Essity’s Tork PaperCircle initiative now recycles upward of 35 million used paper hand towels every month, turning what was once bathroom waste into fresh tissue products across Europe.
The service represents one of the continent’s longest-running circular hygiene programs, first launched in 1994 as the world’s only paper hand towel recycling operation. What began as a pioneering experiment has become the leading solution of its kind, helping businesses and public bodies cut landfill waste while preserving valuable fiber resources.
**Closing the loop on washroom waste**
Participating facilities collect discarded hand towels, which Essity then transports to its manufacturing plants. There, the material gets reprocessed into new hygiene products such as toilet paper. The process extends fiber lifecycles and gives organizations a measurable sustainability win without disrupting daily operations.
Recognition has followed. European award bodies have honored the service for innovation, eco-design, and sustainability impact.
**Demand surges across 15 markets**
Tork PaperCircle now operates in fifteen European countries. Its client roster spans corporate headquarters in France, Poland, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside Swedish airports, German universities, and Norwegian public-sector buildings.
Meanwhile, purchasing managers increasingly weigh circularity credentials when evaluating tenders. Essity reports growing appetite from both private companies and government institutions seeking practical waste reduction tools.
**Strong growth signals broader shift**
The program’s footprint grew 33% in 2025 alone, adding customer sites and collecting more than 500 million used hand towels over the year.
“Innovation should solve real customer needs, lead the market, and deliver meaningful sustainability outcomes,” said Pablo Fuentes, President of Professional Hygiene at Essity. “Tork PaperCircle is a strong example of that approach.”
Building on this momentum, Essity has begun testing Tork DispenserCircle, a pilot initiative exploring reuse opportunities for soap, toilet paper, and hand towel dispensers. Early results show 240,000 units diverted for new purposes.
Source: Essity
