Rutines and The Humble Co are two Swedish brands that both sell bamboo toothbrushes with nylon bristles. The differences are small and mostly come down to range, distribution and tone rather than the core material. Rutines focuses on wood and bamboo toothbrushes designed in Sweden, with an FSC-certified bamboo handle and soft bristles throughout, sold at Apotea, Apohem and selected ICA stores.
If you are looking for a bamboo toothbrush in Sweden, you quickly come across both Rutines and The Humble Co. This guide compares them soberly and factually, so you can choose what suits you. We stick to what can be substantiated: origin, material, range, distribution and price. We make no sweeping judgements about which brand is best, since that depends on what you personally value.
Where do Rutines and The Humble Co come from?
Both brands have Swedish roots. Rutines is a Swedish brand whose toothbrushes are designed in Sweden, with an emphasis on Nordic, pared-back design. The Humble Co was founded in Sweden in 2013 by a dentist and has since grown into an international brand present in a large number of markets.
For you as a consumer, that means both have a connection to Sweden, but they differ in size and reach. The Humble Co is an established international brand with broad presence, while Rutines is a more focused Swedish alternative. Which feels most relevant depends on whether you value a large global brand or a more niche Swedish one. It is a matter of taste rather than a difference in quality.
It is worth remembering that origin and brand size do not say everything about an individual toothbrush. Two brushes with similar material and bristle firmness perform much the same in the mouth, regardless of how large the company behind them is. Origin can still matter to you if you want to support Swedish design or a smaller brand, or conversely prefer the reassurance of a large international name. Both perspectives are reasonable, and neither makes the other brush worse.
What materials and certifications do they have?
This is where the similarities are greatest, and it is important to be honest about that. Both brands' toothbrushes have bamboo handles and nylon bristles. This applies to virtually all bamboo toothbrushes on the market, because there is as yet no non-plastic bristle that handles daily oral care equally well. Neither brush is plastic-free, regardless of brand.
Rutines states FSC certification for the bamboo in its handles, which means the raw material has been traced through a chain of suppliers that follow the Forest Stewardship Council's requirements for responsible forestry. If you want to compare exactly which certifications each brand has right now, it is best to read each brand's own current product pages and packaging, since such details can change over time. The important thing when comparing is to look for concrete, bounded facts, such as what material the handle is made of and which certifications are actually stated, rather than general environmental words.
One thing to watch out for, regardless of brand, is environmental messaging that sounds too good to be true. Claims that a bamboo toothbrush is fully compostable or plastic-free are rarely accurate, since the nylon bristle does not break down in an ordinary compost. A serious brand is clear that the handle is bamboo and the bristle is nylon, and keeps the environmental message bounded and correct. Always read the concrete material information and go by that when you compare.
How does the bristle type differ?
Both brands offer soft bristles, which is the firmness dental care generally recommends for most people. The Humble Co also has medium variants in its range, while Rutines focuses on soft bristles. So if you specifically want a soft brush, it is available from both, and if you choose Rutines, soft is the consistent choice.
The bristle is nylon in both. The Humble Co states that its bristles are BPA-free and partly made from plant-based material from castor beans, which is still a plastic. Rutines soft bristles are nylon in a soft grade. The practical difference for you in the mouth is small: both give soft nylon bristles. What mainly differs is how broad a span of bristle firmness each brand offers, and there Rutines has a clear soft focus.
That a bristle is marketed as partly plant-based is not the same as being free of plastic. Castor-bean-based nylon is still a synthetic polymer, even though some of the raw material comes from a plant. This is a nuance that is easy to miss, and one of the reasons it pays to read the material description carefully regardless of which brand you look at. The conclusion for the bristle is the same for both: it is nylon, it is not compostable at home, and it works well for daily oral care.
Where do you buy them in Sweden?
The Humble Co is widely distributed in Sweden and is available in several pharmacy chains as well as in grocery retail, which makes it easy to find in many stores. Rutines is sold at the online pharmacies Apotea and Apohem, in selected ICA stores such as ICA Kvantum Liljeholmen, and directly in its own web store at rutines.com.
In practice you find both brands via Swedish online pharmacies. The Humble Co is widely available in physical stores and pharmacy chains in Sweden. Rutines sells via Apotea, Apohem, selected ICA stores and its own web store, where the whole range with all colours and multipacks is gathered in one place. To see the entire Rutines range, start in the bamboo toothbrushes collection, or in kids' bamboo toothbrushes if you shop for children.
Which is best for sensitive gums?
For sensitive gums it is the bristle firmness that matters most, not which brand you choose. Soft bristles clean along the gum line and are gentler than medium and hard bristles, which is why dental care generally recommends soft. Since both Rutines and The Humble Co offer soft bristles, both can work for sensitive gums.
The difference lies in how clearly soft bristles are the default choice. Rutines focuses on soft bristles throughout the range, which makes the choice easy if you know you want soft. If you specifically want a soft brush, it is always worth checking the bristle-firmness label on the packaging regardless of brand, since many brands offer several firmness levels. Regardless of brand, technique, with light pressure and short movements along the gum line, matters as much as the bristle. For specific issues, always follow advice from your dentist or hygienist.
Are there children's variants from both?
Yes, both Rutines and The Humble Co have toothbrushes adapted for children with a smaller brush head and soft bristles. So for families who want the same type of toothbrush for everyone in the household, there are children's options regardless of which brand you choose. What generally applies to children's toothbrushes applies to both: a small head for a small mouth, soft bristles for delicate gums, and that an adult often needs to help until the technique is in place.
If you have already chosen a brand for yourself, it is often practical to stick with the same for the children, so you can buy everything in one place. At Rutines you find the children's range gathered in the kids' bamboo toothbrushes collection, with several colours to choose from. If you want to read more about what makes a bamboo toothbrush suitable for children, there is a separate guide on exactly that. Regardless of brand, the same basic rules on size, bristle firmness and replacement apply.
What else sets the brands apart?
Beyond the product, the brands have slightly different profiles. The Humble Co has an explicit social mission through the Humble Smile Foundation, a foundation established in 2015 that works on oral health for vulnerable groups. It is part of the brand's identity and can be a reason to choose them for those who want to support that kind of work.
Rutines' profile lies more in the Swedish design tradition and in a focused range of wood and bamboo toothbrushes with soft bristles, designed in Sweden. For those who want a clean, design-driven Swedish alternative, that can be appealing. In price terms, both sit in a similar, affordable range for a single toothbrush, so price is rarely the deciding factor. It is more about which profile and range suit you.
A simple way to choose is to start from what you actually prioritise. If you want the widest possible availability in physical stores and to support a brand with an explicit social foundation, The Humble Co is a natural choice. If instead you want a more focused Swedish alternative with a clear soft-bristle focus, Nordic design and the whole range gathered in one web store, Rutines fits well. Since the basic quality, a bamboo handle with a soft nylon bristle, is comparable, you can confidently choose by profile and convenience rather than looking for a big quality difference that is, in practice, small.
Summary
Rutines and The Humble Co are both Swedish bamboo toothbrush brands with bamboo handles and nylon bristles, and the differences are smaller than you might think. The Humble Co is a larger, international brand with broad distribution and an explicit social foundation. Rutines is a more focused Swedish alternative with an emphasis on Nordic design, an FSC-certified bamboo handle and soft bristles throughout. For sensitive gums, soft bristles are the key, and both offer that. Choose based on which profile, range and distribution suit you. To explore the Rutines range, start in the bamboo toothbrushes collection.