Gitnux/Report 2026

Paper Towel Industry Statistics

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Paper Towel Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

An editor sets the topic, the inclusion criteria, and the evaluation framework before research starts.

02Source Research

AI search agents locate sources and extract each figure together with the document it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The paper towel industry at a glance

The global paper towels market was valued at $16.46 billion in 2025 and is projected to expand at a 4.65% CAGR through 2034, supported by household, commercial and institutional hygiene demand.

$16.46B[26]
Global market size, 2025
4.65%[26]
Forecast CAGR, 2026–2034
7.8M tons[25]
U.S. tissue production, 2025
40.36%[99]
Asia-Pacific market share, 2025
Market size
The global paper towels market was valued at $16.46 billion in 2025, according to The Insight Partners. A separate 2025 estimate placed the market at approximately $15.83 billion, showing that reported totals vary by product and channel scope.[26][99]
Forecast & CAGR
The Insight Partners forecasts growth from $16.46 billion in 2025 to $24.77 billion by 2034, implying a 4.65% CAGR from 2026 to 2034. The forecast includes residential, commercial and institutional end users and rolled and folded towel formats.[26]
Market share & regions
Asia-Pacific represented an estimated 40.36% of the global paper towels market in 2025, followed by North America at 30.53% and Europe at 20.22%. The regional estimates correspond to market values of $6.39 billion, $4.83 billion and $3.20 billion, respectively.[99]
Segmentation
Household applications accounted for an estimated 63.25% of the 2025 market, compared with 28.39% for commercial uses and 8.36% for institutional uses. By format, rolled paper towels represented 73.93%, folded towels 21.49% and multifold towels 4.58%.[99]
Key players & concentration
Major suppliers include Kimberly-Clark, Essity, Georgia-Pacific, Sofidel, Procter & Gamble, Suzano and First Quality, spanning branded consumer products, private label, professional hygiene and parent-roll supply. Sofidel said its 2024 Clearwater Paper tissue acquisition made it the fourth-largest tissue producer in North America and added 340,000 metric tons of annual capacity.[17][77]
Pricing
A 2025 Global Info Research estimate put the average global paper towel price at approximately $0.85 per piece. Pricing varies substantially by ply, absorbency, recycled content, pack size, brand, private-label positioning and whether the product is sold through retail or away-from-home contracts.[100]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Growth is being supported by hygiene awareness, expanding foodservice and hospitality activity, urbanization and wider institutional adoption. Key challenges include pulp and recovered-fiber costs, energy and logistics expenses, sustainability requirements and weaker demand in some mature markets; U.S. tissue production declined 0.8% in 2025 to 7.8 million tons.[25][28]
Consumer behavior & competition
Competition combines national brands, retailer private labels and professional-hygiene suppliers. In the United States, store brands accounted for 51% of sales of toilet paper and other household paper products in 2024, indicating strong price competition and retailer negotiating power across adjacent household-paper categories.[27]
M&A
Consolidation remained active in tissue and towel manufacturing. In November 2024, Sofidel completed its $1.06 billion acquisition of Clearwater Paper’s tissue division, adding four plants, about 1,700 employees and 340,000 metric tons of annual capacity. In June 2025, Suzano and Kimberly-Clark announced a $3.4 billion global tissue joint venture, with Suzano expected to hold 51%.[17][101]
Regulation
U.S. federal procurement guidance recommends that commercial paper towels contain 40% to 60% postconsumer fiber and 40% to 100% total recovered fiber. New York’s 2025 GreenNY specification also requires at least 40% postconsumer recycled content for covered paper towels and paper wipers.[80][102]
Latest news
In May 2026, the American Forest & Paper Association reported that U.S. tissue production remained near 7.8 million tons in 2025, while total U.S. paper and paperboard production fell 3.7% to 66.3 million tons. In May 2026, Marcal Paper also announced its acquisition of the St. Catharines tissue mill, which produces through-air-dried parent rolls used in premium paper towel and bath tissue products.[25][82]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Paper Towel Industry

The leading companies in the paper towel industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

Sofidel leads Gitnux's 2026 paper towel ranking with an Overall score of 9.3, with 2024 Clearwater acquisition adding 340,000 metric tons annual capacity. Procter & Gamble is the runner-up at 9.2, with Bounty as a leading household paper-towel brand.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in household and pro tissue

    Sofidel

    IT

    Ranked #1 · 9.3 · Household and pro tissue

    Why we picked it: It supplies household and away-from-home tissue, with 340,000 metric tons per year added via Clearwater.

    See in ranking ↓Visit sofidel.com ↗

  2. #2 overall

    Procter & Gamble

    US

    Ranked #2 · 9.2 · Household and pro tissue

    Why we picked it: It produces consumer paper towels under Bounty, a leading household paper-towel brand.

    See in ranking ↓Visit pg.com ↗

  3. Leader in private-label tissue

    First Quality

    US

    Ranked #4 · 9.0 · Private-label tissue

    Why we picked it: It manufactures ultra-premium household paper towels and private-label tissue in the United States.

