Last Updated on October 3, 2022 by bilal
Did you ever wonder why paper towels are called paper towels? Are they really made of paper or not? One question can lead to many other questions – many people never got to know how are paper towels made. This article is everything you want to know about the manufacturing of paper towels and how different paper towels are used for various purposes. So without any further ado let’s go!
How Are Paper Towels Made Step By Step?
Paper towels are certainly a day-to-day use product. It is not only used as an everyday household item, but many industries also use it. These paper towels are a life hack for many of us. They are being used to clean the dirt, dry our hands and wipe off the spills. Paper towels are widely used these days; however, many don’t know the manufacturing process. Some might also wonder, are paper towels made of paper? It is not true!
So are you curious to know what ingredients are used in making a paper towel and what makes a paper towel different from tissue paper? These facts are pretty interesting to get to know! Let’s get started.
These are the three essential steps required in the manufacture of paper towels. Industries follow these steps to manufacture a bulk amount of paper towels on a large scale. However, there are also some intricate methods if you want to try to make a paper towel at home.
Note: Don’t forget to also check out Wash Kitchen Towels
- FIRST STEP – MAKING PULP:
The first step in the formation of a paper towel is making paper pulp. This paper pulp is extracted from the interior of the tree. This pulp has two essential components – Wood fibres and chemical additives. These components will bond together to give strength and shape to the pulp. Once the pulp is ready to use, it is cleaned and bleached to remove any excess contaminants and particles to eliminate the risk of ruining the quality.
- SECOND STEP – REFINING PULP
The second step is to refine the pulp. In this step, industries use large screeners to remove the remaining additives or any impurities. After the filtration and the refined pulp are collected, a bleach solution is added to the pulp to whiten it. Additionally, this final mixture is now ready to combine with another vital component, resin, which makes the fibres strong. The mixture is processed from several heating and cooling rollers in the last step to give it consistency and shape.
After the pulp becomes useable, it is rolled down into thin sheets on flat surfaces to give it a proper shape like a paper towel. Amidst this step, the sheets are provided constant heat to help them dry.
- THIRD STEP – BONDING PAPERÂ
In the third and last step, the resin pulp is now transformed into thin and softer sheets of paper towels by implementing some harmless glue and adhesives. Light is one of the prime factors used in the process. Unlike other paper products such as toilet paper, paper towels are not pressed hard as they will deform the texture of the paper towel.
Most of it is made of two sheets placed one against the other to bond together into a single sheet. The air pockets residing between these sheets help absorb all liquids and clean spills. Paper towels are best for use!
 What are paper towels?
Paper towels are made of paper which is an absorbent textile. It means, unlike other paper products, paper towels have the same purposes as drying, cleaning and removing any spill or dust from the windows or table. Paper towels are lightly woven, which gives them the ability to soak water into the air pockets. Unlike conventional towels, paper towels are disposable and handy to use. Paper towels are environment-friendly.
Are paper towels made of paper?
You might wonder if paper towels are a product made out of paper. A Paper towel is an absorbent and disposable towel that is made of plant fibres. These plant fibres are widely used to manufacture different paper products; hence are called paper fibres. These paper fibres are mixed with a specific resin to give it a thick and softer texture. The main difference between paper towels vs. tissue is that paper towels are more durable because they are more absorbent and do not get torn up easily.
It is also known that trees are the source of mainly all paper goods. You might have heard about save trees slogans every time. The wood and fibre crops are the other essential ingredient in the paper pulp, which later converts into a paper towel.
What are bounty paper towels made of?
Bounty paper towels or also known as “The Quicker Picker Upper“, is the leading disposable paper towel with high absorbency among all other paper products. Bounty paper towels come from softwood trees like pine and spruce. Bounty paper is made from virgin wood pulp. But why bounty paper is more absorbent?
The quilting and stitching pattern bond the two-ply (2 sheets) together in a hexagonal or honeycomb manner in a one-ply bounty paper towel. However, the traditional two-ply bounty paper towel has a tight diamond-shaped quilting texture for excellent extra absorbance. These sheets are also combined with an exceedingly thin adhesive layer to give them a tight yet delicate texture with more surface area. More paper – More absorbency!
 What are brown paper towels made of?
Brown paper towels are made of Kraft paper on a commercial scale. The unbleached brown paper towels are more environment-friendly than their bleached counterparts. One of the minimal advantages of the unbleached brown paper towel is that it can be composted only and only if it is not used to wipe off any chemicals. Brown paper towels are good disposable absorbent towels. Like other paper towels, a brown paper towel is a perfect item for your sink station. The non-recyclable – brown paper tower can be used in offices, kitchens and bathrooms to dry hands, wipe the spills and clean the mess.
Note: Don’t forget to also check out Difference Between a Pool Towel and a Beach
What makes paper towels strong?
There are a few factors that contribute to the strength and thickness of paper towels. All paper towels are generally strong, but Bounty Paper Towel is the strongest and most absorbent paper towel for a different reason. The reason is that the bounty paper towel follows some unique quilting or stitching patterns that tighten up the fibres giving it more area to absorb liquids and wipe off spills.
Here are the other essential factors:
- Raw materials used: Virgin pulp vs plant fibres are adequate in providing the pulp’s strength; however, virgin pulp is more expensive and stronger.
- Refining the pulp:Â The refining process has this essential aspect of shredding the fibres and making them shortened. Shredding the fibres produces excellent fibre entanglement. Eventually, the sheets become stronger.
- The thickness of the sheet:Â The more the sheet is thicker, the more it gets stronger. So a careful balance is needed to produce the desired results.
- Wet strength additives:Â Chemicals are used to increase the absorbing ability of a paper towel. These chemicals improve the quality of the wet performance. However, again proper balance is a severe precaution!
