Wednesday, November 3, 2010

My Question Is Why...?


I'm sure there must be a good reason for it, but I'm not sure I understand what it is!

I understand that the manufacture process of the cardboard tubes causes a lot of extra scrapes, but the tubes themselves offer a wide range of uses, I think.

First of all, I can't help but wonder what type of support will be with the rolls without the tubes. Also, will the rolls stay on the holder as well without the tube as with it? If not, when will someone invent a different type of holder and how much will it cost?

I like the tubes to carry a lot of useful items for camping or bugging out! Items like fire-starters made from dryer lint. Might come in handy, ya know? Rolls stuffed with useful things can fit in a back pack very easily.

Besides, you want to make some kids happy? Just give them an empty cardboard box, some tin foil, and some TP rolls...and watch what they'll come up with! Surely this should have some effect on the decision to get rid of the tube!



'Tube free' toilet paper headed for stores


Published: Oct. 27, 2010 at 2:27 PM


IRVING, Texas, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Texas-based paper products giant Kimberly-Clark said the first "tube free" toilet paper is on its way to stores in the Northeast United States.

The Irving company said Scott Naturals Tube-Free toilet paper will be available Monday at Sam's Club and Walmart stores across the Northeast, and the brand may go global if sales are high, USA Today reported Wednesday.

Kimberly-Clark said the technology may also be adapted to its paper towel brands if the toilet paper is successful.

The company estimated 17 billion toilet paper tubes are produced each year in the United States, creating about 160 million pounds of garbage.

"We found a way to bring innovation to a category as mature as bath tissue," said Doug Daniels, brand manager at Kimberly-Clark.

This is one of those actions that you like and don't like at the same time! I do think it's a good thing that such a big company is trying to upgrade their product, even though it may be profit driven. If it can help reduce the waste, then it's a good thing! I just can't help but wonder if the company couldn't find something to make out of all that scrap...something useful! Seems like it to me, but what do I know? I'm just a big user!

Let's get some fresh coffee and sit outside for a bit. We can come up with some good uses for your empty tubes, ya think?

19 comments:

Ben in Texas said...

Hermit,It's a big ploy sell more TP!!

Simple, when you reach over to pull some paper, it ain't gonna roll all nice and easy like it used to and it's gonna tear off before you get the amount you wanted. Then you gonna be mad and grab it again and pull off even more, by the time you get what you "think" you wanted in the first place , I betcha it's more than you would have normally used with the ole style free rolling TP that we all know and love.



The biggest issue I see here at the house is,,it will drive the cats mad trying to get that thing to roll around!!

AND we will have a whole generation of young kids with out their first musical instrument!! At our house it was called the DA DA DADA, and was all of us boys first trumpet!! ( we all grew up playing in the band BTW)

Mechanic in Illinois said...

I doubt if the price will go down. There's less manufacturing so the price should be less. Probably will go up so the big wigs at the companies make more money. SOS, same old story or is it same old sh--. Thanks for the great info.

JoJo said...

Good Morning My Special One,
OK less waste, less jobs

HermitJim said...

Hey Ben...
Gotta agree with you on the musical instruments thing!

We know that we are probably going to have3 to struggle to get more or at least, as much paper as before!

Gotta be tied to profits somehow!

Thanks, buddy, for coming by today!


Hey Mechanic...
Gotta keep those CEO's in bonus money somehow!

Thanks for coming by today!


Hey JoJo...
Good to see you this morning, sweetie! Let's hope this move doesn't put a lot of people out of business or out of work! Too much of that already!

Thanks, dear lady, for coming by this morning!

Mamma Bear said...

If I were a betting person I would bet that China is already mass producing a plastic holder that will slip into the holes of the rolls!

Coming soon to a China Mart near you!

Anonymous said...

Ploy is right. These are "Naturals". OMG! I've been using unnaturals (cue spooky music) all these years. 12 of these rolls equal 34(?) of the unnaturals. That ought to make it easy to comparison shop. Call me cynical but it sounds like an advertising ploy and cost reduction measure, not a gift to consumers.

HermitJim said...

Hey Mamma Bear...
You can bet that the marketing will start in earnest soon!

I just don't understand the "hole" thing!

Thanks for coming by today!


Hey Anon 10:13...
I don't see how the tubes are going to save that much space or increase the size of the roll!

I'm thinking everything will stay pretty much the same except the price! We know that's going to go up!

Thanks, my friend, for dropping by today!

Dizzy-Dick said...

Didn't they just decrease the size of each square? Pretty soon we will have to go back to the old Sears Catalog.

HermitJim said...

Hey Dizzy...
They will probably put something in the ink that will cause a rash! Then they can come out with a product to cure the "crapper rash" we will all come down with!

You can't get ahead of big business, that's for sure!

Thanks for the visit today!

Marjie said...

I saw that article, too, and I think I'll stick with the tubes. I don't want my TP sagging around the holder.

Ken said...

...MammaBear already said what first came to mind,but it's worth repeating...lol

HermitJim said...

Hey Marjie...
Actually, that was one of my concerns as well! I just don't see what is going to support the rolls on the holder!

In this case, I think that older is better...!

leave well enough alone!

Thanks for coming by today!


Hey Ken...
You know things have gone too far when the start messing with the TP!

Sounds like a government plot to me!

Thanks, buddy, for coming by today!

Kelle at The Never Done Farm said...

Re-educating the sheeple in the PC movement of becoming GREEN! IMHO it's stupid and I wouldn't buy it if they were all that way, bring on the corn cobs and magazine pages( junkmail now-a-days) LOL!!!!

HermitJim said...

Hey Kelle...
I'm really tired of having all this PC crap (no pun intended) forced on me!

If saving money starts to affect the quality of the products I use and makes it less handy for me...time to change brands!

Maybe the shrinking bottom line will get their attention!

Thanks for coming by today!

Gypsy said...

My package of Scott TP (tube intact) says it's made in the USA. If someone is going to make a profit or a big bonus, I hope it's for a product that is employing American workers.

HermitJim said...

Hey Gypsy...
Actually Kimberly-Clark products are made right here in Texas. Don't know why the first samples are going up north, but I think we'll get them (tubeless rolls) soon enough!

It would be interesting to know how many jobs will be affected by this change!

Hey, thanks for coming by today!

Catman said...

Damn, now where did I put that Sears catalog....

HermitJim said...

Hey Catman...
Sorry, buddy, but I think it's already been claimed! There may be a page or two out in the Thunderbox, though!

Thanks for coming by today!

Kyddryn said...

I've been carrying tube-free TP for years, Mister Hermit, sir...in the form of special camper's rolls that are rolled tightly and meant to fit into a backpack with a minimum of fuss. But for the house?

I can think of maybe one reason to be rid of the tubes - here at Casa de Crazy, one of the cats "hunts" the cardboard tubes if we don't throw them out, and when she catches one she wanders around with it in her mouth mewling and declaring her success as a huntress. This usually happens in the wee hours when we'd like to be sleeping!

I think I'll stick with the traditional TP rolls for the nonce, thanks.

Shade and Sweetwater,
K