Colored Toilet Paper History &Why It Went Down The Toilet

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Though we live in an increasingly colorful world in many respects, when it comes to toilet paper, things are still very, well, vanilla. But that wasn’t always the case. Ironically, the conservative ’50s saw the rise of the most colorful era in toilet paper history. 

In that post-war decade, sinks, bathtubs and toilets were coordinated in colors that would horrify today’s monochromatic designers. Powder blue, pink, yellow and green were all the rage. And the cherry on top of this matchy-matchy retro bathroom cake? Colored toilet paper.

Yes, for the trendy 1950s housewife, it was a must to wipe your privates in a color-coordinated fashion. And this rainbow approach to personal hygiene continued well into the ’60s and ’70s until it hit a literal and figurative end somewhere around the mid-’80s.

So why is it that when we reach for the toilet paper these days, we’re forced to settle for plain old white? And is there a good reason for this colorless state of bathroom affairs? We’re going to fill you in. 

But first, let’s go over a very brief history of toilet paper.

A Very Brief History of What We Wipe Our Ends With

Toilet paper goes way beyond Charmin and may reach further back than you think. In fact, there’s evidence that it was used in China as early as the 6th century AD. And by the 14th century, a rice paper variety was being mass-produced for the royal heinies of the imperial family.

And yet here in the good old USA, toilet paper wasn’t widely available until 1857 when Joseph Gayetty introduced it into the commercial market as “Medicated Paper for the Water Closet.”

So what exactly were we wiping with before then? Here are a few of the surprising and now unthinkable articles we put to use:

• Grass (Sounds like it would stain.)
• Hay (Yikes, itchy!)
• Moss (Collecting it sounds labor intensive.)
• Fruit Skins (Was that seasonal?)
• Sand and Stones (Ouch!)
• Snow (Brrrr!)
• Corn Cobs (WTF?)
• Water (That makes sense.)
• The Sears Catalogue and the Farmers Almanac (We are not kidding you.)

Clearly, people must have been delighted when someone finally figured out a way to make a visit to the bathroom a much more comfortable (not to mention pain free) experience. 

Although apparently, it took a while to work the kinks out of this new fangled invention as Northern Tissue advertised their brand as being “splinter-free” as late as the 1930s.

But the industry got their crap together by the 1950s when toilet paper was not only softer and more absorbent but came in a wide variety of colors to match your bathroom decor. Woohoo!

Related: Why You Should Go With A Heated Towel Rack [Interview with Craig Taylor]

The Demise of Colored TP

Although colored toilet paper was an instant hit when it was first introduced in the 1950s, the colorful bathroom tissue trend eventually died out starting around the mid-’80s. So why did it go down the toilet? Turns out there are several theories that are credited for its bitter end.

Harmful Dyes

We’re all aware that toilet paper is a sensitive matter for a sensitive place. And when doctors started warning people about the potentially harmful effects of dye on their private parts in the late ’80s, it was a major blow to the industry.

As a matter of taste, we won’t provide you with any actual case studies.

Bad for Environment

Another reason given for the demise of colored toilet paper is that all those chemical dyes were bad for the environment. Of course, that reason doesn’t seem to hold much water as plastics, petroleum products, and all kinds of other not-planet-friendly chemicals continue in full-scale production until this day. Just sayin’.

Colored Toilet Paper Costs More

Yet another reason that colored paper is said to have met its end is that it’s more expensive to produce. Did big toilet paper business wake up one fine day and realize they could cut costs and increase profits by serving up just plain white? 

When in doubt, follow the money. 

Modern Design

As we all know, when it comes to fashion and design, one day you’re in, and the next day you’re being laughed at. Loudly. 

As the trend of pastel-colored bathrooms began to wane, designers with a more color-neutral palette took over the room where we attend to our necessities. Eventually, wiping your posterior with pastels went out of fashion because these colored rolls just didn’t go with our modern bathroom designs anymore. 

A bright pink or blue role amongst all those white fixtures? How gauche!

