85. Serious Tissues

Social Impact Award Winner

In recognition of the startup which is putting purpose ahead of profit, with evidence of a commitment to making the world a better place with its business model.

Startups 100: Social Impact Award

Founders: Chris Baker, Martin McAllister, Richard Robinson, and Cemal Ezel
Year founded: 2020
Website: serioustissues.com

Serious Tissues has about as broad a target market as you can imagine – “anyone with a bum”, in the founders’ own words. 

More seriously, though, the brand is looking to challenge the toilet roll competition by targeting consumers who are looking to make simple switches in their lives to become more sustainable. 

The business claims it’s developed the UK’s most sustainable toilet roll. The product is 100% recycled, UK made, plastic-free, and carbon-neutral. If you need even more by way of green credentials, the company also plants a tree for every roll sold. 

So far, Serious Tissues has planted 1.7 million trees. To put things in perspective, every week it plants the equivalent of four Hyde Parks’ worth.

The company also works hard to be affordable for consumers, making sustainability affordable in a cost-of-living crisis. For example, its 9-pack in Ocado is the same price as Andrex’s biggest seller (£6.25). 

While there are rival eco toilet roll brands around, the vast majority are made of bamboo. That means that before they reach your hand, they’ve been shipped 20,000km from China. 

Serious Tissues’ products are UK-made, from 100% recycled paper sourced from offices and homes. It has a fully circular solution, with no trees harmed in the making of its rolls (as well as millions planted). It’s just one of the reasons why the brand has won the Startups 100 Social Impact Award this year.

The business has big ambitions. It sees itself as becoming a leading global brand of sustainable toilet roll. The founders plan to launch in the USA, the biggest market for toilet roll, and expand the product range to include more sustainable household products. The company also intends to broaden its impact into more areas of carbon capture.

Serious Tissues is a young but ambitious company. With a target consumer who wants to make a difference to the environment, even if it’s just through a small change like switching to sustainable toilet roll, it has a huge market of potential buyers and an exciting future ahead.