The Swedish oral hygiene specialist TePe has recently launched its sustainably manufactured interdental brushes, making oral hygiene even more environmentally friendly. Without compromising on quality and functionality, TePe now enables users of interdental brushes to have more sustainable oral hygiene.
Renewable raw material for interdental brushes
When it comes to the material for the interdental brush handles, TePe relies on the renewable raw material pine oil, a by-product of the paper and cellulose industry that is purchased in Scandinavia, and uses the mass balance approach in the manufacturing process.
Renewable raw materials are used together with fossil raw materials. In the mass balance method, the total mass of the new interdental brush handles corresponds exactly to the mass of the renewable raw material pine oil purchased by TePe and used by the supplier for material production; it is tracked and certified throughout the manufacturing chain (ISCC).
With the ‘new’ interdental brushes, CO2 emissions are reduced by 80% in the product life cycle. This process allows TePe to continue to use high-quality materials with a significantly lower CO2 footprint. And in addition, the mass balance approach enables the gradual phasing out of the use of fossil raw materials. But also the packaging has been sustainably improved: The bag for the interdental brushes is made from 80 percent bio-based polyethylene and is 100 percent recyclable.
Proven qualitative advantages of interdental brushes
Proven qualitative advantages in use the sustainably manufactured interdental brushes continue to offer users all of the proven TePe advantages.
“The cylindrical brush design enables more effective cleaning, especially on the tongue and palate aspects of the interdental spaces,” explains Dr. Ralf Seltmann, Senior Manager of Clinical Affairs at TePe.
98 percent working length – the ratio of brush area to wire length – guarantees efficient cleaning of the interdental spaces.
The ergonomic handle, a protective cap that also serves as a handle extension, and the rounded brush neck support uncomplicated and safe handling even for inexperienced users. Tailored prophylaxis and therapy are made possible by the nine different ISO sizes, which are easy to recognize thanks to their uniform color coding when shopping and using.
The conscious use of resources and the reduction of the CO2 footprint are important aspects for further TePe developments. For example, 100 percent renewable energy, partly from the in-house solar system, is used in the manufacture of all TePe products at the company’s headquarters in Malmö, Sweden.
Sustainability as strategy
The company is gradually converting to renewable and recycled materials for all products and packaging and follows a circular approach throughout production to minimize and reintegrate residues. “By the end of 2022, we will offer all TePe products and their packaging in a climate-neutral way,” says Helena Ossmer Thedius, TePe Innovation & Marketing Director. The environmentally friendly interdental brushes are the next step on the way to this goal.
Photo: TePe
