Chewing gum is one of the most littered item in the world. This is not only an aesthetic problem, but also a hygienic and, above all, an environmental one.
What is chewing gum made of?
One of the main ingredient of gum is Polyisobutylene: a synthetic rubber derived from crude oil. This is plastic. And that’s why it takes a long time to break down.
Also, most chewing gum brands contain artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
If you want to know more about the the ingredients of chewing gum, how it’s made and what we can do about it, read our article “What are the alternatives to chewing gum?”
What happens when we throw chewing gum away?
Chewing gum has a huge environmental impact. Sticking your gum on roads, metro stations, buses, walls, tables, is not only disgusting and ugly. It is also very harmful to the planet and other animals.
Chewing gum attracts large quantities of germs. According to some studies, a single piece of chewing gum can contain up to 50,000 germs.
Another important problem is that the longer the chewing gum is in the area where it was deposited, the more it degrades it. Therefore, if the situation occurs in a natural environment, within a short time, that piece of soil is destroyed.
In addition, chewing gum poses a danger to animals that can ingest it or get stuck to it. It can end up in soil, rivers or the ocean.
TOP 10 best plastic-free chewing gum brands
If you are looking for a large choice of natural, plastic-free chewing gum brands, visit The Ethical Choice, our eco-brand directory.
Otherwise, find our selection of the TOP 10 best plastic-free chewing gum brands:
Georganics chewing gum is a natural and vegan chewing gum that is made with chicle and arabic gum, two natural tree resins.
It comes in a reusable and refillable glass bottle, and you can buy refills.
It is sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener that is good for teeth. Georganics chewing gum is also free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
Georganics is a small, family-owned business that is committed to sustainability, zero-waste and plastic-free oral care products.
What we liked / disliked
🟢 Reusable and refillable packaging
🟢 Natural and plastic-free ingredients
🔴 Nothing
Chicza gum is a natural, vegan, and sustainable chewing gum that is made with chicle, a natural tree resin from the sapodilla tree.
It is sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener that is good for teeth. Chicza gum is also free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
Chicza is made with a natural gum base that is sustainably harvested from trees in Central America.
Chicza gum is a certified B Corporation.
What we liked / disliked
🟢Plant-based, biodegradable gum
🟢 Natural and plastic-free ingredients
🔴 Single-use packaging (recyclable)
Chewsy gum is a plant-based, vegan, and biodegradable chewing gum that is free from sugar, aspartame, plastic, artificial sweeteners, and flavors.
It is sweetened with 100% xylitol, which is a natural sweetener that is good for teeth.
Chewsy gum is also made with a plastic-free gum base, which makes it biodegradable and better for the environment.
Packaged in recyclable paperboard.
What we liked / disliked
🟢Plant-based, biodegradable gum
🟢 Natural and plastic-free ingredients
🔴 Single-use packaging (recyclable)
Honest Gum is a natural and vegan chewing gum that is made with a blend of plant-based ingredients, including chicle, arabic gum, and xylitol.
It is sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener that is good for teeth. Honest Gum is also free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
Honest Gum is a certified B Corporation.
What we liked / disliked
🟢 Plant-based, biodegradable gum
🟢 Natural and plastic-free ingredients
🔴 Single-use packaging (recyclable)
True Gum is a Danish brand of plastic-free and vegan chewing gum that is made with chicle, a natural tree resin.
It is sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener that is good for teeth. True Gum is also free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
It is packaged in recyclable paperboard. True Gum is a certified B Corporation.
True Gum is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. They also sell other products, such as mints and toothpicks, that are made with the same sustainable ingredients.
What we liked / disliked
🟢 Plant-based, biodegradable gum
🟢 Natural and plastic-free ingredients
🔴 Single-use packaging (recyclable)
Simply Gum is a British brand of vegan chewing gum that is made with organic cane sugar, natural chicle, and natural flavors.
It is sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener that is good for teeth. Simply Gum is also free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
It is packaged in recyclable paperboard.
Simply Gum is based in London, England. They also sell other products, such as mints and toothpicks, that are made with the same sustainable ingredients. Simply Gum is a certified B Corporation and donate 1% of their profits to environmental organizations.
What we liked / disliked
🟢 Plant-based, biodegradable gum
🟢 Natural and plastic-free ingredients
🔴 Single-use packaging (recyclable)
Glee Gum is a natural and vegan chewing gum that is made with chicle, a natural tree resin from the sapodilla tree.
It is sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener that is good for teeth. Glee Gum is also free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
It is packaged in recyclable paperboard.
Glee Gum is a certified B Corporation. Glee Gum is based in Portland, Oregon. They also sell other products, such as mints and toothpicks, that are made with the same sustainable ingredients. The company is a member of the Rainforest Alliance, which means that they are committed to protecting the rainforests where chicle is harvested. They donate 1% of their profits to environmental organizations.
What we liked / disliked
🟢 Plant-based, biodegradable gum
🟢 Natural and plastic-free ingredients
🔴 Single-use packaging (recyclable)
The Humble Co. chewing gum is a natural and vegan chewing gum that is made with a plastic-free gum base and recyclable paperboard packaging.
It is free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives, and is sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener that is good for teeth.
The Humble Co. is a Swedish brand that is committed to making sustainable oral care products. They also sell toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss. The Humble Co. is a certified B Corporation, member of the 1% for the Planet movement.
What we liked / disliked
🟢 Plant-based, biodegradable gum
🟢 Natural and plastic-free ingredients
🔴 Single-use packaging (recyclable)
Oh my gum! is a plant-based chewing gum that is made without plastic and is sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener that is good for teeth.
It is made with plant-based ingredients, including chicle, xylitol, and natural flavors and is free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
It is packaged in recyclable paperboard.
Oh my gum! is a London-based brand that is committed to making sustainable chewing gum. They also sell other products, such as mints and toothpicks. Oh my gum! is certified by the Vegan Society and the Plastic Free Foundation.
The company donates 1% of its profits to environmental organizations.
What we liked / disliked
🟢 Plant-based, biodegradable gum
🟢 Natural and plastic-free ingredients
🔴 Single-use packaging (recyclable)