Sadly, TP-ing someone’s house had the color drained out of it as well. One can only wonder if teenagers were disappointed with the new state of toilet paper affairs.

But wait a second…

Maybe you’re reading all this, though, and thinking about the toilet paper in your bathroom and that toilet paper’s origins, and you realize something. Wood isn’t white. Toilet paper is made from wood. Technically, then, your toilet paper is all dyed. The manufacturers just swapped out the colored dye for bleach!

Okay, yes, this is basically true. Just because paper companies are no longer, by and large, dying their toilet paper pastel shades of pink and blue, that doesn’t mean they aren’t changing the color at all. Toilet paper is bleached, not just to give it that clean, white look but also to make it a little softer and to increase absorbency.

Of course, just because manufacturers are bleaching their toilet paper, that doesn’t mean that all toilet paper is bad for the environment or your body. Due to governmental regulation, manufacturers can only use certain types of bleach in their products, meaning safer toilet paper for both you and the environment.

A brief recap

Just came here for the details and don’t need the full story? Here’s a brief timeline.

1950s

Toilet paper went from a necessity to a home decor item. Colored toilet paper was primarily produced in pastel hues to match the bathroom decor of the time.

1960s

As interior decorators began using more and more vibrant colors in their bathroom designs, toilet paper manufacturers had to keep up. So they began producing more vibrant rolls of toilet paper and toilet paper featuring patterns.

1970s

This vibrant, patterned trend continued, and toilet paper remained an important decor decision in one’s home.

1980s

Colored toilet paper began to decline, for the reasons listed above. Doctors warned against the dyes and what they could do to your nether regions. Environmental concerns cropped up. On a more basic, everyday level, modern bathroom designs changed and weren’t quite as bold.

2004

This year was, apparently, when we saw the very last roll of colored toilet paper on store shelves, at least in the United States.

The Second Coming

To those of you who still yearn for the good old days of colorful toilet paper (and for those who simply weren’t born yet), there’s hope at the end of the rainbow. 

Renova, a company that’s apparently unafraid to fly its toilet paper freak flag, is manufacturing 3-ply TP in an assortment of colors. If you feel the need to spice things up when it comes to wiping your bum, you can now do it with colors like pink, lime green, red, yellow, orange, Fuchsia, and even black. 

Yes, black toilet paper rolls. Though this does raise an important question—if the job isn’t done until the paperwork is finished, how will you know when you’re finished? 

Sorry if the image that just popped into your head was too graphic.

Also, I have to wonder if color therapy works on your bottom? Would cooling blue be good after a night of spicy Indian food? Would refreshing green make you feel cleaner below the belt? Will authoritative black make you feel more powerful all the way down to your derriere? 

Unfortunately, studies are still lacking.

But for those of you concerned with safety, the company assures us that their TP has been dermatologically and gynaecologically tested. (Wonder who volunteered for that experiment?) And, their toilet paper is great for commercial and RV septic systems. 

For those of us that survived the great toilet paper shortage of 2020, a roll of colorful toilet paper may be the perfect holiday gift to slide under the Christmas tree. 

Want to Try This Blast from the Past for Yourself?

So, want to get your hands (or, rather, your fanny) on some of these colorful rolls of toilet paper, whatever hue you prefer? Here are some of your options, some of which you can order right now and feel that colorful magic on your bum within mere days.

1. Renova’s “Sexiest Paper on Earth”

As mentioned, the Renova brand is at the forefront of today’s colored toilet paper industry. Proudly boasting that it offers “the sexiest paper on Earth,” Renova makes toilet paper in seven different colors — bright blue, fuchsia, lime green, orange, red, yellow and black. (Rumor has it that celebrity mom-ager Kris Jenner prefers black.)

Still, Reno acknowledges that its toilet paper isn’t exactly something people will use daily (possibly … unless you’re Kris Jenner, maybe). The toilet paper comes in a special, three-roll pack with 140 sheets per roll. The toilet paper is lightly scented and 3-ply.