    See in ranking ↓Visit firstquality.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Pick 2 is the highest-ranked company in the top 5 that adds a new segment; no further segment places in the top 5, so pick 3 follows rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the paper towel industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Sofidel

Household and pro tissue · IT

9.3
2

Procter & Gamble

Household and pro tissue · US

9.2
3

CMPC

Household and pro tissue · CL

9.1
4

First Quality

Private-label tissue · US

9.0
5

APP Sinar Mas

Household and pro tissue · ID

8.9
6

WEPA

Private-label and professional tissue, Europe · DE

8.6
7

Kruger

Consumer and professional tissue, North America · CA

8.4
8

Metsä Tissue

Household and professional tissue, Europe · FI

8.3
9

Cascades

Tissue papers and paper towels, North America · CA

8.1
10

Irving Consumer Products

Private-label tissue and paper towels, North America · CA

7.9

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Top 10 companies in the paper towel industry. In Paper Towel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/paper-towel-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

Sanitary paper product manufacturing annual payroll (United States)

Sanitary paper product manufacturing annual payroll grew from 1,095,641 thousands of USD in 2020 to 1,551,293 thousands of USD in 2024.

$1.1M
Start
+9.08%
CAGR · 4y
$1.6M
Projected
20202024
source-verifiedalfred.stlouisfed.org2024

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

The section emphasizes conversion and automation adoption, including a design speed of 2,200 metres per minute on an automated tissue line.

AI in the paper towel industry

  • 24 countries were represented in the 2025 Global Tissue Market Study examining AI and digital transformation among tissue producers.[1]
  • 34.6% of tissue-industry respondents identified converting machinery and equipment investment as an area needing improvement, alongside data and AI transformation in 2022.[2]
  • 82 tissue-producing companies supplied data for the Global Tissue Market Study 2025, covering digitalization and AI priorities across 24 countries and five continents in 2025.[1]
  • More than 100 respondents contributed to the 2025 Global Tissue Market Study, including representatives of tissue-producing companies using digital and AI systems.[1]
  • 20.3% of tissue-industry respondents identified data and AI as an area needing improvement in the 2022 global tissue-industry study.[2]
  • 17.3% of tissue-industry respondents identified process automation as an area needing improvement in the 2022 global tissue-industry study.[2]

Automation in the paper towel industry

  • 2,200 metres per minute is the design speed of Crown Paper Mill’s Saudi Arabian automated tissue line serving towel and other tissue products.[3]
  • 70,000 tons per year is the planned capacity of Crown Paper Mill’s Saudi Arabian tissue line equipped with an extensive automation package.[3]
  • 3 minutes is the time Valmet’s automated reel-change system takes to replace the trolleys needed for each tissue-converting format.[4]
  • 66,000 short tons is Domtar Calhoun’s production capacity for towel and tissue products supported by its converting operation.[5]
  • 16 AC drives control the paper-towel line at SCA’s Trafford Park mill in the United Kingdom after its automation upgrade.[6]
  • 187 employees work at Domtar’s Calhoun mill, which includes tissue manufacturing and three converting lines.[5]

Digital Transformation in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across consumer products, 67% of surveyed executives said digital transformation was necessary to compete in 2025, while 68% were investing in smart technology and automation.[7]
  • Across consumer products, 72% of respondents identified enterprise access to real-time supply-chain analytics as an economic-value area for digitization in 2024.[8]
  • Across consumer products, 94% of surveyed supply-chain executives said they were transforming the supply-chain function in 2026.[9]
  • Across consumer markets, 35% of respondents said their companies had integrated digital capabilities end to end in 2026.[10]

Technology Adoption in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across consumer products, 73% of chief executives said planned AI investment for 2026 had increased compared with 2025.[9]
  • Across retail and consumer packaged goods, 75% of executives called AI a top strategic priority in 2026, while 16.5% said they could quantify a return on AI investment; global executive survey.[7]
  • Across consumer packaged goods, 56% of surveyed leaders said their organizations were regularly using generative AI in 2024; global CPG-leader survey.[11]
  • Across consumer packaged goods, 71% of surveyed leaders said their organizations had adopted AI in at least one business function in 2024; global CPG-leader survey.[11]
  • Across consumer products, about 40% of executives said their companies were applying AI technologies to the business in 2025; survey of consumer-products executives.[8]
  • Across consumer products, 66% of leaders said their organizations would increase or strongly increase artificial-intelligence investment over the next three years; survey of 505 leaders in 23 countries.[12]

Cloud Computing in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU enterprises, 71.5% of those using paid cloud services used them for file storage in 2025.[13]
  • Across EU enterprises, 71.7% of those using paid cloud services used them for office software in 2025.[13]
  • Across EU enterprises, 30.1% of those using paid cloud services used them for enterprise-resource-planning software in 2025.[13]
  • Across EU enterprises, 85.2% of those using paid cloud services used them for email in 2025.[13]
  • Across EU enterprises, 52.74% used paid cloud-computing services in 2025.[13]

Big Data in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU enterprises, 33.02% performed data analytics using their own employees in 2025.[13]
  • Across consumer goods, 51% identified inability to integrate data from multiple sources as their primary analytics challenge in 2025.[14]
  • Across EU enterprises, 17.62% performed analytics on customer data in 2025.[13]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

The section ties performance to data integration and data governance, including a $1.06 billion acquisition value and multiple data-quality and governance statistics.

