Paper towel

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A roll of paper towels (kitchen roll) Paper towel.jpg
A roll of paper towels (kitchen roll)

A paper towel is an absorbent, disposable towel made from paper. [1] In Commonwealth English, paper towels for kitchen use are also known as kitchen rolls, kitchen paper, or kitchen towels. [2] For home use, paper towels are usually sold in a roll of perforated sheets, but some are sold in stacks of pre-cut and pre-folded layers for use in paper-towel dispensers. Unlike cloth towels, paper towels are disposable and intended to be used only once. Paper towels absorb water because they are loosely woven, which enables water to travel between the fibers, even against gravity (capillary effect). They have similar purposes to conventional towels, such as drying hands, wiping windows and other surfaces, dusting, and cleaning up spills. Paper towel dispensers are commonly used in toilet facilities shared by many people (such as at schools or shopping malls), as they are often considered more hygienic than hot-air hand dryers [3] or shared cloth towels.

Contents

History

Early paper towels Nibroc.jpg
Early paper towels

In 1907, the Philadelphia-based Scott Paper Company developed the first restroom tissues. [4] They started the paper towel industry when they began selling Sani-Towels and used advertising to convince the public that paper towels were essential for personal hygiene. [5]

In 1919, William E. Corbin, Henry Chase, and Harold Titus began experimenting with paper towels in the Research and Development building of the Brown Company in Berlin, New Hampshire. [6] By 1922, Corbin perfected their product and began mass-producing it at the Cascade Mill on the Berlin/Gorham line. [7] This product was called Nibroc Paper Towels (Corbin spelled backwards [8] ). In 1931, the Scott Paper Company introduced their paper towel rolls for kitchens.

Paper towels are commonly used for drying hands in public bathrooms. In the 21st century, however, electric jet-air dryers have threatened their dominance. While there is no clear scientific consensus over which method is more hygienic, the paper towel industry and hand dryer manufacturers such as Dyson have each attempted to discredit each other by funding studies which spur sensationalist headlines and running advertisements. The public relations battle has also been fueled by animosity between both sides. [4] [9]

Production

Paper towels are made from either virgin or recycled paper pulp, [10] which is extracted from wood or fiber crops. They are sometimes bleached during the production process to lighten coloration, [11] and may also be decorated with colored images on each square (such as flowers or teddy bears). Resin size is used to improve the wet strength. [11] Paper towels are packed individually and sold as stacks, or are held on a continuous roll, and come in two distinct classes: domestic and institutional. [12] Many companies produce paper towels. Some common brand names are Bounty, Seventh Generation, Scott, Viva, and Kirkland brand among many others.

Market

Tissue products in North America, including paper towels, are divided into consumer and commercial markets, with household consumer usage accounting for approximately two thirds of total North American consumption. [12] Commercial usage, or otherwise any use outside of the household, accounts for the remaining third of North American consumption. [12] The growth in commercial use of paper towels can be attributed to the migration from folded towels (in public bathrooms, for example) to roll towel dispensers, which reduces the amount of paper towels used by each patron. [12]

Within the forest products industry, paper towels are a major part of the "tissue market", second only to toilet paper. [12]

Globally, Americans are the highest per capita users of paper towels in the home, [13] at approximately 24 kilograms (53 lb) yearly consumption per capita (combined consumption approximately 7.8 million tonnes (7,700,000 long tons; 8,600,000 short tons) per year). This is 50% higher than in Europe and nearly 500% higher than in Latin America. [12] By contrast, people in the Middle East tend to prefer reusable cloth towels, and people in Europe tend to prefer reusable cleaning sponges. [13]

Paper towels are popular primarily among people who have disposable income, so their use is higher in wealthy countries and low in developing countries. [13]

Growing hygiene consciousness during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a boost in paper towel market growth.[ citation needed ]

Environmental issues

Paper towels are a global product with rising production and consumption. [14] Being second in tissue consumption only to toilet paper (36% vs. 45% in the U.S.), the proliferation of paper towels, which are mostly non-recyclable, has globally adverse effects on the environment. [15] However, paper towels made from recycled paper do exist, and are sold at many outlets. Some are manufactured from bamboo, which grows faster than trees.