Can’t decide which vibrant color you want most? You can get a multi-color gift set of six rolls of toilet paper, so you can pick between lime green, yellow, blue, orange, red and pink the next time you feel nature’s call.

2. Toilet Paper Man’s 24-Carat Gold Toilet Paper

If your favorite color is gold, then Toilet Paper Man, based out of Australia, would have had you covered in the colored toilet paper department for a while, at least. Several years ago, the brand produced a unique specialty item: 24-carat rolls of gold toilet paper.

Yes, it was usable and safe, made from actual toilet paper, but just with 24-carat gold flakes found throughout the roll. The toilet paper came gift-wrapped and with a bottle of Champagne.

But while this golden toilet paper isn’t available now, Toilet Paper Man has another luxury toilet paper option (even if it’s not colored). The brand offers its Chanel No 5 toilet paper for those who envision their bathroom trips smelling a little more like the perfume counter at a department store than … well, whatever they currently smell like.

The Chanel No 5 toilet paper comes in a carton of 96 rolls, but only one roll boasts the iconic scent — so you’ll have to do a little digging around to find the right one. Think of it as a bathroom-time treasure hunt.

3. Treasure Gurus One Hundred Dollar Bill Toilet Paper

Prefer to show off your bathroom wealth in the form of hundred-dollar bills rather than in the form of gold flakes or Chanel No 5? Then go with this roll of toilet paper that’s covered in Benjamins. The brand markets the full-size toilet paper as a gag or housewarming gift.

4. Toyvian Floral Toilet Paper

A colored toilet paper option that’s a little more on the traditional side, this toilet paper is printed with a pastel pink and yellow floral design. The brand makes two floral options, one with smaller flowers and the other with a bigger print. Each purchase comes with two rolls with a thousand sheets each, and the brand says that the toilet paper is soft and high-absorbing.

5. Seymour Butz Rainbow Unicorn Toilet Paper

Yes, you read that brand name correctly. This novelty toilet paper is printed with a pretty pattern of unicorns and rainbows. While the brand — which specializes in gag gifts — admits that that’s exactly what this toilet paper is, it also posits that the unicorn toilet paper could be a good choice for potty-training parents. When you just need to get your kid to go, and they have a thing for unicorns, you might be desperate enough to pay $15 for two rolls of 3-ply toilet paper.

Reviewers report that they use the toilet paper in their guest rooms as a fun surprise, or when there’s simply no toilet paper to be found elsewhere.

6. Green Tea Toilet Paper

In contrast, this is a colored toilet paper that’s absolutely made in all seriousness. The green-hued toilet paper is made from the pulp of organic green tea leaves. The maker says the 100% virgin green tea pulp is filled with Vitamin A and carotene, benefiting sensitive skin, while still providing superior absorption.

Reviewers report that they like the green tea toilet paper more than bamboo-based toilet paper; however, some say that if you are sensitive to most other toilet papers, you might have the same issue with this one. The color receives high marks, though. Some do also say the toilet paper smells faintly of green tea.

7. Of Earth Bamboo Toilet Paper

If your ears perked up at the mention of bamboo toilet paper, you may want to check out this option. With an au natural color that’s a light beige, the toilet paper is a great fit for those seeking an unbleached option.

Eco-friendly and chemical-free, the sustainable toilet paper is made from farmed bamboo and has no whitening chemicals. Some reviewers say the toilet paper leaves a little to be desired in the softness department but does the job.

The real deal

But are you hankering for the real deal? The OG-colored toilet paper? Just go to the online marketplace where you can find folks selling all sorts of interesting vintage items: Etsy.

You’ll find Angel Soft’s pink bathroom tissue from 1991 still unopened. From 1979, there’s a vintage pink and white rose-printed Aurora four-pack of toilet paper. Want something in pastel green? Check out this new Charmin toilet paper in the package from the 1980s.

The people have spoken!

Whatever your take on colored toilet paper, it’s clear that there’s at least a part of the population who wants this product back in their lives.

