Professional wiping, tablecloths and disposable tableware: frequently asked questions?
Who manufactures or processes wiping products?
There are many manufacturers in this field. It's important to distinguish between those who control the entire manufacturing process and those who are "only" processors . A processor will buy "master rolls" from a paper manufacturer, and then produce finished products such as toilet paper, hand towels, rolls of all sizes, napkins, etc. In short, any product made from cellulose wadding or non-woven fabric like Airlaid is manufactured from these large rolls.
In contrast, manufacturers like Tork, Kimberly Clark, Duni, or Lucart have their own raw material production chain . They source their materials from forests (in which case it's called pure wadding) or from recycled materials such as old paper, food cartons , etc., which are then referred to as recycled material.
Hand towels and wiping rolls: which product for which price?
Since the recent epidemics, particularly Covid-19, hygiene has been brought back to the forefront, and single-use wiping products are now ubiquitous in all professional environments . They guarantee maximum hygiene and limit cross-contamination . For institutions, restaurants, central kitchens, the food processing industry, and the medical sector, center-pull white rolls (450 sheets) offer the best hygiene-to-cost ratio. Of course, price competition has led manufacturers to reduce the number of sheets and the size of the rolls.
Currently , there is a wide range of options available for this product, with prices ranging from 7 euros to 45 euros per package . Comparing prices and monitoring consumption is therefore essential.
In the food processing industry, blue rolls are essential: the color prevents any confusion with food and helps reinforce HACCP procedures. 1000 and 1500 sheet beige rolls are designed for heavy-duty applications and industrial environments. Prices for 1000 sheet beige rolls range from €5 to €18 per roll... Here too, due to price competition, some rolls no longer contain exactly 1000 sheets...
Non-woven cloths are an alternative to cotton cloths and meet the needs of the automotive industry, precision maintenance, printing, cleaning companies, and the food industry with disposable kitchen towels.
Why are manufacturers reducing the sizes of wiping products?
The previous paragraph is enlightening! To make it cheaper than cheap, the first option is to produce in low-cost countries, but in the case of wadding products, everything is practically automated... Therefore, the remaining options are: reduce the product length in meters and/or the number of sheets . Reduce the sheet size or roll width . Reduce the paper weight . Set the machine to the lowest tolerance ... The worst-case scenario: incorporating into the raw materials substances that shouldn't be used in a hygiene and wiping product...
Because some customers were weighing the products, some clever individuals went so far as to "weight" the cores of the rolls or toilet paper ...
As you can see, buying a single-use wiping product, whether it's a simple roll of toilet paper, a roll, a hand towel, an examination sheet or a napkin...involves comparing apples to apples.
What type of disposable tablecloth and napkins are suitable for a restaurant?
Are you a catering and hospitality professional? The choice of disposable tablecloths depends on your establishment's positioning and operational constraints. Paper tablecloths (white or colored) are the economical solution for school cafeterias, brasseries, and high-volume establishments that primarily seek a low cost per cover. Dunicel and non-woven tablecloths like Airlaid offer a refined woven finish, ideal for gourmet restaurants and event caterers. Spunbond (recyclable non-woven) meets eco-responsible specifications with Ecolabel-certified options. Duni's Evolin tablecloth remains the exceptional product for high-end ceremonies or events. Paper napkins (from 20x20 cm for cocktails to 40x40 cm for restaurants) and Dunilin or Dunisoft non-woven napkins complete the table setting with a level of quality comparable to linens. In traditional restaurants, the 38x38 cm paper napkin with point-to-point embossing is preferred , offering maximum comfort and absorbency. Wide choice of colours and reasonable overall cost.
Legislation regarding single use
The use of single-use products generates waste that should be eliminated from our environment. While increasingly efficient waste collection systems with selective sorting help to limit the environmental impact, the best waste is still the waste that isn't produced in the first place. Let's explore the product and legislative developments aimed at reducing this impact.
AGEC Law: What are the obligations and alternatives to disposable products?
The key legislation remains the AGEC Law . Since 2021, the AGEC Law ( Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy ) has imposed progressive restrictions on single-use plastic tableware in on-site dining establishments. Businesses in the hospitality sector and local authorities are now required to offer alternatives: biodegradable tableware made from sugarcane fiber, bamboo, or compostable cardboard. Recyclable cardboard cups and biodegradable plates are compliant solutions. For takeaway sales , disposable packaging remains permitted but must transition to compostable or recyclable materials. Voussert offers a full range of products compliant with the AGEC Law to support professionals in this transition.
What "Eco-responsible" labels are recognized for wiping and single-use products?
Growing awareness of eco-responsibility has led to good practices but also to opportunistic actions by some manufacturers. Thus, to date, the benchmark label for wiping products and, more broadly, for cleaning products, remains the European Ecolabel.
We can also count on the Ecocert label, Nordik Swann.
For raw materials it is the FSC label while for Dunisoft towels for example, Duni has prioritized composting with products labeled OK Compost (Differentiate OK Compost Home from OK Compost Industrial).
Apart from these labels, don't rely on "self-proclaimed labels" like "green product"...