—One of America's favorite toilet papers just changed — here's what's different
We got an early look at Charmin’s redesign and compared the old and new versions side by side to see exactly what's changed.
One of America's favorite toilet papers just changed — here's what's different
We got an early look at Charmin’s redesign and compared the old and new versions side by side to see exactly what's changed.
One of America's best-selling toilet papers is about to look a little different. Before Charmin officially launches its redesigned Ultra Strong, we got an early look at the new update. We compared it side by side with the current Ultra Strong to see exactly what's changed — and whether shoppers are likely to notice.
What’s changing?
Blink and you might miss it: Charmin Ultra Strong's sheets are getting wider.
The wider sheets will gradually replace the current Ultra Strong line as they roll out to retailers nationwide. During the transition, you may see both versions on store shelves and online. Look for packaging labeled "Wider Sheets" if you’re shopping for the updated version.
What we noticed
We compared the current and new versions side by side and measured them ourselves.
The new sheets are about half a centimeter wider — or a fifth of an inch — than the previous version, while the sheet length appears unchanged. The new roll nearly maxed out the width of our toilet paper holder, though we found it still fit comfortably.
We also noticed another difference: The Mega XL 6-pack we received contains 297 sheets per roll, compared to 330 sheets per roll for the current Mega XL Ultra Strong.
Why Charmin says it made the change
According to the brand, its biggest Ultra Strong update in more than a decade features wider, stronger sheets designed to provide more coverage, helping consumers use up to 50% less toilet paper than a leading U.S. one-ply bargain brand. While we also noticed the new Mega XL rolls contain fewer total sheets, Charmin says the wider sheets are designed to help consumers use less toilet paper overall.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, we test toilet paper for softness, strength, absorbency and dissolvability. While we don't formally evaluate sheet width, it can influence your experience at home, and we've had testers comment on sheet size in past evaluations.
Whether shoppers will notice the difference right away is hard to say, but if you're a longtime Ultra Strong fan, you’ll likely spot the wider sheets the next time you buy a pack.