Electric hand dryers are an alternative to using paper towels for hand drying. [16] However, paper towels are quicker than hand dryers: after ten seconds, paper towels achieve 90% dryness,[ clarification needed ] while hot air dryers require 40 seconds to achieve a similar dryness. [17] Electric hand dryers may also spread bacteria to hands and clothing. [18] [19] [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toilet paper</span> Tissue paper for cleaning after defecation or urination

Toilet paper is a tissue paper product primarily used to clean the anus and surrounding region of feces, and to clean the external genitalia and perineal area of urine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hygiene</span> Practices performed to preserve health

Hygiene is a set of practices performed to preserve health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "Hygiene refers to conditions and practices that help to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases." Personal hygiene refers to maintaining the body's cleanliness. Hygiene activities can be grouped into the following: home and everyday hygiene, personal hygiene, medical hygiene, sleep hygiene, and food hygiene. Home and every day hygiene includes hand washing, respiratory hygiene, food hygiene at home, hygiene in the kitchen, hygiene in the bathroom, laundry hygiene, and medical hygiene at home. And also environmental hygiene in the society to prevent all kinds of bacterias from penetrating into our homes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Towel</span> Absorbent fabric or paper, used for drying or wiping a surface

A towel is a piece of absorbent cloth or paper used for drying or wiping a surface. Towels draw moisture through direct contact.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kimberly-Clark</span> American multinational personal care corporation

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is an American multinational consumer goods and personal care corporation that produces mostly paper-based consumer products. The company manufactures sanitary paper products and surgical & medical instruments. Kimberly-Clark brand name products include Kleenex facial tissue, Kotex feminine hygiene products, Cottonelle, Scott and Andrex toilet paper, Wypall utility wipes, KimWipes scientific cleaning wipes and Huggies disposable diapers and baby wipes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washing</span> Method of cleaning

Washing is a method of cleaning, usually with water and soap or detergent. Regularly washing and then rinsing both body and clothing is an essential part of good hygiene and health.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia-Pacific</span> American wood pulp and paper company

Georgia-Pacific LLC is an American pulp and paper company based in Atlanta, Georgia, and is one of the world's largest manufacturers and distributors of tissue, pulp, paper, toilet and paper towel dispensers, packaging, building products and related chemicals, and other forest products—largely made from its own timber. Since 2005, it has been an independently operated and managed subsidiary of Koch Industries. As of fall 2019, the company employed more than 35,000 people at more than 180 locations in North America, South America and Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hand washing</span> Act of cleaning ones hands

Hand washing, also known as hand hygiene, is the act of cleaning one's hands with soap or handwash and water to remove viruses/bacteria/microorganisms, dirt, grease, and other harmful or unwanted substances stuck to the hands. Drying of the washed hands is part of the process as wet and moist hands are more easily recontaminated. If soap and water are unavailable, hand sanitizer that is at least 60% (v/v) alcohol in water can be used as long as hands are not visibly excessively dirty or greasy. Hand hygiene is central to preventing the spread of infectious diseases in home and everyday life settings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menstrual pad</span> Absorbent item worn in the underwear

A menstrual pad is an absorbent item worn in the underwear when menstruating, bleeding after giving birth, recovering from gynecologic surgery, experiencing a miscarriage or abortion, or in any other situation where it is necessary to absorb a flow of blood from the vagina. A menstrual pad is a type of menstrual hygiene product that is worn externally, unlike tampons and menstrual cups, which are worn inside the vagina. Pads are generally changed by being stripped off the pants and panties, taking out the old pad, sticking the new one on the inside of the panties and pulling them back on. Pads are recommended to be changed every 3–4 hours to avoid certain bacteria that can fester in blood; this time also may differ depending on the kind worn, flow, and the time it is worn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tissue paper</span> Lightweight paper or, light crêpe paper

Tissue paper or simply tissue is a lightweight paper or light crêpe paper. Tissue can be made from recycled paper pulp on a paper machine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wet wipe</span> Small moistened piece of paper or cloth

A wet wipe, also known as a wet towel, wet one, moist towelette, disposable wipe, disinfecting wipe, or a baby wipe is a small to medium-sized moistened piece of plastic or cloth that either comes folded and individually wrapped for convenience or, in the case of dispensers, as a large roll with individual wipes that can be torn off. Wet wipes are used for cleaning purposes like personal hygiene and household cleaning; each is a separate product depending on the chemicals added and medical or office cleaning wipes are not intended for skin hygiene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disposable product</span> Product designed to be discarded after use

A disposable is a product designed for a single use after which it is recycled or is disposed as solid waste. The term is also sometimes used for products that may last several months to distinguish from similar products that last indefinitely. The word "disposables" is not to be confused with the word "consumables", which is widely used in the mechanical world. For example, welders consider welding rods, tips, nozzles, gas, etc. to be "consumables", as they last only a certain amount of time before needing to be replaced. Consumables are needed for a process to take place, such as inks for printing and welding rods for welding, while disposable products are items that can be discarded after they become damaged or are no longer useful.