Business intelligence in the paper towel industry

  • 3.6% was the increase in U.S. store sales of tissue paper products during the year ended June 15, 2025.[15]
  • 9.9% was the import share of U.S. disposable paper-products market demand in 2025.[16]
  • 6.9% was Kimberly-Clark’s share of U.S. disposable paper-products production value in 2025.[16]
  • $3.9 billion was Procter & Gamble toilet tissue sales in U.S. stores during the year ended June 15, 2025.[15]
  • $2.57 billion was Georgia-Pacific toilet tissue sales in U.S. stores during the year ended June 15, 2025.[15]
  • 14.4 billion dollars was total U.S. toilet tissue store sales during the year ended June 15, 2025.[15]

Data analytics in the paper towel industry

  • $1.06 billion was the value of Sofidel’s acquisition of Clearwater Paper’s tissue division in 2024.[17]
  • 2,398 employees worked in Metsä Tissue’s tissue and greaseproof-paper business at the end of 2025.[18]
  • 2 of the 6 acquired paper machines were through-air-drying machines used particularly in the U.S. kitchen-towel segment.[17]
  • 317,582 tons were Clearwater Paper’s retail tissue volumes sold in 2023, up 3% from 2022.[19]
  • 340,000 metric tons per year was Sofidel’s added tissue production capacity from its 2024 Clearwater Tissue acquisition.[17]
  • $1.9 billion was Kruger Products’ revenue in 2023 from household, industrial and commercial tissue products including paper towels.[20]

Data Quality in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across retail and consumer goods, 26% of leaders said their data quality was poor compared with competitors in 2024.[21]
  • Across consumer packaged goods, 60% planned to increase investment in data and analytics during the following 12 months in 2024.[8]
  • Across supply-management organizations, 49% rated their data quality as good or excellent in 2024.[22]
  • Across consumer packaged goods, 22% reported that businesses lacked trust in data quality and validity in 2024.[8]

Data Governance in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across retail and CPG companies, 35% reported receiving inconsistent or incorrect answers to data questions in 2025.[23]
  • Across supply-management organizations, 61% had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024.[22]
  • Across consumer packaged goods companies, 43% said they struggled with establishing the right level of data governance in 2024.[8]
  • Across retail and CPG companies, 31% cited the lack of a corporate data strategy and semantic layer as a key challenge in 2025.[23]
  • Across retail and CPG companies, 42% identified inconsistent data quality, absent semantic layers and fragmented reporting as critical governance challenges in 2025.[23]

KPIs in the paper towel industry

  • $1,135.4 million was Metsä Tissue sales of tissue and greaseproof papers in 2025.[18]
  • 41% was North America’s share of Essity Professional Hygiene net sales in 2025.[24]
  • 8.4% was Metsä Tissue’s comparable return on capital employed in 2025.[18]
  • $72.1 million was Metsä Tissue’s comparable operating result in 2025.[18]
  • $8.961 billion was Essity Professional Hygiene net sales in the fourth quarter of 2025.[24]
  • $7.8 million tons was U.S. tissue production in 2025, down 0.8% from 2024.[25]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

The section links capacity moves and investments to market expansion, including growth from $16.46 billion in 2025 to $24.77 billion by 2034.

Growth in the paper towel industry

  • $16.46 billion was the global paper-towels market size in 2025, according to an industry forecast.[26]
  • 100 additional jobs were expected from Irving Tissue’s Georgia expansion announced in 2024.[27]
  • $24.77 billion is the forecast global paper-towels market size for 2034.[26]
  • $185 million was Sofidel’s announced 2023 investment to expand its Circleville, Ohio, tissue facility.[17]
  • 5.29% is the projected global tissue-paper market CAGR for 2026–2031, including towel products.[28]
  • $1.0 billion was Clearwater Paper Consumer Products net sales in 2023, up 8% year over year.[19]

Differentiation in the paper towel industry

  • 95% is the potential freshwater-consumption reduction from Essity and Voith’s new tissue-making concept.[29]
  • 312 metric tons of CO2 emissions were reduced by Kimberly-Clark’s India packaging initiatives in 2024.[30]
  • 85% was the maximum observed price premium for sustainable kitchen paper towels in a published product comparison.[31]
  • 15 tonnes of plastic a year are projected to be saved by Kimberly-Clark Australia’s Viva paper-towel packaging trial with Woolworths.[32]
  • 16.4% was Kimberly-Clark’s reduction in virgin plastic usage since 2019, reported in connection with its Australian paper-towel packaging work.[32]
  • 40% is the potential energy-consumption reduction from Essity and Voith’s tissue-making concept.[29]

Mergers and acquisitions in the paper towel industry

  • 2 of the 6 acquired paper machines use through-air-drying technology commonly used in the North American kitchen-towel segment.[17]
  • 1,700 employees were integrated by Sofidel through its 2024 Clearwater tissue acquisition.[17]
  • 25% was Sofidel’s production-capacity increase resulting from the Clearwater tissue acquisition in 2024.[17]
  • 340,000 metric tons was the annual production capacity acquired by Sofidel with Clearwater Paper’s tissue business in 2024.[17]
  • 4 production plants were included in Sofidel’s 2024 acquisition of Clearwater Paper’s tissue business.[17]
  • 50% was the planned capacity increase at Sofidel’s Circleville, Ohio, plant alongside its 2024 acquisition strategy.[17]

Strategic partnerships in the paper towel industry

  • 30,000 Bancolombia employees were trained through Kimberly-Clark Professional’s 2024 paper-towel circularity partnership.[33]
  • 2025 was the planned start year for Staypineapple Hotels’ transition to Fox Fold’s folded tissue system under their strategic partnership.[34]
  • 1.6 million 500-milliliter plastic bottles is the annual equivalent saving projected from the Kimberly-Clark–Woolworths Viva partnership.[32]
  • 3 years is the duration of Ecolab’s strategic collaboration with ANDRITZ to support tissue-manufacturing innovation.[35]
  • 1 partnership with Cascades PRO was reported by Dexterra’s supply chain for bathroom tissue, hand towels and table napkins in 2024.[36]
  • 2 technology alliances were formed by Rolling Tissue with PCMC and STAX Technologies for its Miami tissue-converting innovation hub.[37]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

The section quantifies labor coverage across tissue production and mill workforces, with U.S. sanitary paper product manufacturing at 18,442 employees in 2022.

