You’re sitting there. You reach for it without thinking. It’s soft, white, and perforated for your convenience. But honestly, for the vast majority of human existence, the history of toilet paper was a saga of pain, splinters, and whatever happened to be lying around in the yard.
We take it for granted. Most people assume that once humans figured out indoor plumbing, the quilted two-ply followed naturally. That’s just not true. For centuries, the smartest minds on the planet were busy building cathedrals and mapping stars while still using broken pottery shards to wipe their backsides. It’s a bit humbling, isn't it? Our ancestors were tough, but their bathroom habits were—to put it mildly—rugged.
Before the Roll: The "Anything Goes" Era
If you went back to Ancient Rome, you wouldn't find a cupboard stocked with Charmin. Instead, you'd find the xylospongium. This was basically a sea sponge stuck onto the end of a long stick. Now, here’s the kicker: it was communal. You’d use it, rinse it in a bucket of salt water or vinegar, and leave it for the next guy in the public latrine. Senaca, the philosopher, actually recorded a story about a gladiator who committed suicide using one of these sticks because he found the prospect of the arena—or perhaps the bathroom—too much to bear.
In other parts of the world, people just used the local geography. Coastal tribes used mussel shells. Desert dwellers used sand or smooth stones. If you lived in a forest, you used moss or leaves. But you had to be careful. One wrong move with a stray patch of poison ivy and your week was ruined.
The Greeks often used pessoi, which were small, circular pieces of ceramic or pebbles. Archeologists have actually found these in ancient pits. Some even have names inscribed on them, suggesting that people would literally wipe their business onto the names of their enemies. Talk about a "burn."
China Invented It (And Nobody Noticed for Centuries)
While Europeans were still struggling with hay and old rags, China was way ahead of the curve. We can trace the history of toilet paper back to the 6th century AD. The scholar-official Yan Zhitui wrote in 589 AD that he wouldn't dare use paper containing the names of sages for "toilet purposes."
By the 14th century, the Chinese government was actually mass-producing it. We’re talking about the Yuan Dynasty here. Records show that in Zhejiang province alone, ten million packages of 1,000 to 10,000 sheets were being cranked out annually. In 1393, for the Imperial family, they even made special sheets that were perfumed. Imagine that. While the rest of the world was using corn cobs, the Chinese Emperor was using scented, soft-fabric-style paper.
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The Corn Cob and the Catalog
Fast forward to early America. The "corn cob" isn't just a stereotype; it was a staple. They were plentiful, surprisingly effective at cleaning, and—best of all—free. But then came the printing press and the rise of the mail-order catalog.
The Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog was a revolution for the American bathroom. People would hang it on a nail in the outhouse. You’d read the ads for sewing machines and saddles, then tear out a page when you were finished. It was double-duty entertainment and hygiene.
When the company switched to printing the catalog on glossy, slick paper in the 1930s, people actually complained. You can’t wipe with glossy paper. It doesn't absorb; it just... moves things around. This change actually forced a lot of rural families to finally start buying dedicated paper products.
The Splinter Problem
In 1857, an entrepreneur named Joseph Gayetty introduced "Medicated Paper for the Water-Closet." This is technically the birth of the modern industry in the United States. He was so proud of it that his name was watermarked on every single sheet. It wasn't on a roll, though; it came in a box of loose sheets, soaked in aloe.
Gayetty marketed it as a medical product to prevent hemorrhoids. He called it "The greatest necessity of the age." People hated it. Why pay for "medicated" paper when the Old Farmer’s Almanac was free?
Then there was the splinter issue.
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It sounds like a horror movie, but until the 1930s, "splinter-free" was a legitimate marketing claim. Because of the way paper was manufactured, tiny wood shards often remained in the pulp. Northern Tissue (now Quilted Northern) eventually made "Splinter-Free" their main selling point in 1935. Think about that the next time you complain that the store is out of your favorite ultra-soft brand. It could be much, much worse.
