Toilet Paper Talk

You may have heard about the big news regarding the small tube inside the toilet paper roll back in 2010. Scott Naturals was going au natural–nothing in the middle; not even the spindle. Kimberly Clark, the makers of Scott Naturals is the world’s first line of hybrid paper products and the first in its class to come up with what I believe to be a true innovation. The Scott hybrid line features bath tissue, paper towels, flushable moist wipes and napkins made with a blend of virgin material and at least 20% recycled material in products or packaging. The technology will allow every square inch of tissue to be utilized and no glue on that last piece which usually is in shreds by the time you try pulling it off.

They estimated that 17 billion cardboard tubes are produced in the US annually and account for 160 million pounds of landfill trash. No wonder they would want to wipe out these cardboard cylinders!  However, there are many grandparents, parents, teachers and children whom I believe will miss this medium, which can be crafted into inexpensive art and holiday projects. Check out the George Washington wig made out of tubes for Halloween and more here. My family used to make telescopes and megaphones out of the cardboard cutouts, what about you?

There was talk about extending the tubeless innovation to paper towels as well, so hopefully  we’ll be seeing that on shelves soon too. I think there seems to be more emotional attachment to the toilet paper roll and its craftiness. Although I’m not sure what took them so long to eliminate it.

Cottonelle, another Kimberly Clark brand, is currently running a Facebook campaign called “Respect The Roll” where consumers can win a free, hip, container to house an individual roll. I’m not sure when the transformation took place, but now, good old toilet paper has been renamed “bath tissue” in some circles.

The next time you are at a cocktail party and need some conversation starters read the Toilet Paper Encyclopedia before you “go.”