What happened to IZAL toilet paper?

You’d be surprised how nostalgic people get about coloured toilet paper.

Over on our Facebook page people regularly dip into the comments to share memories and reflections of rolls gone by. There are mentions of green toilet paper made to match 70s bathroom suites, references to advertising slogans and cute mascots going back decades and, more than anything else, there’s IZAL.

If you’re under the age of 40, we’ve probably lost you there. But long before Naked Paper came along, there was one big, brown, iconic brand that left a lasting impression on millions of British toilet-goers. And overall, it wasn’t a good one.

Join us on a trip down memory lane.

What was IZAL toilet paper?

IZAL was a product of its time and its town. Sheffield, in the north of England, is a city better known for its coal and steel production than for toiletries. But the foundries of Sheffield had an interesting by-product on their hands. When coal was processed it gave off a type of oil that repelled water and had mild antibacterial properties.

The owners of the Newton Chambers foundry, looking for ways to make a bit of extra money from the coal oil they ended up with, turned it into disinfectant, and hit on the idea of adding it to rolls of brown manilla paper. The final product was sold as "medicated toilet tissue," under the brand name IZAL.

The result was definitely memorable. The paper was thin, hard and shiny. It wasn’t soft, it didn’t break down, and it wasn’t absorbent. Imagine wiping with a thick sheet of baking paper that smells faintly of a hospital, and you’re most of the way there.

So how on earth did this scratchy, shiny, toilet paper find its way into so many public loos?

IZAL first found its footing in the 1920s and 30s. At the time, the world was still recovering from the Spanish flu pandemic, and people were understandably keen on anything that claimed to kill germs. “Medicated toilet tissue” fit the bill perfectly, and IZAL claimed to help prevent influenza, typhus, even malaria.

IZAL was also cheap to make, and manilla paper holds ink well, which meant you could print messages on each sheet. The classic example was  “Now wash your hands,” but IZAL also produced special personalised sheets for larger customers, and some rolls even featured rhymes or funny cartoons.

The promise of superior hygiene at bargain prices, with options for on-roll information and entertainment was enough to get the product into schools, hospitals and other public buildings across the UK.

Is all bleach-free toilet paper like IZAL?

So why does this long-departed loo roll still turn up in our comments section?

It’s the colour. Like Naked Paper, IZAL was brown. That’s where the similarities stop, but you mention “brown toilet paper” and you’re guaranteed to get some call-backs.

People of a certain age (including some of us on the Naked Paper team!) remember it vividly. The antiseptic smell, the crinkly sound. Most of all, we remember the scratchy experience of using it in school toilets or on public transport.

There are some surprisingly fond comments, though. One of our customers popped up to note that the stiff brown sheets made great model aeroplanes. Others say they used it for sketching. And more than one commenter has pointed out that at least it never got stolen, a bonus for public toilets.

So it wasn’t all bad. But as toilet paper manufacturers ourselves we would point out that if one of the key benefits of your product is that nobody would want to nick it, it’s probably worth a rethink.

Can you still buy IZAL toilet paper? 

Those of us who went to school in the 80s or 90s were among the last to experience IZAL first-hand. The brand was sold in 1986, and production wound down over the years that followed. By 2010, it had vanished from shelves altogether.

It turns out the British public preferred a softer roll. Who can blame them?

Also, as a non-tissue, manilla-type paper, IZAL wasn’t like the dissolvable toilet paper made today. This made it unsuitable for modern plumbing and drainage systems, so as UK plumbing was upgraded, toilet paper followed suit.

Today, it survives only in memory, although we reckon there’s a few forgotten rolls lurking in village hall cupboards and hospital basements. If you know of any surviving rolls please let us know!

Either way, it’s gone but not forgotten. IZAL may be banished to the pages of history but the memory lingers for anyone who had the dubious pleasure of using it.

Bleach free toilet paper that’s soft as well

That’s the story of the UK’s other iconic brown toilet paper.

To everyone who’s ever left a nervous comment on our page, experiencing flashbacks of rough sheets and disinfectant smells, please don’t worry. Naked Paper might be the same colour, but that’s where the comparison ends.

Our paper is bleach-free, unfragranced, and doesn’t feature any coatings or cartoons. We’re not trying to eradicate disease and we’re not looking to repel toilet paper burglars. We just make simple toilet paper, at a fair price, that’s better for the planet.

And yes they’re soft.

Want to feel the difference for yourself?