Toilet Paper

Site of the 2019 toilet paper comparison test

It’s an indelicate subject but a necessary product. Some people think that just any toilet paper will do, but I overheard one of our sons say that good toilet paper is worth the money. I tend to agree with him. After extensive trial and error, I settled on one of the more expensive strong/soft brands and have stuck with it for years.

Mike shared a recent newspaper article with me on the subject of toilet paper. Apparently, humankind is flushing away a staggering number of trees every year. We should be concerned about this, Mike opined. I confessed that I buy one of those “Cadillac” brands for our use – without exception. “Then you’re part of the problem,” he said. “That’s rather harsh,” I thought to myself, but since I do believe in “reduce, reuse, recycle,” I took it to heart.

I didn’t read the article myself, but I thought Mike said that lesser brands, such as store brands, are much more likely to be manufactured with recycled pulp. As it happened, Safeway/Albertson’s ran a special on their “Our Softest” Signature brand toilet paper, so I picked up a package. “Compare to Charmin’s ‘Ultra Soft,’” says the package. It also indicates the product is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (here). I could only determine that this certification means a certain responsibility toward the environment, not that it’s made from recycled paper.

While I was grocery shopping today, I made my way to the shelves of toilet paper. Here’s the result of my research:

·      Charmin Ultra Soft (P&G) – The plastic wrap and the tube are from recycled product; FSC (paper from responsible sources); “rainforest alliance certified.”

·      Quilted Northern – meets SFI standards

·      Signature brand – meets SFI standards

·      Kimberly Clark (Cottonelle) – visit their website to see how they support forests (hmmm)

·      Open Nature – 100% recycled paper

·      Green Forest – 100% recycled paper; 90% post-consumer recycled content.

Green Forest says “soft on nature; soft on you.” And it was on sale, so I bought a package.

Daughter Hallie is visiting the farm this week, so I asked her to toss in a roll of the brand she has on hand. She has been a Quilted Northern fan, but they have dropped double rolls in favor of mega rolls, which don't fit her holder. She's now looking for a new favorite brand, so this is a good time for us to make a comparison. We'll have Charmin, Angel Soft, Signature, and Green Forest. 

I’ve heard that way back in the day of the outhouse, folks used pages of the Sears-Roebuck catalog for T.P. I’d happily flush pages from some of the catalogs I receive, but you just know that ink and dyes wouldn’t be good for my system or the plumbing.

And I’m not even going to ask if it might be possible for us to actually use less T.P.   

Well, I merely call this issue to your attention. Personally, I think conservation is important. We should care about the environment and perhaps exert some pressure, if only through our buying choices. I will try to find an environmentally-friendly product that meets my standards. And you’ll have to decide for yourself. KW