Toothpaste and waste: a small gesture to make better use of each tube

Reading time: 5 min | By Monsieur Filament

A toothpaste tube is one of those everyday objects we barely notice.

We buy it, use it morning and night, and when it becomes hard to squeeze, we eventually replace it.

However, a tube that seems almost empty often still contains toothpaste that is difficult to access.

We fold it, roll it, crush it against the sink... with varying degrees of success.

What if a small accessory simply helped us make better use of the product we've already bought before throwing away its packaging?

That's precisely the role of a tube wringer.

The toothpaste tube: everyday packaging

For a long time, many toothpaste tubes were made of multiple layers of materials, which could complicate their recycling.

But the industry is evolving.

Today, tubes designed to be more compatible with certain recycling streams are also available.

It would therefore be incorrect to state that all toothpaste tubes are impossible to recycle.

Instructions can also evolve and vary depending on the packaging and collection systems.

The best practice is therefore to follow the sorting instructions indicated on the packaging and those applicable locally.

But even before talking about recycling, another question deserves to be asked:

have we truly finished the product inside?

Why is there still toothpaste in a tube?

The emptier the tube gets, the harder it can be to push its contents towards the opening.

We usually start by pressing with our fingers.

Then we fold the tube.

We roll it.

We crush it.

And when it becomes too difficult to extract the contents, we naturally consider it finished.

However, there may still be toothpaste distributed in different parts of the tube.

The quantity varies enormously depending on the shape of the tube, its material, the product it contains, and how it has been used.

That's why we prefer not to announce a universal percentage of "wasted" toothpaste.

The idea is much simpler:

if the product is still accessible, it's worth trying to use it.

The tube wringer: a very simple mechanism

A tube wringer is not technologically revolutionary.

And that's precisely what makes it practical.

Its role is to progressively move the contents of the tube towards its opening.

With Presse-Moi, the end of the tube is inserted into a key, and then, by turning the knob, the tube gradually rolls around it.

The remaining product is thus pushed towards the opening as it is used.

This notably avoids having to fold and crush the tube in all directions when it starts to empty.

Waste less rather than promise "zero waste"

We could write:

"Presse-Moi recovers 100% of your toothpaste."

That would be much more spectacular.

But it wouldn't be a reasonable promise.

No tube wringer can guarantee that every gram of product will be recovered from all packaging.

The shape of the tube, its material, and its design can notably influence the amount of product remaining.

Presse-Moi's promise is therefore deliberately simpler:

to help you make better use of the contents of your tubes.

And for us, that's already a good reason to use a tube wringer.

Does it help consume fewer tubes?

This naturally depends on individual habits.

A tube wringer changes neither the amount of toothpaste needed for brushing nor the frequency at which you brush your teeth.

However, making better use of the contents of a tube before replacing it can help space out its replacement when product would otherwise have been left inside.

We therefore prefer not to announce a precise number of tubes "saved" per year.

Each household uses different toothpastes, in different quantities.

The principle simply remains:

to finish as much as possible of what you have before replacing it.

Presse-Moi: combining utility with pleasure

A tube wringer could be a simple piece of plastic hidden in a drawer.

We preferred to make it an object you might want to display.

Presse-Moi is a brand developed by Monsieur Filament, centered around tube wringers designed and manufactured in France using 3D printing.

The different models combine a practical function with genuine design work.

Presse-Moi companions notably bring a playful and colorful touch to the bathroom.

The collection regularly evolves with different characters, designs, and colors.

Rather than listing them, which could quickly become obsolete, you can find the models currently available directly in the store.

French manufacturing by 3D printing

Presse-Moi products are manufactured in France by Monsieur Filament using 3D printing.

This manufacturing method allows us to produce our creations directly in our workshop and to progressively adapt production to needs.

We notably use biosourced PLA, whose raw material can come from plant resources.

However, beware of a common confusion:

"biosourced" does not automatically mean "biodegradable in nature" or "without environmental impact."

Like any object, a Presse-Moi requires raw materials and energy to be manufactured.

The aim is therefore to design a reusable accessory, intended to accompany several successive tubes.