How It’s Made: Sustainable Bravo Paper Towels

Do you ever wonder where your curbside recycling goes after it is picked up by sanitation crews? Well, it might be going right back into your home! Let us explain.

Many sustainable household products utilize post-consumer waste in their manufacturing process, from trash bags to cleaning tools, even some paper towels! Bravo® Paper Towels are an eco-friendly, high-performance paper towel made using up to 75% recycled fibers, sourced from curbside recycling.

Not only does Bravo save trees, but it also helps save time. Each sheet is highly absorbent, durable and even reusable. So, grab your hardhat and go lets behind the scenes to see how Bravo Paper Towels are made using innovative double re-creped (DRC) technology in our Milwaukee, Wis.-based factory.

How Bravo Paper Towels Are Made

Without getting too into the weeds (er, trees), DRC technology combines cellulose fibers (like recycled paper material) with virgin fibers to create strong, absorbent and cloth-like paper products. Sellars, the parent company of Bravo, is one of two manufacturers in the world that have the proprietary core technology that makes DRC possible.

Curbside recycling—like cardboard boxes or shredded papers—are sorted and shipped to paper mills where they can be pulped and de-inked. Next, they’re shredded into fibers and mixed with virgin fibers to increase performance. Pressure is applied to remove any water and create a bond between the fibers. Lastly, a synthetic latex resin is added, which gives double* the strength of non-DRC paper towels. The rolls are wound on the inner core, also made from recycled materials, trimmed, packaged and shipped. Thoughtfully designed, compressed packaging helps minimize our shipping footprint, which means more rolls can be shipped in a single load.

The Advantages of DRC Technology

Many competitor products are made using virgin paper from softwood trees and then bleached for uniformity. Bravo Paper Towels aren’t bleached, which is why they possess their distinct natural tan color. Because Bravo Paper Towels are made with recycled cardboard and other durable post-consumer fibers, they’re both strong and high quality. Bravo Paper Towels deliver superior absorption capacity, wet strength and durability, all while being better for our planet. They also do not contain any dyes, bleach or elemental chlorine, making them less harmful to the environment and end-users. With Bravo Paper Towels, you can clean up messes, help reduce waste, save trees and create a cleaner, more sustainable future. Find Bravo at a store near you or visit our website to learn more.