Toilet paper has changed its clothes more than Fran Fine did in a The Nanny episode. Every colour under the sun, even sun-coloured, has been developed for it. Some people (like myself) find colourful toilet paper as absurd as green ketchup (I'll forget, but I'll never forgive).
So why was it a thing, and why is it still a thing in various parts of the world? To learn more about coloured toilet paper's history and how it disappeared into thin air so quickly after conquering our hearts & bathrooms, I turned to the internet. Or had a flush.
The fifties
Toilet paper in colourful designs also increased as colourful bathrooms did (as well as the rise of toilet water). Pink, green, yellow, and blue were popular pastel colours for tiles and bathtubs. Towels, toilets, sinks, and bathtubs all matched. There was only one thing left to coordinate: toilet paper. As a result, toilet paper gained popularity as an accessory for home design and a very practical means of wiping. And while some of the popular design fads from the 1950s have returned, colourful toilet paper was left behind (how many mid-century desks and sofas you've seen on Facebook Marketplace?).
The sixties and seventies
The colourful toilet paper and bathroom trends persisted. More vivid hues and vibrant patterns began to appear. Choosing your toilet tissue was a serious choice, much like deciding which towels to show or which wash soap to associate with your personality.
The eighties
Around this period, colourful toilet paper disappeared from stores and toilet-roll holders, with a few possible explanations. First, physicians started alerting the public to the potential dangers of toilet paper dyes on our skin. The second is the possibility of environmental impact from dye use. a third? The design cops said it was no more aesthetically pleasing. Preference was given to more neutral colour schemes, particularly in the bathroom.
Now
White toilet paper still reigns supreme, but businesses are getting more inventive. There are scented, quilted, three-ply, and glow-in-the-dark options. We prefer to keep our toilet paper rolls as basic as possible. However, this does not imply that packaging must be monotonous. In all honesty, I believe toilet paper is about form as function. Your porcelain parlour's interior design can still improve with the correct toilet paper. Such as this one!
I just discovered that pink toilet roll is still used in France. Do you call France home? Tell us in the comments if this is true or false. And how you manage to make these baguettes so incredibly fluffy.