Hiring in the paper towel industry

  • 18,442 employees worked in U.S. sanitary paper product manufacturing in 2022.[38]
  • 700 people were employed at Georgia-Pacific’s Wauna mill, which produces retail paper towels, bath tissue and napkins, in 2024.[39]
  • 400 workers were employed by Irving Tissue’s Macon, Georgia mill before its planned 2024 expansion, which includes paper towel production.[27]
  • More than 600 workers were employed at Clearwater Paper’s Shelby, North Carolina facility, which produces paper towels, napkins and bathroom tissue, in 2024.[40]
  • 19,228 employees worked in U.S. sanitary paper product manufacturing in 2021.[38]

Employee retention in the paper towel industry

  • 3 years was the duration of Pudumjee Paper Products’ wage agreement with workmen’s unions in fiscal 2024.[41]
  • 91% was Clearwater Paper’s workforce retention rate in 2025 across salaried and hourly employees.[42]
  • 91.2% was JK Paper’s employee retention rate in fiscal 2024.[43]
  • 90% was JK Paper’s employee retention rate in fiscal 2023.[43]
  • 92.2% was JK Paper’s employee retention rate in fiscal 2025.[43]

Remote Work in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across retail and consumer goods organizations, 8% support permanent remote working arrangements, according to a 2024 international mobility survey.[44]
  • Across retail and consumer goods organizations, 23% support international hybrid remote-working assignments, according to a 2024 survey.[44]
  • Across retail and consumer goods organizations, 54% support workcations, compared with 65% across all surveyed sectors in 2024.[44]
  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 26% worked exclusively remotely in May 2026, while 52% worked in a hybrid arrangement.[45]
  • Across consumer goods companies, 69% offer some form of work-location flexibility, according to the Flex Index industry benchmark.[46]

Hybrid Work in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 61% preferred hybrid work in November 2025, compared with 33% preferring exclusively remote work and 6% on-site work.[45]
  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 34% of hybrid workers were engaged in May 2026, compared with 37% of exclusively remote workers.[45]
  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 54% of hybrid workers were thriving in May 2026, compared with 52% of exclusively remote workers.[45]
  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 52% worked hybrid in May 2026, compared with 26% exclusively remote and 22% on-site.[45]
  • Only 11% of U.S. employees benefited from a hybrid policy set jointly by their work team in May 2025.[45]

Upskilling in the paper towel industry

  • 4,768 management, clerical and workmen employees were reported by JK Paper in fiscal 2024 alongside its talent-development initiatives.[43]
  • 4,710 management, clerical and workmen employees were reported by JK Paper in fiscal 2025 alongside its talent-development initiatives.[43]
  • 7 palletizers were redistributed and installed on P&G Paper converting lines for Charmin and Bounty products as part of a technology-related workforce training initiative in 2020.[47]
  • 100% of P&G Paper occupations were eligible for continuous-improvement training covering new processes, systems, programming and equipment in 2020.[47]
  • 100% of P&G Paper occupations were eligible for hazardous-materials training in 2020.[47]

Employee Engagement in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across consumer goods and services organizations, 9% of employees expected to leave within two years in data collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[48]
  • Across consumer goods and services organizations, 18% of employees were thinking of or actively seeking jobs elsewhere in data collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[48]
  • Globally, 20% of employees were engaged in 2025, according to Gallup’s World Poll benchmark.[45]
  • Across consumer goods and services organizations, 72% of employees were engaged in data collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[48]
  • Across consumer goods and services organizations, the median employee net promoter score was 23 in data collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[48]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

The section connects buying behavior and reviews to commercial outcomes, including a 4.3 weeks average purchase cycle in the United States.

Customer experience in the paper towel industry

  • 79% of commercial paper-towel reviews mentioned positive experiences, while 78% mentioned complaints; year not specified.[49]
  • 40% of commercial paper-towel return requests cited size as the reason; year not specified.[49]
  • 70% of commercial paper-towel returns were classified as fixable through improved listings; year not specified.[49]
  • 22% of commercial paper-towel reviews praised value for money, the most-mentioned positive attribute; year not specified.[49]
  • 25% of commercial paper-towel complaints concerned thickness, the most-mentioned negative attribute; year not specified.[49]

Customer retention in the paper towel industry

  • 4.3 weeks was the average paper-towel purchase cycle in the United States, based on data collected in January 2024.[50]
  • 65% of paper-towel households in Walmart Supercenter markets shopped the category in year three of the panel, compared with 72% in other stores; year not specified.[51]
  • 93.5% of surveyed U.S. consumers reported purchasing paper towels, based on data collected in January 2024.[50]
  • 71% of paper-towel households in Walmart Supercenter markets shopped the category in every year of a four-year panel, compared with 81% in other stores; year not specified.[51]
  • 98 days was the median inter-purchase time for paper towels in Walmart Supercenter markets, compared with 83 days in other stores; year not specified.[51]

