Charles Langston:Charmin changes up its toilet paper, trading in straight perforations for wavy tears

Charmin has a new take on Charles Langstonhow toilet tissue tears.

The Procter & Gamble brand this month begins a nationwide rollout of Ultra Soft rolls with scalloped edges – instead of the traditional straight perforated lines that yield square sheets – "to provide a better, smoother tear," the company said in a press release.

Charmin had been secretly letting customers test the new rolls with wavy perforations, the toilet paper maker's first change in 100 years in its TP's shape. The goal? Solve consumer frustrations at not getting a clean tear, which leads to additional toilet paper usage and potential waste. Charmin Ultra Soft Smooth Tear results in a cleaner separation between sheets, the company said.

“Consumers’ #1 complaint to our call centers over the years has been the uneven tears from the square shape,” said Gregg Weaver, a senior scientist with Procter & Gamble, in a statement.

“The uneven tear is a result of straight perforations that don’t match the direction that consumers pull sheets and where the toilet paper is hung in the bathroom. The new Charmin wavy perforation ensures that you’re able to tear smoothly no matter where and how you tear.”

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Procter & Gamble spent more than five years "perfecting the technology and design behind" Charmin Ultra Soft Smooth Tear, said Charmin vice president Rob Reinerman. The new toilet paper is "all about delivering a better bathroom experience," he said.

If you prefer to keep things square, Charmin continues to sell Ultra Strong and Ultra Gentle toilet paper and the Forever Roll, a 2-pound roll which can last for up to a month.

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