Toilet paper

Overall score

Our lab test assesses how strong toilet paper is and, most importantly, how soft. We include:

Softness: Five ‘sensory panellists’ evaluate softness with their fingertips and by crumpling the paper into a ball. We rate products as good, OK and poor for comfort. We display these as scores of 90, 60 and 30 respectively.

Disintegration time: We throw a sheet of paper into a ‘slosh box’ and start timing. The faster the sample disintegrates, the better. Paper that’s slow to break down in water could block the pipes. If disintegration time is over 4 minutes it scores 0.

Puncture resistance: The same machine tests resistance to puncturing by slowly pushing a steel tube through a sheet of paper. The force required to break through the sheet is recorded. A higher force is better – paper that breaks easily can pose a hygiene risk.

Separation ease: We use a machine to measure the force required to separate the sheets at the perforation. The easier it is for the toilet paper to tear, the better.

Other ratings

We also assess product packaging and claims made on the product. We award a rating of good, acceptable or poor. This doesn’t contribute to the overall score:

Packaging: Assesses what the packaging is made of, how recyclable it is in New Zealand and how clearly it’s labelled with recycling information.

Environment: Considers whether they claim to be bleached, biodegradable/compostable and do they have useful accreditations such as Environmental Choice.

Ethical: We look for ethical sourcing and sustainability claims, and if the packaging states it meets a standard or certification, or has a trusted endorsement.