Paper towel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A roll of paper towels on a wooden stand, commonly used in kitchens

A paper towel is a tissue paper made from absorbent paper rather than cloth. Unlike cloth towels, paper towels are disposable and intended to be used only once. Paper towels can be individually packed (as stacks of folded towels) or held on a continuous roll.

Paper towels have almost the same purposes as conventional towels, such as drying hands, wiping windows, dusting and cleaning up spills. They are most commonly known for being used in kitchen work. Because paper towels are disposable, they are often chosen to avoid the spreading of germs.^[1] It has been disputed as to whether paper towels have more or less environmental impact than conventional cloth towels.

[edit] Production

Paper towels are made from paper pulp.^[1] They are sometimes bleached during the production process to make the color whiter.^[2] It is not uncommon for rolls of paper towels to include intricate colored images on each square (such as flowers or teddy bears). Resin size is used to improve the wet strength.^[1] Patterns of shapes such as circles or diamonds are often imprinted into the paper towels to help it hold moisture.^[2] Manufacturers use the pattern of the material, microscopic spaces within the pattern, and a type of cellulose in the fibers in order to maximize absorption. Most rolls are manufactured with two layers of thin paper, but different types can have more or fewer layers.

[edit] Varieties

There are two distinct classes of paper towels in existence: the "domestic" paper towel, and the "institutional" paper towel.

Institutional paper towels come in a variety of types. These paper towels are usually made of lighter and rougher paper than the domestic paper towels. Institutional paper towels are usually made to be placed in metal or plastic dispensers, generally found in public bathrooms.

[edit] See also

• Paper towel dispenser

[edit] References