On the blog History Dumpster, a bevy of colored toilet paper fans came out of the woodwork in the mid-2010s to protest their love for the stuff.

One commenter said, “I’m sorry, but I prefer the matching colors over the boring and tasteless uncolored crap of the last 20 to 30 years.”

Another said, “I remember when [toilet paper] also had little flowers on the roll. I wish they would make it again.”

Luckily for those commenters, several people did chime in and let them know that colored toilet paper is still on store shelves in parts of Europe. One commenter said that most U.K. supermarkets still stock colored toilet paper, though the colors might be a little more limited than they were in the United States in the 1950s. They noted that the most popular color options are yellow, peach, pink and blue. 

Another commenter said they’ve found purple and green toilet paper in supermarkets in France and Cyprus, and toilet paper with floral patterns in the United Kingdom.

In fact, a quick search for pink toilet paper in France will bring up all sorts of articles and commentary about the popularity of the pink stuff throughout the country. (One Quora user said pink toilet paper’s continuing popularity in the country was due to French marketers associating light pink with purity, softness and health, the same way Americans associate bright white with cleanliness and purity.)

On Amazon, the jet-black Renova toilet paper also gets high reviews from shoppers. One reviewer said that the “black toilet paper definitely gives a pop of ‘ooh-la-la,” and another said the toilet paper looks great with their dark wallpaper. Some even noted that it was the only toilet paper they could find during the 2020 toilet paper shortage. Of course, just about all the reviewers acknowledge that the toilet paper is on the pricey side; it is, after all, a specialty item.

Colored Toilet Paper FAQs

More questions about your bum and the paper that goes on it? TL;DR all of the above? You’ve come to the right place.

When did colored toilet paper come out?

Colored toilet paper became popular in the 1950s, when bathroom decor heavily leaned on pastel colors, from the toilet to tub, vanity to tile-work on the walls. The color-coordinated toilet paper was the finishing touch.

When did they stop making colored toilet paper?

Some countries do still make colored toilet paper, but, in the United States, colored toilet paper began to fall out of fashion in the 1980s. We saw our last, mass-produced colored toilet paper on store shelves in the early 2000s.

Why did they stop making colored toilet paper?

There are several reasons why manufacturers stopped making colored toilet paper. The main reason, though, was that it simply fell out of fashion. Consumers were also worried about health concerns related to the dyes used in the manufacturing process, as well as the effect those dyes had on the environment. Colored toilet paper was also more expensive.

Do other countries still have colored toilet paper?

Yes! Several countries in Europe still sell colored toilet paper in their supermarkets. To get colored toilet paper in the United States, though, your best bet is to place an order online.

What color is toilet paper naturally?

While white may be the standard toilet paper hue, white toilet paper isn’t at all natural. With no dyes or bleaches, toilet paper is more of a brownish color (think a public restroom paper towel).

All’s Well That Ends Well

Who knows why designers in the 1950s suddenly decided that pastel bathroom fixtures were the new thing. 

Was it the defeat of Hitler that made them want to paint the rainbow? Were they just bored? As is the case with many trends, we may never know. But we do know that this design whim gave rise to a colorful era in toilet paper history that we may never see the likes of again.

Although there are various reasons why wiping your fanny with dyed TP went down the toilet, the biggest reason is that it simply went out of fashion. Will the bold colors of renegade toilet paper company Renova take over the market and create a toilet paper renaissance? 

Only time will tell. For now, it’s probably best to go with whatever treats your fanny the best—even if it is plain old white.

You might also be interested in: 35 Bathroom Essentials That’ll Spice Up Any Washroom [Guide]

Colored Toilet Paper:

1. Renova’s “Sexiest Paper on Earth”
2. Toilet Paper Man’s 24-Carat Gold Toilet Paper
3. Treasure Gurus One Hundred Dollar Bill Toilet Paper
4. Toyvian Floral Toilet Paper
5. Seymour Butz Rainbow Unicorn Toilet Paper
6. Green Tea Toilet Paper
7. Of Earth Bamboo Toilet Paper