Customer acquisition in the paper towel industry

  • $447,000 was the estimated annual revenue across 27 tracked commercial paper-towel products on Amazon United States; year not specified.[49]
  • 0.5% was the competitive market-share gain from a paper-towel conquest campaign at one major retailer in 2019.[52]
  • 114,000 weekly searches were recorded for commercial paper towels on Amazon United States; year not specified.[49]
  • 9% was the sales lift from a paper-towel conquest campaign at one major retailer in 2019.[52]
  • 1.05% was the private-label market-share decline associated with the paper-towel conquest campaign in 2019.[52]

Customer loyalty in the paper towel industry

  • 26.9% of surveyed U.S. consumers named Bounty as their leading paper-towel brand, based on data collected in January 2024.[50]
  • 80% was estimated household penetration for paper towels, according to an industry article; year not specified.[2]
  • 36.2% was the U.S. private-label dollar share of paper towels in 2023.[53]
  • $2.5 billion was U.S. private-label paper-towel dollar sales in 2023.[53]
  • 46% of U.S. paper-towel buyers purchased private brands, according to a household-penetration estimate; year not specified.[2]

Lead generation in the paper towel industry

  • 3,000 annual searches were recorded for “square paper towels” on Amazon United States; year not specified.[49]
  • 9,000 annual searches were recorded for “3 ply paper towels” on Amazon United States; year not specified.[49]
  • 2,000 annual searches were recorded for “Georgia Pacific paper towel refills” on Amazon United States; year not specified.[49]
  • 3,000 annual searches were recorded for “Georgia Pacific paper towels” on Amazon United States; year not specified.[49]
  • 34,000 annual searches were recorded for “Pacific Blue paper towels” on Amazon United States; year not specified.[49]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

The section measures brand and media activity, including 137 days as the longest observed run length for a paper-towel advertising creative in October 2026.

Marketing in the paper towel industry

  • 40 NFL athletes promoted Bounty’s “Your Wingman” paper-towel campaign during the 2024 Super Bowl marketing program.[54]
  • $1.60 was the return on advertising spend achieved by a paper-towel conquest campaign targeting competing and private-label buyers at a major U.S. retailer in 2019.[52]
  • 1.05 percentage points was the private-label share decline associated with a paper-towel conquest campaign at a major U.S. retailer in 2019.[52]
  • 1.45 billion chicken wings were estimated to have been consumed by Americans during the 2024 Super Bowl, the occasion used by Bounty to market its paper towels.[54]
  • $3.29 was Fiora Origami’s paid-social CPM for a household-paper campaign that included paper towels.[55]

Digital marketing in the paper towel industry

  • 137 days was the longest observed run length for a paper-towel advertising creative in the Meta Ad Library in October 2026.[56]
  • 23.75% below forecast was the CPM achieved by Sofidel’s Regina Blitz TikTok campaign for household paper products in the United Kingdom.[57]
  • 12% of 212 paper-towel creatives reviewed in the Meta Ad Library were static advertisements in October 2026.[56]
  • 77% of paper-towel advertisements reviewed in the Meta Ad Library used “Shop now” as the call to action in October 2026.[56]
  • 25.52% above benchmark were Regina Blitz’s two-second video views in Sofidel’s UK TikTok campaign.[57]

Branding in the paper towel industry

  • 40,500 monthly branded searches were estimated for Bounty worldwide in September 2026.[58]
  • 22,200 monthly branded searches were estimated for Brawny worldwide in September 2026.[58]
  • 43.4% was Bounty’s share of worldwide searches among six tracked paper-towel brands in September 2026.[58]
  • 23.8% was Viva’s share of worldwide searches among six tracked paper-towel brands in September 2026.[58]
  • 7.1% was Scott’s share of worldwide searches among six tracked paper-towel brands in September 2026.[58]

Social media in the paper towel industry

  • More than 100% was the increase in likes on Ismax’s social-media content during the three months after its household-paper communication campaign.[59]
  • 83 million impressions were delivered through Facebook and Instagram paid social for Fiora’s household-paper campaign, which included paper towels.[55]
  • 3.3% was the engagement rate achieved by Ismax’s recycled household-paper brand communication on social media.[59]
  • 19.7% was the response rate for Ismax’s social-media giveaway of retained product bags.[59]
  • 2 billion earned impressions were generated by Brawny’s campaign introducing its 3-Ply paper towels and 3-Ply Guys.[60]

Influencer Marketing in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • 15.7% ad-recall lift was recorded for CPG influencer campaigns in 2025.[61]
  • 8.8% consideration lift was recorded for CPG influencer campaigns in 2025.[61]
  • 96.39% positive campaign sentiment was recorded for CPG influencer campaigns in 2025.[61]
  • 46% of FMCG/CPG marketers had dedicated and growing creator or influencer budgets in 2026.[62]
  • 24% of consumers globally bought products from influencers or celebrities in October–November 2024, according to a consumer-product and retail survey.[63]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

The section reports operational throughput and line capacity, including 75,000 tonnes per year capacity for a Sofidel Valmet through-air-drying machine.

