Editing Paper towel (section)

==History==
[[File:Nibroc.jpg|thumb|left|Early paper towels]]

In 1907, the [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]]-based [[Scott Paper Company]] developed the first restroom tissues.<ref name="Subramanian2019">{{Cite web |last=Subramanian |first=Samanth |author-link=Samanth Subramanian |date=April 25, 2019 |title=Hand dryers v paper towels: the surprisingly dirty fight for the right to dry your hands |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/25/hand-dryers-paper-towels-hygiene-dyson-airblade |access-date=March 19, 2024 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> They started the paper towel industry when they began selling Sani-Towels and used advertising to convince the public that paper towels were essential for [[Hygiene|personal hygiene]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ybrOEAAAQBAJ |title=We Are What We Sell: How Advertising Shapes American Life. . . and Always Has [3 Volumes] |date=2014 |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |editor-last=Coombs |editor-first=Danielle Sarver |page=130 |isbn=978-0-313-39245-0 |editor-last2=Batchelor |editor-first2=Bob}}</ref> 

In 1919, [[William E. Corbin]], Henry Chase, and Harold Titus began experimenting with paper towels in the Research and Development building of the [[Brown Company]] in [[Berlin, New Hampshire]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northcountrynhstories.org/story_Rebecca_Rule.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717144629/http://www.northcountrynhstories.org/story_Rebecca_Rule.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |title=It felt like death |access-date=December 30, 2011 }}</ref> By 1922, [[William E. Corbin|Corbin]] perfected their product and began mass-producing it at the [[Cascade, New Hampshire|Cascade Mill]] on the [[Berlin, New Hampshire|Berlin]]/[[Gorham, New Hampshire|Gorham]] line.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.conwaydailysun.com/node/8484/18664| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130926045719/http://www.conwaydailysun.com/node/8484/18664| url-status= dead| archive-date= September 26, 2013| title= Once Upon a Berlin Time| access-date=December 30, 2011 }}</ref> This product was called Nibroc Paper Towels (Corbin spelled backwards<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.laconiadailysun.com/files/pdfarchivenew/BerlinPDF/2011/2011MillSupplement.pdf| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120421103206/http://www.laconiadailysun.com/files/pdfarchivenew/BerlinPDF/2011/2011MillSupplement.pdf| url-status= dead| archive-date= April 21, 2012| title= Beginnings of the Cascade Paper Mill| access-date=December 30, 2011 }}</ref>). In 1931, the Scott Paper Company introduced their paper towel rolls for kitchens.

Paper towels are commonly used for drying hands in [[Public toilet|public bathrooms]]. In the 21st century, however, electric [[Hand dryers|jet-air dryers]] have threatened their dominance. While there is no clear [[scientific consensus]] over which method is more [[Hygiene|hygienic]], the paper towel industry and hand dryer manufacturers such as [[Dyson (company)|Dyson]] have each attempted to discredit each other by funding studies which spur [[Sensationalism|sensationalist]] headlines and running advertisements. The [[public relations]] battle has also been fueled by animosity between both sides.<ref name="Subramanian2019" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Vincent |first=James |date=April 22, 2016 |title=Dyson vs Big Paper Towel: the battle over hand-drying hygiene |url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/21/11479038/dyson-hand-dryer-hygiene-paper-towel-debate |access-date=March 19, 2024 |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref>