Z-fold or C-fold hand towel paper? The difference that saves 23%

Nine out of ten offices choose hand towel paper on price per pack. That's a shame, because the real difference is in the fold — and which dispenser you already have on the wall. Wrong combination? Everyone pulls three sheets at a time and your monthly budget is gone in two weeks.

What's the difference?

Z-fold and C-fold refer to how the sheets are folded in the stack. With Z-fold each sheet folds zigzag under the next, so pulling one out automatically presents the next sheet (interleaved dispensing). With C-fold the sheets are stacked like a booklet — pulling out one sheet leaves the next behind.

Z-fold: lower consumption, larger format

Single sheet size: typically 24 × 21 cm or 20 × 16 cm
Interleaved — next sheet is presented automatically
Consumption per hand-wash: typically 1.5 sheets (average)
Best for high-traffic touchpoints (canteen, sports club, festival)

C-fold: smaller stack, fits wall cabinets

Compact fold — fits smaller dispensers
Not interleaved — easier to grab multiple sheets at once
Best for low traffic (small guest toilet, treatment room)
Slightly cheaper per pack, but often higher real-world consumption

Which dispenser matches which fold?

This is the most common mistake we see: a building has Z-fold dispensers but buys C-fold paper because it's cheaper per pack. The result: staff pull out half cassettes and bin three quarters. The paper bill triples.

Z-fold dispenser (narrow, tall) → only buy Z-fold 24 × 21
C-fold dispenser (wider, lower) → C-fold fits better
No dispenser, just a shelf → C-fold or loose interleaved Z-fold
Multifold dispensers — often universal, check the label

Which quality should you pick?

For sanitary hand-towel paper there are three quality tiers you'll come across:

1-ply recycled (eco) — cheapest per sheet, but poor absorption. Everyone grabs extra sheets.
2-ply recycled — best price/performance. Right for 90% of offices and hospitality.
2-ply virgin cellulose (premium) — for hotels, wellness and guest toilets where comfort matters.

Bekijk productZ-fold hand towel 2-ply — box of 3,200

Worked example: office of 50 staff

We're often asked: how much does hand-towel paper cost per month? For a typical 50-person office averaging 3 toilet visits/day we calculate:

50 staff × 3 visits × 1.5 sheets (Z-fold) = 225 sheets/day
22 working days/month = 4,950 sheets/month
Box of 3,200 sheets = 1.5 boxes/month
Monthly cost: roughly € 30–35 (excl. VAT) for 2-ply Z-fold

Our buying rules of thumb

Have a Z-fold dispenser? 2-ply Z-fold is the default.
Have a C-fold or multifold? Test both with a sample box.
High traffic (>20 staff per toilet)? Z-fold + larger cassette dispenser.
Hotel guest toilet? 2-ply virgin cellulose for the premium feel.

CategorieAll hand-towel paper