Process optimization in the paper towel industry

  • 600 metres per minute is the operating speed of a Perini MyLine purchased for bath tissue and kitchen-towel production at South Florida Tissue Paper Co. in 2025, United States.[2]
  • 75,000 tonnes per year is the capacity of Sofidel’s planned Valmet through-air-drying tissue machine at its Inola, Oklahoma facility.[17]
  • 35,000 to 40,000 tons per year is the estimated parent-roll capacity of the same flexible tissue facility described in Clearwater Paper’s SEC filing.[64]
  • 35,000 tons per year was the reported capacity of Kruger Products’ Lachute, Quebec facility for parent rolls, paper hand towels and bathroom tissue in 2019.[65]
  • 56,000 tons per year was the reported capacity of Kruger Products’ Eau Claire, Wisconsin facility for parent rolls, paper towels, bathroom tissue, facial tissue and napkins in 2019.[65]

Operational efficiency in the paper towel industry

  • 4 production plants were acquired by Sofidel in the Clearwater Paper tissue transaction: Shelby, Lewiston, Las Vegas and Elwood.[17]
  • 50% was Sofidel’s reported increase in North American production capacity after acquiring Clearwater Paper’s tissue division, equivalent to 340,000 metric tons per year.[17]
  • 9 converting lines and 24,000 short tons per year of capacity were reported by South Florida Tissue Paper Co. while expanding into retail kitchen towels and bath tissue.[2]
  • 1,700 employees were integrated by Sofidel after acquiring Clearwater Paper’s tissue division in 2024.[17]
  • 30,000 metric tons per year was the capacity of Kruger Products’ conventional light-dry-crepe machine at its Memphis plant before later expansion.[66]

Quality management in the paper towel industry

  • 32.7 points was the measured bursting strength of paper-towel sample 9863 in the U.S. Bureau of Standards test series.[67]
  • 75% is Green Seal’s default total-fiber yield used when a manufacturer cannot provide accurate yield measurements for recycled-content calculations.[68]
  • 38.2 grams per square metre was the reference product’s basis weight in the UL paper-towel quality evaluation.[69]
  • 4 seconds was the measured absorbency time for paper-towel sample 9853 in the U.S. Bureau of Standards test series.[67]
  • 600+ seconds was the measured absorbency time for paper-towel sample 9851 in the U.S. Bureau of Standards test series.[67]

Supply chain in the paper towel industry

  • 3.7 million tons of recycled paper were used by U.S. tissue producers in 2025, according to the American Forest & Paper Association.[25]
  • 100,000 pallet positions is the planned finished-goods storage capacity at Sofidel’s integrated Inola, Oklahoma expansion.[17]
  • 90% of U.S. tissue manufacturers used recycled paper to make their products in 2025, according to the American Forest & Paper Association.[25]
  • 4.65 megawatts was the installed photovoltaic capacity at Sofidel’s Circleville, Ohio facility in 2026.[17]
  • 98.9% of wood fiber procured by American Forest & Paper Association members for manufacturing was sourced through a certified fiber-sourcing program in 2022.[25]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the consumer goods sector (sector benchmark)

  • 42% of consumer packaged goods brand owners plan to increase outsourced work over the next two to three years, according to a 2026 survey.[70]
  • 67% of brand owners plan to maintain or increase their use of contract packaging or manufacturing services in the coming years, based on a 2024 survey.[71]
  • 30% of output is outsourced on average by brands surveyed across CPG, industrial manufacturing and pharmaceuticals in 2025.[72]
  • 63% of surveyed brand owners contract out between 10% and 49% of their business to contract packaging or manufacturing providers, in 2024.[71]
  • 25% of surveyed consumer packaged goods brands outsource none of their operations, while most others outsource between 1% and 49%, in 2026.[70]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

The section details pricing and margins, including a $1,070–$1,220 per short ton June 2026 U.S. price range for domestic recycled towel parent rolls.

Pricing strategy in the paper towel industry

  • 38.5% of paper-towel dollar sales were affected by downsizing in the United States during 2021–2023.[73]
  • 7.3% was Daio Paper’s FY2024 unit-price increase for boxed tissue in Japan, versus a 1.5% market average.[74]
  • $1,070–$1,220 per short ton was the June 2026 U.S. price range for domestic recycled towel parent rolls.[15]
  • 11.6% was the average per-unit price increase among downsized paper-towel products in the United States during 2021–2023.[73]
  • 4% was the maximum announced January 2026 price increase for selected Kimberly-Clark Professional towel and tissue products in the United States.[75]

Cost reduction in the paper towel industry

  • 342,000 tonnes per year was the production-capacity increase Sofidel obtained from its 2024 Clearwater Paper tissue acquisition.[17]
  • $2.5 billion was Kimberly-Clark’s 2024 operating profit in North America, reflecting favorable pricing net of inflation and gross productivity savings.[64]
  • 1,700 employees were added to Sofidel’s workforce through the 2024 acquisition of Clearwater Paper’s tissue division.[17]
  • $116.7 million was Clearwater Paper’s 2024 selling, general and administrative expense after divesting its consumer tissue business.[64]
  • $1.4 billion was Clearwater Paper’s 2024 cost of sales after its consumer tissue operations were sold to Sofidel.[64]

Profitability in the paper towel industry

  • 9.7% was Essity Consumer Tissue’s EBITA margin excluding items affecting comparability in 2024.[76]
  • SEK3.745 billion was Essity Consumer Tissue EBITA excluding items affecting comparability for the first nine months of 2025.[76]
  • 17.85% was Sofidel’s 2024 EBITDA margin, down from 21.11% in 2023.[17]
  • 11.4% was Essity Consumer Tissue’s EBITA margin excluding items affecting comparability in 2023.[76]
  • SEK5.464 billion was Essity Consumer Tissue EBITA excluding items affecting comparability in 2023.[76]

Financial planning in the paper towel industry

  • 75,000 metric tonnes per year is the capacity of Sofidel’s new U.S. TAD paper machine announced in October 2025.[17]
  • 342,000 tonnes per year was the additional tissue capacity Sofidel planned into its post-acquisition North American production footprint.[17]
  • $1 billion was the approximate value of Sofidel’s 2024 acquisition of Clearwater Paper’s tissue division in North America.[17]
  • $779.3 million was Greif’s 2025 capital expenditure in packaging, compared with $626.6 million in 2024.[64]
  • 13 countries in Europe and the United States were covered by Sofidel’s operating footprint in its 2024 reporting.[17]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

The section quantifies end-product performance and service models, including 30 million Tork dispensers refilled regularly worldwide.

