely on toothpaste for chemical cleaning action, miswak naturally contains fluoride, silica, and antibacterial alkaloids. It's a genuinely zero-waste option: no bristles to throw away, no handle to compost, no toothpaste tube to recycle.
If you're trying to minimize your environmental footprint as much as possible, miswak is about as close to zero-waste oral care as you can get.
Pricing and Value
The Humble Co. prices its standard adult bamboo toothbrush at $5.00 on their website. That's reasonable for a single brush, and they offer multi-packs for some products.
Natural Toothbrush is competitively priced with a clear value advantage: free shipping on every order, no minimum. We also offer 10% off when you buy any 3 products, which makes stocking up on brushes for the whole family genuinely affordable. We believe sustainability should be accessible, not a premium you pay for feeling good about your choices.
Manufacturing and Supply Chain
A 2025 study published in the Journal of Dentistry examined the social life cycle impact of toothbrush manufacturing. It found that toothbrushes produced outside Europe using coal-based energy scored worst for social impact. The Humble Co.'s products are manufactured in China, which is worth considering if supply chain transparency matters to you.
We think consumers deserve to know where their products come from and how they're made. That's part of our broader commitment to honesty. We don't make exaggerated claims, and we don't hide behind vague language about our sourcing.
Customer Experience
Natural Toothbrush holds a 4.8 out of 5 rating based on more than 3,393 verified reviews. Our customers consistently highlight the quality of our brushes, the simplicity of ordering, and the fact that they feel good about what they're buying without paying a premium.
The Humble Co. has a loyal following and has sold over 35 million brushes globally. That's impressive reach. However, Trustpilot reviews flag some recurring issues: bristles bending and falling apart faster than expected, and some customers noting that the toothbrush tip contains plastic. These are small details, but they add up when you're buying a product specifically because you want to avoid plastic.
Social Impact
Credit where it's due: The Humble Co. has a meaningful social mission. They donate 1% of all US sales to the SmileOnU foundation, which provides dental treatment to underserved communities. The Humble Smile Foundation has worked in 106 communities across 50 countries. That's real impact, and it's one of the brand's genuine strengths.
At Natural Toothbrush, our focus is on making sustainable oral care as accessible and affordable as possible. We believe the most impactful thing we can do is remove the barriers (cost, complexity, greenwashing) that keep people from making the switch in the first place. Every person who replaces a plastic toothbrush with a bamboo or miswak alternative is contributing to a meaningful reduction in waste. In the US alone, roughly 1 billion plastic toothbrushes end up in landfills every year, generating about 50 million pounds of waste.
The Bottom Line
The Humble Co. is a credible brand with a solid product line and a genuine charitable mission. If you want a wide selection of conventional oral care products with a sustainability angle, they're a reasonable choice.
But if you want a brand that's straightforward about what's in its products, offers unique options like miswak sticks, keeps pricing fair with free shipping and multi-buy discounts, and doesn't blur the line between "plant-based" and "still contains plastic," Natural Toothbrush is the better fit. We're not trying to be the biggest brand in sustainable oral care. We're trying to be the most honest one.