Here's a clear, commercial-focused cost comparison between single-fold hand towels and other common paper hand towels, ranked from least expensive to most expensive per towel:
Cost per towel (typical commercial pricing, cheapest → most expensive)
1. Single-fold- Lowest cost per piece
Thin, lightweight, less paper per towel.
Thin, lightweight, less paper per towel.
2. C-fold / Multi-fold- Mid-range
Thicker, more absorbent, more paper per towel.
Thicker, more absorbent, more paper per towel.
3. Roll towels (hardwound roll) Higher cost per foot / per dry. More durable, often premium ply.
4. Premium / branded / ultra-absorbent folded towels
- Highest cost per towel
- Highest cost per towel
Cost per dry = total cost to dry one person's hands
- Single-fold: cheap per towel, but people often use 2–3 per wash
- C-fold / multi-fold: more per towel, but usually 1–2 per wash
- Roll towels: often just 1 pull per person
So in high-traffic commercial areas, single-fold can end up being more expensive overall because people use more of them.
In short
- Cheapest per piece: single-fold
- Cheapest per hand dry: often roll or multi-fold
