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Tuesday, December 13, 2005 · posted at 1:46 PM

Ply Wars: Why is 2-ply paper softer than 1-ply?

When I moved out, my old roommate expressed concern over her new roommate working out. "What if doesn't use 2-ply toilet paper and gets the cheap stuff from Costco??" she fretted.

I am a 2-ply girl. There's just something about using 1-ply that rubs me the wrong way (pun intended). Especially in the home; if I wanted to be uncomfortable in the bathroom, I'd use a public toilet!

But is it the "ply" part that makes "2-ply" superior? Ply is defined as "A layer, as of doubled-over cloth or of paperboard." But if you double, triple, or quadruple-up on 1-ply, does it really create a pillowsoft, 2-ply Charmin-esque feel?

No, instead you merely end up with a wad of prison-grade toilet paper that feels like a brick and is just as difficult to flush.

Perhaps "ply" is really a misnomer for underlying factor Z that influences toilet paper softness, but is associated with the ply variable Y (I may not be writing my social and behavioral determinants paper right now, but hey I'm practicing the theory)...

Why not introduce another measure to describe toilet paper, similar to the use of thread count for linens? Or different grades such as the number of sheets needed to cushion a shot glass in an overstuffed travel suitcase?

Oh yeah... because it's toilet paper, and at the end of the day, it's really only good for one thing...



	Tuesday, December 13, 2005 · posted at 1:46 PM Ply Wars: Why is 2-ply paper softer than 1-ply? When I moved out, my old roommate expressed concern over her new roommate working out. "What if doesn't use 2-ply toilet paper and gets the cheap stuff from Costco??" she fretted. I am a 2-ply girl. There's just something about using 1-ply that rubs me the wrong way (pun intended). Especially in the home; if I wanted to be uncomfortable in the bathroom, I'd use a public toilet! But is it the "ply" part that makes "2-ply" superior? Ply is defined as "A layer, as of doubled-over cloth or of paperboard." But if you double, triple, or quadruple-up on 1-ply, does it really create a pillowsoft, 2-ply Charmin-esque feel? No, instead you merely end up with a wad of prison-grade toilet paper that feels like a brick and is just as difficult to flush. Perhaps "ply" is really a misnomer for underlying factor Z that influences toilet paper softness, but is associated with the ply variable Y (I may not be writing my social and behavioral determinants paper right now, but hey I'm practicing the theory)... Why not introduce another measure to describe toilet paper, similar to the use of thread count for linens? Or different grades such as the number of sheets needed to cushion a shot glass in an overstuffed travel suitcase? Oh yeah... because it's toilet paper, and at the end of the day, it's really only good for one thing...	Recent Posts Walden dreams, part II. I was at the public librar... Walden dreams. People bug me some time. Everyone ... There must be some Toros in the atmosphere. My fir... Happy Tofurkey Day I spent my first Thanksgiving ... Batty Koda: Are you sure?Zak: Positive!Batty: Onl... PBS is launching a 6 part mini-series on global he... I was flushing a public toilet when my foot slippe... Well, actually I already decided to sleep with you... The Ecological Model: A Case Study Many theories o... Sometimes I feel like I'm trapped in a game of Fro... Morning news babie goose ryan bluemouse daves son dawntaught desiree diorama emily escadawg galveric high entropy invisible cube jepgato kyellow lilly mhuang mogbert nudream starfish + coffee verbivore Archives March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 January 2007 March 2007 April 2007 November 2008

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