eli5: Why aren’t bamboo products like Toilet Paper/Paper towels considerably cheaper than their tree counterparts?
In: 6973
People are mentioning the supply side, but there’s also the demand side. People are willing to pay a premium for a more sustainable product, so companies will of course sell it at a higher price.
People are mentioning the supply side, but there’s also the demand side. People are willing to pay a premium for a more sustainable product, so companies will of course sell it at a higher price.
The major cost to making paper is separating the lignin from cellulose. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignin) Interestingly is the fact that corn is one of the few plants that matures with out increasing the amount of lignin in its cells. This would make corn fodder a great candidate to make paper with but it’s cellulose fibers are too long and knot up. https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/MP/nbsmiscellaneouspub147.pdf
The major cost to making paper is separating the lignin from cellulose. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignin) Interestingly is the fact that corn is one of the few plants that matures with out increasing the amount of lignin in its cells. This would make corn fodder a great candidate to make paper with but it’s cellulose fibers are too long and knot up. https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/MP/nbsmiscellaneouspub147.pdf
The major cost to making paper is separating the lignin from cellulose. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignin) Interestingly is the fact that corn is one of the few plants that matures with out increasing the amount of lignin in its cells. This would make corn fodder a great candidate to make paper with but it’s cellulose fibers are too long and knot up. https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/MP/nbsmiscellaneouspub147.pdf
Raw materials are a relatively low percentage of the total cost vs. labor to harvest, transport to factory, process/manufacture, transport to retailers.
Raw materials are a relatively low percentage of the total cost vs. labor to harvest, transport to factory, process/manufacture, transport to retailers.
You’ve already gotten correct answers down here… but also, why would they make it cheaper if they can price it the same (or more, I’d bet bamboo TP and paper towels are MORE, aren’t they?) and it’ll get bought anyway?
Capitalism isn’t in anyway about fairness, it’s about sponging as much money out of people as possible by any means necessary.
You’ve already gotten correct answers down here… but also, why would they make it cheaper if they can price it the same (or more, I’d bet bamboo TP and paper towels are MORE, aren’t they?) and it’ll get bought anyway?
Capitalism isn’t in anyway about fairness, it’s about sponging as much money out of people as possible by any means necessary.
Raw materials are a relatively low percentage of the total cost vs. labor to harvest, transport to factory, process/manufacture, transport to retailers.
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