The Great Perforation Debate
The Scott Paper Company, started by brothers E. Irvin and Clarence Scott in 1879, is the reason we have rolls today. But they were actually embarrassed by their product. At the time, talking about bodily functions was a massive social taboo. They didn't want the "Scott" name associated with the bathroom, so they sold it to private dealers who could put their own branding on it.
Eventually, the "Waldorf" brand became their big hit. By the 1920s, Scott was the leading toilet paper company in the world. They succeeded by leaning into the "feminine" and "soft" aspects of the product, moving it away from the "medicated" or "industrial" vibe of the 1800s.
Cultural Nuance: Why the World Doesn't Wipe the Same
It is a mistake to think that the history of toilet paper is a linear progression toward a global standard. It isn't. Much of the world looks at Americans and their dry paper with absolute disgust.
In many Islamic cultures, the lota (a small water vessel) is used. The concept of Istinja dictates that water must be used to cleanse the body. In Japan, you have the high-tech Washlet bidets that feature heated seats, oscillating sprays, and even white noise to mask any embarrassing sounds.
In these regions, toilet paper is often seen as a secondary tool—something used just to dry off after the water does the real work. From a hygiene perspective, they have a point. If you got chocolate on your arm, you wouldn't just rub it with a dry paper towel and call it clean. You'd use water.
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Shortages and Psychology: The 1973 Panic
One of the weirdest moments in the history of toilet paper happened in 1973. It wasn't caused by a lack of trees or a factory fire. It was caused by a joke.
Johnny Carson, the king of late-night TV, made a quip during his monologue on The Tonight Show about a shortage of toilet paper. There wasn't actually a shortage—at least not yet. But millions of people watched him, got scared, and ran to the stores the next morning to buy every roll they could find.
This created a "self-fulfilling prophecy." Because everyone bought it all at once, the shelves actually did go bare. It took weeks for the supply chain to catch up. We saw a repeat of this behavior in 2020 during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It turns out that when humans feel like the world is spinning out of control, we try to exert control over the one thing we can: our bathrooms.
The Environmental Cost of Softness
We’ve reached a point where "ultra-soft" is the gold standard, but there’s a hidden price. Most of the premium, plush toilet paper sold in the U.S. is made from "virgin" forest fibers—meaning trees that have never been recycled.
According to reports by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the "Canadian Boreal Forest" is being significantly impacted by the demand for tissue products. While recycled toilet paper exists, it often isn't as soft, which makes it a hard sell for consumers who have grown accustomed to the luxury of 1935-and-beyond technology.
There is a growing movement toward bamboo paper. Bamboo grows incredibly fast and doesn't require the same chemical processing as traditional wood pulp. It’s a return to the more sustainable (though hopefully not splinter-filled) roots of the product.
Actionable Steps for the Modern Bathroom
Understanding the history of toilet paper makes you realize that we are in a very brief, very pampered window of human history. If you want to optimize your own "throne room" experience while being mindful of history and the planet, consider these shifts:
- Install a Bidet Attachment: You can buy a non-electric bidet for under $40. It reduces your paper usage by about 70-80% and is significantly more hygienic. It’s the biggest jump in bathroom tech since the roll was invented.
- Check the Fiber Source: Look for the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) label on the packaging. If it’s not recycled, at least ensure it’s coming from responsibly managed forests rather than old-growth groves.
- Stop Over-using: The average person uses about 57 sheets per day. Most of that is unnecessary bulk. Folding the paper instead of "scrunching" it into a ball can reduce waste by nearly half.
- Acknowledge the "Flushable" Myth: Despite what the packaging says, most "flushable" wipes are a nightmare for city sewer systems. They don't break down like toilet paper does and create "fatbergs" in the pipes. Stick to the paper or the water.
The journey from sea sponges on sticks to bamboo fibers has been long and occasionally painful. We've gone from using the names of our enemies to wipe our backsides to fighting over the last 12-pack at the grocery store. Ultimately, the history of toilet paper isn't just about hygiene; it's a reflection of how we view comfort, technology, and the environment. Take a second to appreciate that your next trip to the bathroom won't involve a corn cob or a stray splinter. That’s progress.