Product development in the paper towel industry

  • 37% lower paper consumption can be achieved by Essity’s Tork Reflex single-sheet dispenser system.[24]
  • 150 countries were served by Tork’s professional-hygiene business, supporting international deployment of paper-towel systems.[77]
  • 90% of U.S. tissue manufacturers used recycled paper in 2025, supporting paper-towel product development with recycled-fiber inputs.[25]
  • 5 major consumer-product categories, including paper towels, were invented or developed by Kimberly-Clark according to its innovation history.[30]
  • 1 Italian consumer-market launch introduced Sofidel’s Regina Asciugamani disposable paper towels in 2023.[78]

Product lifecycle in the paper towel industry

  • 18% of tissue products in U.S. markets were estimated to undergo energy-recovery incineration at end of life in the referenced 2018 assessment.[79]
  • 1.09 million U.S. tons of tissue paper and towels were generated in 1960.[80]
  • 3.75 million U.S. tons of tissue paper and towels were generated in 2017.[80]
  • 500,000 U.S. tons of tissue paper and towels underwent combustion with energy recovery in 1990.[80]
  • 2.30 million U.S. tons of tissue paper and towels were generated in 1980.[80]

After-sales in the paper towel industry

  • 30 million Tork dispensers were being refilled regularly worldwide, linking paper-towel sales with ongoing replenishment service.[77]
  • 35 million hand towels were recycled each month through Essity’s Tork PaperCircle service in 2026.[77]
  • 1994 was the year Essity introduced Tork PaperCircle as the world’s first paper hand-towel recycling service.[77]
  • 6,364 million Swedish kronor was Essity Professional Hygiene EBITA excluding items affecting comparability in the latest reported annual figures.[77]
  • 5,346 million Swedish kronor was Essity Professional Hygiene operating cash flow in the latest reported annual figures.[77]

Value proposition in the paper towel industry

  • 41% of Essity Professional Hygiene quarterly net sales came from North America in the fourth quarter of 2025.[24]
  • 37% lower paper consumption was associated with Tork Reflex single-sheet dispensing compared with conventional dispensing, according to Essity.[24]
  • 46% of Essity Professional Hygiene quarterly net sales came from Europe in the fourth quarter of 2025.[24]
  • 3% to 4% was the estimated 2023–2029 compound annual growth rate for Essity’s cited Latin American professional-hygiene market.[77]
  • 9% of Essity Professional Hygiene quarterly net sales came from Latin America in the fourth quarter of 2025.[24]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

The section centers sustainability targets and fiber sourcing, including WEPA’s 52.5% 2030 greenhouse-gas reduction target per tonne.

Sustainability in the paper towel industry

  • 90% of U.S. tissue manufacturers used recycled paper in 2024, according to the industry association.[25]
  • 71% of Essity production waste was recovered in 2024.[24]
  • 81% of Essity packaging was made from renewable or recycled material in 2025.[77]
  • 52.5% is WEPA’s 2030 target for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions per tonne of hygiene products sold against its 2019 baseline.[81]
  • 3.8 million tons of recycled paper were used by U.S. tissue producers in 2024.[25]

ESG in the paper towel industry

  • Sofidel ranked first among 105 companies in Sustainalytics’ Household Products industry in 2023.[78]
  • Essity’s water withdrawal at water-stressed tissue facilities was 8.1 million cubic metres in 2023.[24]
  • Eight Essity wholly owned tissue mills were located in water-stressed areas in 2023.[24]
  • 95% of Essity supplier spend was covered by suppliers meeting its Global Supplier Standard in 2025.[77]
  • Sofidel received an A− CDP rating for climate change and deforestation in 2023.[78]

Ethics in the paper towel industry

  • Four independent experts supported WEPA’s Sustainability Stakeholder Advisory Council in 2025.[81]
  • Sofidel’s 2023 ESG ranking covered 105 companies active in tissue paper, home cleaning and personal hygiene products.[78]
  • Sofidel’s 2023 Sustainalytics assessment placed it in the low-risk category for environmental, social and governance risks.[78]
  • 95% of Essity supplier spend met the company’s Global Supplier Standard in 2025.[77]
  • 99.7% of Essity’s fresh fiber was FSC- or PEFC-certified in 2025, supporting responsible forestry and traceable sourcing.[77]

CSR in the paper towel industry

  • Essity operated 15 tissue production facilities in water-stressed areas in 2023.[24]
  • WEPA joined Germany’s Diversity Charter in 2023 to promote appreciation and inclusion of diversity.[81]
  • Tork PaperCircle increased the number of customer collection sites by 33% during 2025.[77]
  • WEPA’s Health & Wellbeing program had been operating at all company locations since 2014.[81]
  • WEPA had more than 10 employees in its sustainability division in 2025.[81]

