Nowadays, paper towels are considered essential items in every household, even in public places such as offices and schools… In the past, regular paper towels used to be white, but in recent years, alongside the traditional white paper towels, a new type of paper towels with a different color has emerged. They are the light yellow colored paper towels.
According to distributors, the yellow colored paper towels for eating and bathroom use are “unbleached, free from additives, made from natural materials, and completely eco-friendly and healthy for users’ well-being.”
So, in comparison between the traditional white paper towels and the new yellow colored paper towels, which one is truly better? In reality, users need to consider various aspects of each type of paper towel in order to find the answer.
Distinctive features of each type of paper towel
On the market, natural paper towels will have a higher price compared to regular paper towels. First and foremost, the most obvious difference lies in the raw materials used for each type of paper towel. Regular paper towels – white paper towels are typically made from wood pulp. On the other hand, natural paper towels – yellow colored paper towels are made from bamboo pulp, rice straw, or even wood pulp.
After selecting the raw materials for making the paper towels, manufacturers will proceed with the processing stage. In essence, the process of creating these two types of paper towels is not significantly different from each other, except for one stage, which is the stage that brings about the difference in the color of the paper towels. That stage is the bleaching process. White paper towels will have bleach added to them, while yellow colored paper towels are directly processed from the original raw materials. Therefore, compared to white paper towels, yellow colored towels are not subjected to bleaching.
It can be said that the natural yellow paper towels will not have bleach added to them and they do not have any residual bleach on the paper towels. This is also why the natural paper towels have a warm yellow color – closer to the natural color of the raw materials used to make them.
However, does bleach really affect the health of humans when using white colored paper towels?
According to the analysis of experts, bleach in paper towels can include Chlorine or Chlorine-containing compounds such as Hypochlorous Acid. After undergoing multiple processes, the concentration of these substances/compounds will be reduced to extremely low levels, meeting the requirements for ensuring the safety of users’ health. Therefore, white paper towels are not more dangerous or have a negative impact on users’ health compared to natural yellow paper towels.
Coming back to naturally light yellow colored paper towels, as mentioned, this type of paper towels will undergo less processing than white paper towels. This is also why the paper towels will be rougher and less smooth compared to white paper towels that have undergone multiple processing stages. Therefore, users can consider choosing yellow or white paper towels depending on their needs and personal preferences. Whether it is yellow or white paper towels, as long as they meet the safety standards for health stated on the packaging, users can use them with confidence.
However, if the white paper towels are too bright or the yellow paper towels are too dark, users should also be cautious and thoroughly check the information before purchasing and using them. If the paper towels are too white, it may mean that they have been excessively bleached, resulting in a high concentration of bleach. Or if the paper towels are too dark yellow, they may have been dyed to “disguise” themselves as natural paper towels, containing certain amounts of dyes that are not skin-friendly. In addition, experts also encourage users to use odorless toilet paper varieties and minimize the use of heavily scented varieties as they primarily rely on industrial fragrances rather than natural ones.
How to choose good quality paper towels?
In addition to color, users should also consider other factors to choose the right type of paper towels for their families. First and foremost, choose based on the brand and origin of the paper towels. Do not buy products of uncertain origin or without safety certifications, even if they are cheap.
Next is to consider the composition of the paper towels. In addition to reading the information on the product packaging, users can perform some tests themselves to evaluate the paper towels. For example, soaking the paper towel in water, if there are not many visible residues after a few minutes, it indicates that it is a good quality paper towel. Or, pulling and tearing the paper towel, if the towel rips quickly and does not stretch, and there are many paper particles, then it is a low-quality paper towel.
Source: Phụ nữ mới