How Recycled Paper Towels are Made
Paper Towels are very useful. They allow us to dry our hands, clean up spills, and even wipe tables and windows. In the past, when people wanted to help save the environment and reduce waste, they stopped using paper towels as often and switched to washable dish cloths. Before long, it became apparent that this wasn't that sanitary because the cloth fibers can hold germs. With the advancements that have occurred in recycling, many manufacturers have started selling recycled paper towels. Have you ever wondered what goes into making these paper towels?
Collecting and Sorting
Very similar to other recycled papers, collecting and sorting is the first step. People recycle nearly anything, from glass to newspaper. The recycled products are then picked up by the garbage and recycling companies. The products are collected and then taken to the recycling plants. At the plant, the products are sorted into groups based on what they are and how they will be used. Specifically for recycled paper products, the papers are sorted by the type, like newspaper, cardboard and office paper. The groups of sorted paper are then tied up into bales and set aside.
Shredding and Pressing
The next step to making recycled paper towels is the shredding and pressing process. Tied up bundles of paper are sent up a moving belt to a giant tank of water. The paper is added to the tank and shredded into really small pieces and then heated, which is called pulping because the paper resembles pulp. The pulpy water is pressed through special screens. This removes the glue and other such things.
Cleaning and Ink Removal
After shredding and screening, the pulp goes through cleaning. The cleaner, called a centrifugal cleaner, repeatedly adds water to the pulp and then spins it back out. This separates the paper fibers from other materials. The remaining pulp is then added to a tank that adds hydrogen to the paper pulp. The hydrogen separates the pulp from the ink particles when the ink floats and is removed.
Kneading
After cleaning and ink removal, the pulp is refined through kneading. The pulp is kneaded to make the fibers swell up and breaks up clumps. For white recycled paper towels the pulping is bleached; for colored ones, colored dye is added.
Forming the Paper Towels
Once the coloring and refining is completed the pulp is then formed into paper towels. The pulp travels to a pressing machine that forms it into proper shape, whether it's sheets or rolls of recycled paper towels. Resin is added to the pulp to make the paper towels stronger. The pressed pulp is dried. For sheets, two layers are pressed together and then the sheets are cut and folded. For rolls, the sheets get perforated and attached to cardboard tubes to make paper towel rolls.
Recycled paper towels provide the same benefits of traditional paper towels, with an added bonus. By using these paper towels, you are helping to preserve the natural resources of the planet. Recycled paper, even with paper towels, helps save thousands of trees that would be otherwise be used to make new paper products.
Jake is the owner of Economic Paper Towels, a wholesale distributor of paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, roll towes, c-fold towels, center pull towels, soaps, dispensers, bar supplies, restaurant supplies, janitorial supplies and other sanitary needs.
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