Paper towels or cotton towels? The best choice for your business

A closer look at hygiene, sustainability, and cost in everyday use.

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28 January 2026Hygiene

Paper towels or cloth towels? This is a key question for many companies looking for hygienic and sustainable washroom solutions. Comparing "paper vs. cotton" is well worth it. Your decision impacts not only cleanliness but also your environmental footprint and long-term operating costs.

Contents

Hand drying: Why the choice between paper towels and cotton towels matters
Circular hygiene solutions: Are cotton towels the more sustainable option?
Hygiene compared: what’s more hygienic – paper towels or cotton towels?
Costs & efficiency: cotton towel systems vs. paper towels in daily use
Sustainable hand drying: cotton towels as a long-term choice
Conclusion: why reusable cotton systems are the better option for many businesses

Hand drying: Why the choice between paper towels or cotton towels matters

How often have you wondered whether it really makes a difference how you dry your hands? The truth is: hand drying isn’t just an afterthought—it’s a key part of proper hand hygiene. Thorough drying helps reduce the spread of germs and lowers the risk of infection. Studies show that wet hands can act as germ carriers, as moisture promotes bacterial growth. Choosing the wrong drying system can result in hygiene gaps across your entire business environment.Choosing the fitting hand drying system not only affects hygiene, but also a company's economic and ecological balance. The decision “paper towels or cloth towels?” influences both resource use and long-term operating costs and should be made individually according to the needs of your company.

Circular hygiene products: Are cotton towels the more sustainable option?

When it comes to sustainable hand drying, cotton towel roll dispensers are hard to beat. A single cotton towel roll can be washed and reused up to 100 times, saving thousands of disposable paper towels and drastically reducing waste. Especially in high-traffic environments such as schools, offices, hospitals, or shift-based production facilities, the environmental and logistical benefits quickly add up. Anyone who’s counted the number of waste bags filled with used paper towels each week knows the potential.

Life cycle assessments show that cotton towels have a significantly lower CO₂ footprint over their entire lifespan compared to paper towels. The environmental burden involved in the production of paper towels vs. cloth towels, from the resources required like wood and water to chemical treatments, is higher overall. In a direct comparison cotton towels generate up to 95.4% less waste and require up to 40% less energy.*

Since cotton towels can be used multiple times, environmentally friendly processing is important, which is included, for example, in the rental and washing system offered by CWS. The focus here is on conserving resources and maintaining high hygiene standards.

Cotton towel dispensers offer companies a smart way to reduce their environmental impact and overall waste.

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Hygiene Compared: What’s more hygienic – paper towels or cotton towels?

Which is more hygienic: paper towels or cloth towels? Many are surprised to learn that both systems offer very high levels of hygiene, provided they’re used correctly. Modern cotton towel dispensers only dispense a fresh segment of towel for each use, minimizing the risk of cross-contamination. Certified systems carry quality seals such as EU Ecolabel, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, or comply with EU hygiene standards.
Paper towels are also very hygienic thanks to their single-use nature and good absorbency. However, they come with some trade-offs, namely, increased waste in the washroom. Therefore, regular emptying of wastepaper and dry storage of paper towels must be ensured. In a busy office building, paper waste bins are often overflowing by lunchtime – a clear hygiene risk and a poor image for visitors.

A familiar scenario: the paper towel dispenser is empty once again, and improvised ‘drying methods’ from napkins to shirt sleeves take over. Cotton towel dispensers eliminate this issue and help maintain a consistently clean washroom appearance.

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Costs & efficiency: Paper towels vs. cotton towels in daily use

Cotton towel roll dispensers offered via rental models provide a long-term, predictable solution. Regular maintenance and servicing are typically included in the package, eliminating the need to budget for additional costs for restocking, warehousing, or waste disposal. This simplifies budgeting, significantly reduces administrative burden and maintenance requirements.
By contrast, paper towels incur ongoing operational costs due to continuous consumption. Companies have to regularly purchase new supplies, which means not only additional expenses but also increased costs of waste disposal and storage. Overall costs are also impacted by unforeseen price fluctuations for raw materials such as wood, and rising logistics costs due to frequent reorders.

In short: businesses that opt for cotton towel systems benefit from greater cost stability, sustainability, and lower total operating costs.

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Sustainable hand drying: Cotton towels as a long-term choice

Cotton towels not only offer excellent hygiene, but are often seen as more comfortable to use due to their pleasant feel and high quality. Modern dispensers ensure a clean, professional appearance and prevent overflowing waste bins, keeping washrooms looking tidy at all times.
Companies that invest in cotton towel systems demonstrate that sustainability and innovation go hand in hand for them. This boosts their image when it comes to environmental protection, while supporting their communication around ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) goals. More and more customers and business partners value companies that take social and environmental responsibility seriously.

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Conclusion: Why reusable fabric systems are the better choice for many companies

Cotton towel systems offer a sustainable, cost-efficient, and hygienic solution that provides many advantages, particularly for companies with predictable consumption patterns and clear environmental goals. Compared to single-use paper towels, reusable cotton towel roll dispensers often prove to be the more economical and eco-friendly choice over time. Thanks to their long service life, they contribute to resource conservation and waste reduction.

CWS Hygiene is your reliable partner for innovative and sustainable hand drying solutions. With customizable cotton towel systems, comprehensive service and many years of industry experience, we support companies in optimally combining hygiene, cost-efficiency, and environmental goals. Take advantage of the opportunity to try out a test phase to see the benefits for yourself, risk-free, in individual departments or pilot areas. This will make your company fit for the future and send a clear signal for sustainability and responsibility.

_{*Source: Wirtschaftsverband Textil Service & European Textile Services Association}