Description

Treebird’s waxed silk dental floss is the rare zero waste swap that feels like an upgrade, not a compromise. The floss itself is 100% mulberry silk with a plant-based wax coating, so it glides between tight teeth the way conventional nylon floss does — smooth, thin, and resistant to shredding — but the used strand can go straight into your compost instead of sitting in a landfill for centuries.

Why We Recommend It

Most plastic-free floss is bamboo fiber, which works but feels noticeably thicker and rougher than what most people are used to. Silk is the closest natural match for the feel of conventional floss, and Treebird’s wax coating gives it the best glide of any natural floss we’ve tested. If a scratchy texture is what’s kept you (or your family) from switching, this is the one to try first.

The packaging follows through: the floss ships in a small refillable glass jar with a metal screw cap and cutter, and refill spools come in paper. There is no plastic anywhere in the product or the packaging.

Quick Specs

• Material: 100% mulberry silk, plant-wax coated
• Compostable: Yes — home compostable in months, not centuries
• Dispenser: Refillable glass jar with metal cap and built-in cutter
• Refills: Available in plastic-free paper packaging
• Vegan: No — silk is an animal fiber. If you want a vegan option, bamboo-fiber floss is the usual pick.

How It Compares

We named Treebird “Best Glide” in our full plastic-free dental floss roundup, where it sits alongside Dental Lace (the original refillable silk floss — functionally similar, different dispenser design) and vegan bamboo options from EcoRoots. If you’re building out a full plastic-free bathroom routine, it pairs well with toothpaste tablets.

Common Questions

Is Treebird floss really compostable? Yes. Silk and plant wax are both natural materials that break down in a home compost bin within months. Snip the used strand into your compost — unlike nylon floss, it leaves nothing behind.

Does silk floss hold up in tight teeth? In our experience, better than bamboo floss. The wax coating keeps it from fraying, and the strand is thin enough for tight contacts. Heavy-handed flossers may still snap it occasionally — that’s the trade-off of a biodegradable fiber.