Since paper towels are a mandatory bit of homes, offices, and basically everywhere now, they are a part of our habitual, everyday-use commodities. It’s a valuable item, but it’s also one of the things that are just there, and we don’t really pay any out-of-the-way heed to them. We’ve used paper towels forever, but the unforeseen jumpstart of a pandemic has jacked up our usage of paper towels. From cleaning the spoils, hands, and faces to disinfecting our work desks and keeping our kitchen counters clean, the requirement for these good boys has gone up! And that’s where we take the reigns – we’ve put together this buying guide to aid your stocking and help you choose a longer-lasting, soft-textured, and sturdier set of paper towels!
Why Should You Use Paper Towels?While we are aware of the environmental impact of using disposable paper products, paper towels still qualify as a go-to solution for now. Why? Because they help eliminate the spread of germs. How? Because when you’re preparing meals, dealing with raw meat, or at times if water is out of your reach, a reusable cloth can become a very strong carrier of germs. A paper towel is a safest, cleanest, and most hygienic option in such a case.
Moreover, it would be best if you were using paper towels for the following reasons:
- It can help soak up oils and grease from fried foods
- It’s very handy and portable
- A germ-free solution for rinsing vegetables, fruits, dry fruits, and more
- You can clean up spills, baby spoils, and pet accidents and reduce the spread of germs
- It’s a very cost-effective solution for corporate, restaurant, and hospital washrooms, etc
What Makes a Good Paper Towel?Since a paper towel is made of paper, it has cellulose. The water molecules love cellulose and like clinging to it. However, it’s well-observed that paper towels absorb water better than regular paper. Why? Because the cellulose fibers in paper towels have empty spaces, small air bubbles are basically.
For chemistry nerds reading this who may still remember bits from their high-school notes, the water molecules like to stick together because of hydrogen bonding. Hence, these tiny air bubbles in paper towels are filled with water at once. But why is this information important?
Because the absorbency of your paper towel directly correlates to the patterns on it, the dotted patterns on a paper towel increase its efficiency, ultimately putting forward the definition of a ‘good’ paper towel.
At some point in your life, you might have also wondered about the multi-layering on tissue papers and paper towels. It could’ve been a single layer, right? But it’s normally two layers because it helps generate space and increases absorbency! The more layers, the better a paper towel picks up liquid spills.
What Factors Should You Consider Before Purchasing a Paper Towel Roll?With the hefty and growing demand for paper towels, there isn’t any lack of manufacturers in the market. However, there’s a lack of awareness among consumers. Instead of just going for the best-looking pack, here are a few things you can consider before finalizing your purchase.
Sheet sizeIt’s important for you to choose the right sheet size to be seamless and comfortable while tearing the paper. Your priority should be going with a size that fits your needs. And that’s all there is to select the ‘right’ sheet size.
Generally, you should come across 6 x 11” and 11 x 11” sized paper towels in the market, following the standard. There could be more sizes as well, and at the end of the day, you can always hit up a few manufacturers and place a custom-sized order if nothing ruffles your truffles.
Ply design/AbsorbencyUsually, you can find the number of layers in each paper towel outside the packaging. As we’ve mentioned above, the most common number of layers or ply is either one or two. Since the one with two offers more absorbency, then that’s the one you should always go for.
Eco-friendlinessWhile the usage of paper items should be decreased with time, there’s still an inevitable need for a few commodities like paper towels.
Paper damages the environment – we all know it and deal with it as it comes. However, there still are a few things you could do to minimize that damage. When it comes to paper towels, you can go for only eco-friendly products. To be precise, you could go for a product that’s made from bamboo or look for Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) paper towels. Some paper towels are made from recycled material or sustainably sourced material from responsibly managed forests, so you might want to opt for those to be more environmentally friendly.
PricingSome paper towels will cost more than bounty select a size 2 ply paper towels white 108 sheets roll 12 rolls. However, the goal here should be to find the ones that get the job done. If it’s worth it, all good. If it doesn’t do the job, move to the next best option. Also, consider the next section for a cost-effective hack on paper towels.
How Do Fold Types Give You a Cost-Effective Paper Towel Solution?This hack is particularly only effective when the paper towel is being used out of a dispenser—for instance, in restaurants, hospitals, corporate washrooms, etc., to be specific. As long as the paper towel is being used out of a dispenser, consider the following fold types, advantages, and disadvantages.
C-foldA C-Fold paper towel comes with two tabs folded in on each other; they’re stacked on top of each other while the middle of each towel faces down.
Z-fold paper towelAlso known as multifold or M-Fold paper towels, these paper towels have an extra fold in the middle that creates the Z-shape. The Z-Fold paper towels are very cost-effective for two reasons; they tend to come out one at a time and come out opened up.
InterfoldThe Interfold paper towel is simply folded in half. It is also a cost-effective solution for similar reasons to a Z-fold paper towel.
Wet paper towels can fall on the floor, become mushy, and create a slipping menace. When only one paper towel comes out in a single take, your money isn’t wasted by irresponsible folks who tend to pull multiple towels out in one shot. Apart from this, the chances of paper towels falling on the floor are reduced, resulting in a safer environment.
Similarly, when a towel comes out opened up, it’ll be bounty select a size 2 ply paper towels white 108 sheets roll 12 rolls and easy to use. On the contrary, when a paper towel isn’t opened up, there’s a chance that people will pull out another one to fulfill their needs instead of going the extra mile to open it up.