Circular economy in the paper towel industry

  • WEPA’s circular retrieval concept saved 860,000 kWh of energy after launch.[81]
  • Tork PaperCircle operated in 15 European markets in 2026.[77]
  • Kimberly-Clark recycled 90 metric tons of plastic dispensers into raw components in 2025.[30]
  • More than 500 million used hand towels were collected by Tork PaperCircle during 2025.[77]
  • Tork PaperCircle recycled more than 35 million hand towels per month in 2026.[77]

Carbon footprint in the paper towel industry

  • Essity’s science-based climate targets cover Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions and extend to net zero by 2050.[77]
  • Marcal reported that its recycled-fiber use saved an estimated 4.29 million trees in 2023.[82]
  • WEPA’s circular retrieval concept saved 1,100 tonnes of carbon emissions after launch.[81]
  • Essity’s Tork PaperCircle service collected more than 500 million used hand towels in 2025, diverting them from disposal and returning fiber to tissue production.[77]
  • WEPA’s greenhouse-gas target covers Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions.[81]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

The section documents geographic scale and production footprint signals, including Asia-Pacific’s 40.36% share of the global paper towels market in 2025.

Globalization in the paper towel industry

  • 13,000 employees were associated with Essity’s Consumer Tissue business in 2025.[77]
  • 61% of Essity’s total sales came from Europe in the first nine months of 2025.[77]
  • 58 countries were served by Sofidel in 2024, reflecting the international reach of its tissue and household paper products.[17]
  • €38,067 million was Essity’s 2024 Professional Hygiene sales, including paper hand towels and related products.[77]
  • €3,225 million was Sofidel’s 2024 net sales from its global tissue business.[17]

Cultural adaptation in the paper towel industry

  • 68% of Black U.S. consumers preferred paper towels for drying hands at the kitchen sink in 2023.[96]
  • 51% of Hispanic U.S. consumers preferred paper towels for drying hands at the kitchen sink in 2023.[96]
  • 23% of U.S. tissue consumers reported using kitchen towels as napkins in AFRY’s 2023 survey.[97]
  • 39% of White U.S. consumers preferred paper towels for drying hands at the kitchen sink in 2023.[96]
  • 19% of U.S. tissue consumers reported using kitchen towels as hand towels in AFRY’s 2023 survey.[97]

Supplier management in the paper towel industry

  • 15% of Sofidel’s U.S. supplier spending was local in 2024.[17]
  • 100% of Sofidel’s 2024 natural-gas expenditure was covered by the TenP supplier evaluation.[17]
  • 80.5% of Sofidel’s 2024 reference expenditure involved suppliers with a valid TenP Paper evaluation.[17]
  • 98% of Sofidel’s 2024 electricity expenditure was covered by the TenP supplier evaluation.[17]
  • 58% of Sofidel’s Italian supplier spending was local in 2024.[17]

Stakeholder management in the paper towel industry

  • 3.62 billion liters of water were reused annually in P&G facilities in 2025, including Family Care operations.[98]
  • 90% of Essity’s branded sales held leading market positions in 2025.[77]
  • 29% was P&G’s improvement in water efficiency per unit of production versus its 2010 baseline in 2025.[98]
  • 19.5% was Sofidel’s reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon intensity versus 2018.[17]
  • 96.5% of Sofidel’s European road transport used Euro 5 or Euro 6 trucks in 2024.[17]

Distribution channels in the paper towel industry

  • More than 90% of Essity’s North American Professional Hygiene products were produced domestically in the United States in 2025.[24]
  • 26% of Essity’s first-nine-month 2025 sales came from Professional Hygiene, including paper hand towels.[77]
  • 22% of surveyed U.S. consumers used kitchen paper towels for food preparation in 2023.[97]
  • 20% of Essity’s 2025 sales came through the healthcare sector.[77]
  • 23% of surveyed U.S. consumers used kitchen paper towels as napkins in 2023, indicating a household-use channel beyond cleaning.[97]

Key questions about the paper towel industry

What is the current global paper towels market size and what is the base year?
The global paper towels market size was $16.46 billion in 2025.
How fast is the market projected to grow through 2034?
It is projected to grow from $16.46 billion in 2025 to $24.77 billion by 2034, implying a 4.65% CAGR from 2026 to 2034.
Which companies lead the paper towel industry?
Sofidel leads Gitnux's 2026 paper towel ranking with an Overall score of 9.3, with 2024 Clearwater acquisition adding 340,000 metric tons annual capacity. Procter & Gamble is the runner-up at 9.2, with Bounty as a leading household paper-towel brand.
What technology and automation shifts are showing up in tissue-and-towel operations?
Respondents cited data and AI (20.3%) and process automation (17.3%) as improvement areas in a 2022 study. Automation examples include a reel-change system taking 3 minutes and a line design speed of 2,200 metres per minute.
How does the industry structure differ by end use and format?
Household applications were 63.25% of the 2025 market, with commercial at 28.39% and institutional at 8.36%. Rolled towels were 73.93% of the market, folded 21.49%, and multifold 4.58%.
What recycled-fiber requirements matter for compliance in the U.S.?
U.S. federal procurement guidance recommends commercial paper towels contain 40% to 60% postconsumer fiber and 40% to 100% total recovered fiber.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Paper Towel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/paper-towel-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Paper Towel Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/paper-towel-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Paper Towel Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/paper-towel-industry-statistics.

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