4 Main Types of Disposable Paper Towels

Paper towels are disposable towels made from tissue paper and come in many forms. They are used for varied applications in homes, hotels, hospitals and schools and offers better hygiene as compared to cloth towels. Paper towels have the capacity to soak up the excess oil that remains on foodstuffs after cooking, particularly fried items. They are also used to wipe out accidental spills in kitchens.

In public toilets and bathrooms, paper towels are provided as disposable hand towels for better hygiene. Unlike paper towels for domestic use which comes in rolls, these are usually seen folded and stacked into dispensers. While cleaning your home, you may use paper towels even to wipe window panes, mirrors and other glass items or furniture. Paper towels are also very suitable to clean bathroom and kitchen surfaces. People sometimes use paper towels as table napkins as well.

As mentioned before, paper towels come in many forms such as, continuous roll, multi-fold, c-fold and perforated roll. Each type is designed and developed specifically for certain purposes. Let us get to know the different types of paper towels here.

Continuous Rolls

This type of paper towels is ideal for use in frequently used bathrooms such as those in restaurants, offices or industrial environments. Continuous rolls are normally meant to be used with a paper towel dispenser. The roll is loaded into the dispenser which has a hard edge on the outside to allow the paper to be pulled out and torn off. Continuous roll paper towels come in 1- ply (single layer) or 2-ply (two layers).

Perforated Rolls

These are also continuous rolls with perforations given at intervals so that they may be torn off in discreet sizes along these perforations, without the need for a dispenser. Perforated rolls are best suited for domestic applications, especially in the kitchen. Perforated rolls are generally single ply.

C-Fold Paper Towels

C-fold paper towels are another type that is good for high traffic and heavy use areas like offices and schools. These also are normally meant to be used with a dispenser. They are designed in such a way that every time a towel is pulled out of the dispenser, the edge of the next towel sticks out and presents itself to be found and pulled out easily. C-fold paper towels also come in 1-ply and 2-ply versions.

Multi-fold Paper Towels

This is also a type of paper towel best suited for frequent use locations such as restaurants and businesses. Multi-fold paper towels are also meant to be used with a dispenser. The folding process of these towels is such that when the top piece is pulled out, the next piece gets half pulled to make it easy to be dispensed.

All these types of paper towels come in an assortment of colours, patterns, thicknesses and qualities. Towels with patterned surfaces facilitate comparatively more absorption. Choices in paper towels also include bleached or unbleached paper or recycled paper. Some popular brands in disposable paper towels include LotusProfessional, Optimum and Kimberly Clark.