Core77

Paper towel dispenser designs

By Rain Noe - May 29, 2008

in Object Culture

Lately we've noticed design (both good and bad) has crept into an unexpected place: commercial bathrooms. Remember when paper towel dispensers were just a tin box with that minimal handcrank? And if you've ever worked in a restaurant and had to refill one, you hated that they were opaque, meaning you'd have to open it to see if it was due for a refill or not.

Nowadays most paper towel dispensers are translucent, and many lack that germ-retaining crank. Some are sensually shaped while others have a clinical, hospitalized aesthetic. There's also a new batch of dispensers coming out of China that seem rather complicated; were we forced to design those, we'd walk away from the project and announce "We wash our hands of this whole thing."

Sources after the jump.ok ok china, euronics, hot towel co, totally u, touchfree concepts, acemart, discount office supplies, office 365, jet-power, cleanlink, lakewood conferences, cleaning products co, asia ru

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Roy

16 years ago

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"Lately we've noticed design (both good and bad) has crept into an unexpected place"

Where did this idea come from at Core77 that design has just touched down on the planet like an alien being? As long as these objects have existed, they have been designed. The fact that they have not been deemed worthy does not alter this. Kindly use more accurate language.
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