The Secret to 5-Star Stays

According to research, a guest’s washroom experience is just as important as a good night’s sleep. It can significantly affect guest satisfaction, impacting on their reviews. Tripadvisor’s statistics have revealed that up to 81% of travellers frequently read reviews before booking a place to stay. Overlooking something as simple as the toilet roll may have an impact on guest experience, potentially leading to lower occupation rates and reduced revenue.

Choosing the right product can be a minefield, so here we explore some of the elements that could influence your choice.

Ply

The ply of the product is the number of layers of paper used to create the roll. Luxury toilet tissue predominately comes in two styles, two and three ply.  Two ply balances comfort and performance with cost effectiveness. Three ply offers ultimate quality and softness.

Lamination

With lamination, the individual sheets are glued together providing strength, so the sheets do not come apart when in use. All of Northwood’s Whisper products, for instance, are laminated for greater sheet strength.

Embossing

Embossing does not just add pretty patterns to the paper, it provides several benefits. Embossing gives the paper additional bulk and it also creates a larger surface area, helping to increase the absorption rate. Furthermore, the enhanced texture makes the product softer to the touch.

An alternative to embossing is flat sheet.  With Whisper Classic, for example, the paper isn’t embossed, resulting in a smooth finish together with a heavy gsm paper. This is one of our fastest growing products, particularly in the hospitality sector, where providers look for alternatives that offer something different to their guests.

Roll length

When selecting a product, a key consideration is roll length. We offer products in different roll lengths in our two and three ply offers. Some hotel operators prefer longer rolls that require less changes of the roll.

Whisper 320 is a two-ply tissue that is 34m long, meaning it doesn’t need to be changed as frequently. Other operators may wish to provide guests with a new roll at the start of their stay or when housekeeping perform their daily cleaning duties. Whisper Soft, which is a two-ply product, comes in a roll length of 20.9m and Whisper Ultra is a three-ply option at just 18.4 metres. Utilising shorter rolls can make stub roll disposal easier and cost effective, especially with increasing operating costs.

Rather than throwing stub rolls away these could be recycled as part of Northwood’s Green Loop scheme. The scheme diverts valuable raw materials, which are likely to be destined for incineration, and turns them into new products. Paper recycling helps achieve sustainability goals, whilst also visually showing customers and employees a commitment to the environment.

Packaging

Commercially available toilet tissue is typically supplied either as a 4 or 9 pack, and these inner packs are then supplied in an outer wrap to create a case of between 36 to 48 rolls. The inner and outer wrap is typically plastic for transport and hygiene purposes. For Whisper products that are supplied in plastic packaging, we use material that contains a minimum of 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) material minimising its impact.

Last year, we introduced Whisper Eco, a luxury toilet tissue made from 100% recycled material. The four-roll product is paper wrapped and supplied in a cardboard box removing any plastic. The product and all the packaging are FSC certified and recyclable. This packaging solution swaps single use non-renewable material for a renewable one and may better support operators where the recycling infrastructure includes paper and cardboard.

Sustainability & Environmental

With environmental consciousness increasing, guests are interested in the products they use and how they were sourced. Businesses are actively looking for products that align with their brand or company values and ultimately impact less on the environment.

FSC and PEFC schemes allow businesses and consumers to identify and purchase paper and other forest products, made with materials from well-managed forests and/or recycled sources. All Whisper products are either FSC or PEFC.

Carbon footprint

All Whisper products are made in the UK, reducing our impact on the environment. We can provide CO2 level data for our products through analysis of scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, so customers can make an informed choice about the environmental impact of specific products.

 

Interested to find out more?
If you’d like any help with selecting a product within the Whisper toilet tissue range that could enhance your guest’s stay, whilst also meeting your specific needs, then contact us today.