Kirkland’s Costco toilet paper is a household staple known for its quality. Though not concerning, many households have questions, such as, “Who makes Costco toilet paper?” This is because Costco does not have its own manufacturing units or facilities. Hence, Costco partners with other established manufacturers to produce its toilet paper.
This blog discusses the manufacturers who make Costco toilet paper and how!
The “Kirkland Brand” History
Costco came up with the name “Kirkland” in the 90s. They didn’t have a single brand that covered all of its packaged goods. Instead, they have all the other 30 brands that make up the store-brand products at Costco stores. However, Jim Sinegal, the founder of Costco, was inspired by an article in Forbes and decided to overhaul Costco’s branding.
In 1995, Costco took all the private labeled products under one name - “Kirkland Signature.” The company’s original headquarters in Washington State inspired the name. Costco decided to keep Kirkland as its only brand because they wanted consistency, which means they can easily be recognized.
The single brand name helped consumers make decisions. It also meant that whatever the consumer was buying, the Kirkland name guaranteed top quality. The loyal customers of Costco will always recommend buying store products for a reason. Although grouping so many items under one name can be seen as a risk, Costco has benefitted from it. Costco’s Kirkland brand alone generated $58 billion in sales during the most recent fiscal year.
Manufacturers Behind Costco Toilet Paper
While Costco does not disclose their manufacturers, the manufacturers mentioned below are known to produce Kirkland toilet paper.
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Georgia-Pacific - This brand is also known for making Angel Soft and Quilted Northern toilet paper.
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Sofidel - They are also a manufacturer of high-quality toilet paper for Costco.
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Clearwater Corporation - They are a major supplier of private-labeled paper towels for Costco and other US supermarkets.
How Costco Toilet Papers Are Made?
Kirkland toilet paper is harvested and manufactured somewhere around Kirkland, Washington, which is basically the birthplace of Costco and the namesake of the Kirkland brand. The paper is sourced from the Boreal forest in Canada and processed within Canada. Although Costco’s toilet paper may seem affordable, it can have a negative environmental impact.
Are Costco’s Toilet Paper Eco-Friendly?
Costco’s toilet paper is made of virgin fiber instead of recycled paper or sustainable materials. The material and manufacturing procedures vary depending on the manufacturer. However, the paper is mostly sourced from ancient Canadian forests that have stood for thousands of years and support diverse wildlife. In addition to this, these regions store more carbon than the Amazon rainforest, which helps in mitigating climate change. This contributes to environmental degradation.
As Kirkland paper towels use wood pulp from these forests, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) rated them among the least sustainable tissue products in the 2023 report on forest degradation.
However, in 2022, Costco introduced a climate action plan that promotes “regenerative and deforestation-free agriculture. Though Costco’s Kirkland paper towels carry certification from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, which involves collaboration between foresters, scientists, and conservationists, these efforts haven’t been able to impress the NRDC.
Are Costco’s Toilet Paper Cost-Effective?
When calculating the price, it is advisable to check for insights. When compared to Purex, Costco’s toilet paper is quite costly. A 30-pack with each roll containing 380 sheets costs around $30.99, whereas Purex is available at $76.44 for a box of 60 rolls, each containing 506 sheets.
If we break this down, Kirkland toilet paper costs $0.0027 per sheet, whereas Purex costs around $0.0025 per sheet. Toilet paper usually doesn’t come cheap, so if you’re looking for some cost-effective options, consider using a bidet. It helps cut down toilet paper use, is considered more eco-friendly, and reduces clogs.
Are Costco Toilet Papers Good?
Many have reported that the toilet paper is causing them UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections) and yeast infections. They believe it’s a dramatic dip in the quality of the paper towel and have claimed that “it’s gone from being the best to being one of the worst.” Kirkland toilet paper users also say that the paper towels are flimsy and shred completely when trying to separate. The complaints also include the durability of the towels, which leave paper dust all over.
But, it is considered to be septic safe, as it is made from pulp fibers, has a 2-ply construction, and can easily dissolve in water. Many consumers have reported positive experiences with the Kirkland toilet paper and have appreciated the quality.
Conclusion
Several manufacturers, such as Sofidel, Georgia-Pacific, etc, make Costco’s toilet paper. The toilet paper is considered not eco-friendly because of the use of virgin fiber from the trees of boreal forests in Canada. Although Costco is making an effort towards sustainability, the critics remain unconvinced. Additionally, the potential health risk has also sparked a debate about toilet paper, which has made consumers think twice about using the product.