Infection prevention and control is the discipline concerned with preventing healthcare-associated infections; a practical rather than academic sub-discipline of epidemiology. In Northern Europe, infection prevention and control is expanded from healthcare into a component in public health, known as "infection protection". It is an essential part of the infrastructure of health care. Infection control and hospital epidemiology are akin to public health practice, practiced within the confines of a particular health-care delivery system rather than directed at society as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hand dryer</span> Electric hand-drying machine

A hand dryer is an electric machine which might make use of a heating element and an air blower to dry the hands after hand washing. It is commonly used in public toilets as a cost-effective alternative to paper towels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paper-towel dispenser</span> Device that dispenses paper towels

A paper-towel dispenser is a wall-mounted device that dispenses paper towels in a public toilet so that hands can be dried after hand washing. Some are operated by a handle, some by pulling the paper from the dispenser, and others by automatic dispensation in response to a motion sensor, which is generally powered by an internal battery. Many dispensers also feature a lock-and-key mechanism to prevent paper theft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cloth menstrual pad</span> Cloth pads to prevent menstrual fluid from leaking onto clothes

Cloth menstrual pads are cloth pads worn in the underwear to collect menstrual fluid. They are a type of reusable menstrual hygiene product, and are an alternative to sanitary napkins or to menstrual cups. Because they can be reused, they are generally less expensive than disposable pads over time, and reduce the amount of waste produced.

Personal care products are consumer products which are applied on various external parts of the body such as skin, hair, nails, lips, external genital and anal areas, as well as teeth and mucous membrane of the oral cavity, in order to make them clean, protect them from harmful germs and keep them in good condition. They promote personal hygiene and overall health, well-being and appearance of those body parts. Toiletries form a narrower category of personal care products which are used for basic hygiene and cleanliness as a part of a daily routine. Cosmetic products, in contrast, are used for personal grooming and beautification. Pharmaceutical products are not considered personal care products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aircraft lavatory</span> Small room on an aircraft with a toilet and sink

An aircraft lavatory or plane toilet is a small unisex room on an aircraft with a toilet and sink. They are commonplace on passenger flights except some short-haul flights. Aircraft toilets were historically chemical toilets, but many now use a vacuum flush system instead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dyson Airblade</span> Electric hand dryer

Dyson Airblade is an electric hand dryer made by the Singapore-based company Dyson, found in public bathrooms across the United Kingdom. It was introduced in the United Kingdom in 2006 and in the United States in late 2007. In 2013 the Airblade Tap was launched, which incorporates Airblade technology into a bathroom faucet enabling washing and drying in a single unit.

References

  1. ↑ "PAPER TOWEL | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary". Dictionary.cambridge.org. 2022-05-25. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  2. ↑ "KITCHEN ROLL | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary". Dictionary.cambridge.org. 2022-05-25. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  3. ↑ "Paper towels may be more hygienic than air dryers - NHS". NHS. June 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  4. 1 2 Subramanian, Samanth (April 25, 2019). "Hand dryers v paper towels: the surprisingly dirty fight for the right to dry your hands". The Guardian . Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  5. ↑ Coombs, Danielle Sarver; Batchelor, Bob, eds. (2014). We Are What We Sell: How Advertising Shapes American Life. . . and Always Has [3 Volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 130. ISBN   978-0-313-39245-0.
  6. ↑ "It felt like death". Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Once Upon a Berlin Time". Archived from the original on September 26, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Beginnings of the Cascade Paper Mill" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 21, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  9. ↑ Vincent, James (April 22, 2016). "Dyson vs Big Paper Towel: the battle over hand-drying hygiene". The Verge . Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". quickerpickerupper.com. Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
  11. 1 2 Sasser, Sue Lynn. Paper Towels Archived 2006-09-06 at the Wayback Machine from the Texas A&M website. Retrieved on June 29, 2007
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Brad Kalil, Director of Tissue (October 2008). "Tissue market continues to grow". Pulp & Paper Int'l Digital Edition. RISI. Archived from the original on 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2009-10-31.
  13. 1 2 3 Pinsker, Joe (2018-12-10). "Americans Are Weirdly Obsessed With Paper Towels". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2018-12-11.
  14. ↑ "Guidelines to choosing best paper towels". 16 August 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  15. ↑ Jingshi Wu. "Taking Paper Towels to the Compost Pile: Nitty-gritty". Stanford Magazine.
  16. ↑ "How much tissue paper does an American household use in a day?". www.innovateus.net. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  17. ↑ "Paper Towels – What's the Big Deal Anyway?". Ocean Currents. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  18. ↑ TÜV Produkt und Umwelt GmbH Report No. 425-452006 A report concerning a study conducted with regard to the different methods used for drying hands; September 2005
  19. ↑ Huang, Cunrui; Ma, Wenjun; Stack, Susan (1 August 2012). "The Hygienic Efficacy of Different Hand-Drying Methods: A Review of the Evidence". Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 87 (8): 791–798. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2012.02.019 . PMC   3538484 . PMID   22656243.
  20. ↑ Ngeow YF, Ong HW, Tan P. Dispersal of bacteria by an electric air hand dryer. Malays J Pathol. 1989 Aug;11:53-6.
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