An Introduction to Toilet Paper
The evolution of modern day toilet paper has come a long way. Before the invention of the double, triple-ply squares, human civilizations used a wide range of objects that could be sharp and even dangerous to their anatomy. Throughout the years, rocks, corn cobs and pieces of wood were utilized, while softer solutions, like communal sponges were used by the ancient Romans. The wealthy preferred fabrics like wool or lace that posed less of a threat to the body’s vulnerable parts.

The modern-day concept of toilet paper was conceived in China in the 6th century. When paper became mass produced, newspapers were widely distributed and reused as toilet paper. Commercial toilet paper made a splash on the scene in 1857. Marketed as a medical product that prevented hemorrhoids, they were priced at a modern equivalent of $12 for 500 sheets.

Although modern industrialization has been able to successfully produce toilet paper for decades, the alarms sounded by the COVID-19 pandemic have…