eli5: Why aren’t bamboo products like Toilet Paper/Paper towels considerably cheaper than their tree counterparts?

Question

eli5: Why aren’t bamboo products like Toilet Paper/Paper towels considerably cheaper than their tree counterparts?

In: 6973

Answer 1

Good answers so far, but there is another missing piece:

Paper products (at least in the US) are a byproduct of the timber industry. They use the waste left after cutting lumber – this material is essentially free. It requires no extra cost for planting, harvesting, or shipping.

Here is a simplified overview: https://www.idahoforests.org/content-item/how-paper-is-made-2/