Biodegradable Toilet Paper O-SOW, Sowing Seeds After Every Wipe

Israeli industrial design student, Avia Revivi, has developed a groundbreaking solution to an overlooked environmental tissue – littered toilet paper in the wild. Her invention, O-SOW, is a biodegradable toilet paper infused with seeds, designed to enrich the environment rather than pollute it.

Revivi, a student at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, conceived O-SOW during a hiking trip in the Israeli desert. She found that she often encountered discarded toilet paper, inspiring her to tackle this problem.

O-SOW is crafted from orange and aloe vera for their flexibility and softness, respectively, with various seeds incorporated into the mix. The quick decomposition of citrus, combined with active E. coli bacteria in human waste, speeds up the biodegradation process.

The O-SOW toilet paper is not only environmentally friendly but also beneficial to the ecosystem. Each roll contains different seeds, allowing travellers to choose based on local vegetation. The seeds choices of mint, peony, rose, parsley, and cress among others, can germinate and flourish while nourished by nutrient-rich human waste.

Revivi’s innovation doesn’t stop at the toilet paper. The packaging is single-use and biodegradable too and is clearly labelled with the seed type and number of sheets. For transportation, she devised a case made from surplus parachute fabric, designed to keep the sheets moist and easy to dispense.