Paper towel Buying Guide

Getting started

When it comes to slurping up spills, some paper towels really do "bring it," which is Bounty's challenge to the messy among us. Among the nearly two dozen products we tested, two Bounty products were best, but a third version absorbed less than its brand mates.

We test for absorbency (measuring how much water weight a towel can suck up), scrubbing strength (the number of strokes it takes to tear a wet towel when rubbed across an abrasive surface), and wet strength (the force it takes to pull apart a wet towel that has been clamped into a tensile-strength-testing machine). The best at scrubbing survived five to 10 times as many scrubbing strokes as those that tore most easily.

Do green claims make a difference? There are currently few or no governmental regulations for many of the "green" claims on paper towels. But "recycled" claims do have some merit, so it's a good idea to look for a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content.

Prices ranged widely, from less than two dollars to more than five per 100 square feet, but you needn't pay top dollar. One brand from a big-box store cost less than two dollars per 100 square feet and was very good; the most expensive paper towel was lowest rated of all.

Types

‘Green' paper towels

White Cloud Green Earth (Walmart) led the pack of the green brands we tested. The others were 365 Everyday Value (Whole Foods), CVS Earth Essentials, Earth Friendly Products, Green Forest, Marcal Small Steps, Scott Naturals, Seventh Generation, and Trader Joe's. But all green brands were in the lower half of our Ratings.

An understanding of green labels will help you to sort out the eco-claims before you buy.

Biodegradable

Who makes the claim: Earth Friendly Products (paper towels, not packaging), Trader Joe's (packaging, not paper towels).

What it means: The Federal Trade Commission says that biodegradable products should break down and return to nature in a reasonably short time.

Fragrance free

Who makes the claim: 365 Everyday Value, Marcal Small Steps, Seventh Generation.

What it means: It has no official standard definition.

Hypoallergenic

Who makes the claim: 365 Everyday Value, Green Forest.

What it means: It has no official standard definition.

Post-consumer recycled content

Who makes the claim: 365 Everyday Value, CVS Earth Essentials, Earth Friendly Products, Green Forest, Seventh Generation, Trader Joe's, White Cloud Green Earth.

What it means: The type of recycled material or the portion of post-consumer content is not required to be listed. If it is listed, look for a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content.

Recycled

Who makes the claim: All green brands that we tested.

What it means: According to FTC guidelines, recycled claims may be used for products or packaging that contain either pre-consumer waste (such as shavings from the paper mill) or tree-saving postconsumer waste (newspapers and shipping cartons).

Whitened without chlorine

Who makes the claim: Almost all green brands we tested.

What it means: The product could be made with other chemicals that might still be toxic to the environment; unbleached paper is a better choice and makes for stronger towels.