1. Why Does Ordinary Paper Become Weak When Wet?
Tissues and ordinary paper tear easily when they get wet. Paper is made of fine fibers linked together. When soaked in water, the links between these fibers break. According to a report from a laboratory, the strength remaining was only 2 to 3% of the strength when dry [4]. This is a value from a laboratory experiment, not a result from commercial paper products. However, it shows how much paper loses its strength when wet. The mechanism of wet paper becoming weak and how chemicals can fix this is handled in another note called "The Strength of Kitchen Paper." This note focuses on a structure different from normal paper.
2. How a Sheet Under the Pulp Lets the Paper Towel Be Wrung Out
According to the developer's explanation, unlike ordinary kitchen towels made of 100% pulp, this product has a structure where pulp is combined with a single sheet of polypropylene nonwoven fabric [3]. Polypropylene is a type of plastic. If you compare it to paper, it is like gluing a water-absorbing sponge onto a strong base. However, the actual pulp is combined with the base, not just stuck on. The company explains that the strength when wet is 11.3 times that of a 100% pulp product [3]. This is a figure compared by the company for their own products, not a general fact that applies to all products. Therefore, it is safe to read this structure as "combining pulp with a resin base."
3. How Is Nonwoven Fabric, a Cloth Made Without Weaving, Produced?
Nonwoven fabric is a sheet made by bonding or entangling fibers using heat, mechanical force, or chemical action, without weaving them [6]. One method is called hydroentanglement. It uses high-pressure water to entangle fibers without using adhesives [7]. In this method, high-pressure water (up to 400 bar, about 400 times atmospheric pressure) is sprayed from many fine holes to mechanically entangle the fibers. No adhesives or melted fibers are used [7]. The resulting cloth is described as soft and easy to bend [6]. It is said that more than 90% of spunlace nonwoven fabric is used for hygiene products like diapers and wet wipes, or for wiping wipes [7]. This is a common example of its use for wiping. However, there is no document showing that this paper towel is made using hydroentanglement. Please read this as just one example of how nonwoven fabric is made.
4. How Factory Wipes for Oil and Ink Led to a Kitchen Paper Towel
In factories, there are scenes where oil on machines or ink used in printing is wiped off. One of the tools for this is industrial wipes. A business magazine article reports that this product is a re-made version of those industrial wipes for home use. The developer is said to be Kimberly-Clark in the United States [3]. The year of development and the detailed history of the remake are not clear in this source. As a similar industrial product, the company has WypAll X80. It is described as combining soft pulp fibers with a polypropylene base sheet to achieve absorbency and durability [5]. This is only to show that similar industrial products exist.
5. Reusing One Paper Towel Sheet for Dishes, the Table, and Cleaning
The manufacturer's release lists examples of reuse. The flow is: wipe dishes, wash with water, wipe the table, wash again, and finally use it to clean around the kitchen [2]. Starting by drying vegetables is also listed as a feature [1]. Ordinary kitchen paper is weak when wet, so the basic rule is to use it once and throw it away. This product is explained as being able to be used several times while washing, because its strength when wet is better than ordinary kitchen paper [2]. The manufacturer announced that sales in 2018 were nearly 7 times higher than in 2013 [2]. This is an announcement by the manufacturer, not statistics from other companies. In the October 2021 renewal, the roll core was made smaller to save resources, and the number of cuts was increased from 61 to 70 [1].
6. How Many Times Can the Paper Towel Be Reused, and When Should You Throw It Away?
The manufacturer does not show the number of times it can be washed and used. The release says, "Wash and use many times, and throw it away at the end" [1]. A third-party review article says, "It can be used 2 to 3 times after washing," but this is a rough guide depending on use, not a guaranteed number [8]. A column considers that reusable kitchen cloths raise concerns about hygiene. That column positions this product as something that "can be thrown away but can also be washed and used many times," and recommends throwing it away when it is very dirty [9]. It is said to be intended for use over about 1 day.
7. An Experiment: Pulling the Paper Towel by Hand, Dry and Wet
If you have a paper towel, try comparing one sheet. First, pull it gently with both hands while it is dry. Next, wet it with water, wring it lightly, and pull it in the same way. If you have ordinary kitchen paper, do the same thing and compare the difference. Since you cannot measure the strength of pulling by hand, this is a game to see "how it changed," not to judge which is better. If you want to read the sources, the manufacturer's 2021 release [1] and 2020 release [2] are available in Japanese.