You have a wide variety of choices in paper    qualities and systems, we will attempt to point out the benefits and disadvantages to enable you select the best products for your washroom.

Let's start with the traditional toilet roll generally available commercially, with a sheet count between 200 and 320 and a case content of 36 rolls. These are the benchmark standards for our industry. We suggest you check, carefully, any exaggerated price benefits to establish like-for-like costings simply because there are variations in sheet sizes as well as paper quality. In fairness these products are used as loss-leaders to attract your interest.

Toilet rolls are easily pilfered and misused. Some surveys have estimated that 40% are not used for the purpose intended, at work anyway. Manufacturers have invested in toilet tissue systems to tackle this and other problems associated with the traditional toilet roll .

Probably one of the first innovations was the original Standard Jumbo toilet roll. A large roll (about 10" diameter) housed inside a plastic or metal lockable dispenser. Claiming to be the equivalent to 20 normal toilet rolls (what is a normal toilet roll?) it soon became established as a market leader. The original specification for this product was around 400 metres and 6 to a case. In order to reduce the unit cost the current specifications are now around 300m.

Whilst it undoubtedly reduced theft and misuse and reduced roll changing frequency, it didn't solve another problem - when do you change it? Will it last the day and if you change it before it's fully run out what happens to the stub? - does it become a wastage statistic. Some innovative manufacturers have produced a stub roll or a twin roll dispenser to overcome this problem. Because of its size in smaller cubicles, the mini-jumbo system appears to have overtaken the standard jumbo in popularity. And, just to complicate matters further all jumbo's come with with differing core sizes 57mm or 76mm, add to this 1 or 2ply, tissue or recycled paper, you can see how it becomes so complicated.

In an attempt to overcome some of these difficulties the 'Bulk Pack' system was created. This product consists of larger than normal sheets of toilet tissue interleaved in a pack of 250 sheets. These were then stacked inside a dispenser that would comfortably hold two packs. This enabled a top-up feature to be sold. It is today recognised as a major product in the washroom. Paper usage is reduced - sounds good - there's always a drawback. The cost of the paper on a sheet for sheet basis is higher.

The latest innovation to reach the toilet cubicle is the Drop Roll system. This consists of two large rolls of toilet paper, housed inside a dispenser. When the first roll is finished the next drops automatically down. Paper is less expensive this way and you can top the system up at anytime. Originally an American system marketed worldwide very successfully, now however us Europeans have removed the core to maximise the sheet count. Currently we stock the LUNA system where each roll has 950 sheets and not much bigger than ordinary domestic well known brand.