Product Review Friday: Seventh Generation Paper Towels

Like many eco-conscious folks, I try to eschew paper products whenever possible. It has been years since I’ve bought paper plates or paper napkins, for example. I use cloth napkins, re-using them a few times before tossing them in the laundry, I always have a stash of dish towels on hand, and I use a sponge to clean up most spills. I will admit, though, that it is nice to have a roll of paper towels handy for some situations.

I will also admit that I’ve long held a prejudice against recycled paper towels. My lack-of-love for recycled paper towels started over a decade ago. The towels on the market then were brown and scratchy, and disintegrated into mush practically at the sight of liquid. I stopped buying them and instead became a master at making a roll of regular paper towels last for nearly a year. A few months ago, I decided to give recycled paper towels another go. They were just as bad as I remembered them to be and I continued to write them off as a product I wouldn’t buy. So, I have to say that I am very happy that I tried Seventh Generation paper towels this week, and even am happier to report that I think they are great. I still plan to use paper towels sparingly, but at least now I know that I have an alternative that (a) works and (b) has as minimal of an environmental impact as possible for a paper towel.

Are they as sturdy and absorbent as the “quicker picker upper?” I didn’t do a side-by-side test, but probably not. However, I use paper towels primarily for two things — cleaning mirrors and windows, and in cooking to drain or strain foods like eggplant, cucumbers, yogurt, or fried food — and in these uses, Seventh Generation paper towels more than delivered. I also used one to to clean up a small spill, and it worked just fine; I only needed one towel, and it didn’t turn into some weird kind of mush.

Seventh Generation is a bit of a green darling. If you know of Seventh Generation, you probably know of their good reputation, too. If you are new to Seventh Generation, I recommend taking some time to read about them on their web site. Based in Vermont, they’ve been around for decades and operate with principles of social responsibility. The name “Seventh Generation” stems from the Great Law of the Iroquois that states, “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” Certainly a principle to live by.

So about the greenness of those paper towels. When you buy paper towels, there are two main things two look for:

• The percent that is made from post-consumer recycled content
• What kind of bleaching process was used

If you are not buying a recycled roll of paper towels, still take the bleaching process into consideration, and also look into the forest practices of the manufacturer and/or its supplier.

Seventh Generation paper towels are among the greenest on the market. In fact, only 365 Everyday Value from Whole Foods scores higher on the environmental front. Seventh Generation’s towels are 100% recycled, with 80% of the recycled material coming from post-consumer sources. In addition, the towels are also whitened without chlorine bleach. 365 just edges out Seventh Generation, containing 80% – 95% post-consumer recycled material.

Perhaps the only drawback to the product is its wrapper, made from #4 LDPE plastic. While recyclable, many communities do not accept this material in their recycling programs. Safeway and Lucky’s, however, will accept this kind of plastic in their bag recycling bins.

Bottom line: I am really happy with this product and will continue to buy it when I need paper towels. It’s a product that works well and one that I can feel good about. Per its packaging — and I have no idea where they get these numbers — if every household in the US replaced just one roll of 70 sheet virgin fiber paper towels with 100% recycled ones, we could save:

• 544,000 trees
• 1.4 million cubic feet of landfill space (2,000 full garbage trucks)
• 196 million gallons of water (a year’s supply of water for 1,500 families of four)
• and avoid 33,400 pounds of pollution

Not bad! If you have hesitation about recycled paper towels due to bad past experiences, give these a shot. And, if you want to see how your regular brand stacks up, the Natural Resources Defense Council has a great resource for comparing paper towels and other common household paper products.

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