Packaging Tissue Products Made from Non-Wood Materials
This patent describes packaging different types of sanitary tissue products together, where some are made from non-wood materials, to offer both performance and sustainability.
Original patent title: “Arrays of sanitary tissue products comprising non-wood(s)”
This patent describes packaging different types of sanitary tissue products together, where some are made from non-wood materials, to offer both performance and sustainability. Granted in 2026.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent, as described in its abstractabstractA short summary at the front of the patent describing the invention. Not legally binding.Read more →, details arrays of sanitary tissue products. These arrays include a first tissue product in a package designed to highlight its strength, absorption, or softness. They also include a second tissue product in a separate package that emphasizes sustainability. A key aspect is that both the first and second tissue products are intended to share several common measurable properties, such as TS750 (tensile strength), lint, slip stick, tensile ratio, VFS (vertical fluid absorption speed), and SST (surface softness). For example, a multi-pack might contain one roll of premium, soft toilet paper and another roll made from bamboo, both engineered to feel and perform similarly.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover a single sanitary tissue product sold individually, as the abstractabstractA short summary at the front of the patent describing the invention. Not legally binding.Read more → specifies 'arrays' comprising a 'first' and 'second' product.
- Does not cover arrays where the first and second sanitary tissue products do not share common intensive properties like TS750, lint, slip stick, tensile ratio, VFS, and SST.
- Does not cover sanitary tissue products where the packaging does not convey specific attributes like strength, absorption, softness, or sustainability.
- Does not cover tissue product arrays made exclusively from wood pulp if they do not include any non-wood materials, as the title specifies 'non-wood(s)'.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever bit is recognizing the market need to offer both high-performance and sustainable tissue options simultaneously, within a single product offering. It proposes achieving this by packaging them together while ensuring they meet similar quality standards, specifically by matching key physical properties like strength and softness.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Bamboo toilet paper
Recycled paper towels
Tree-free facial tissues
Multi-packs of toilet paper with different eco-labels
Seventh Generation paper products
Who Gives A Crap toilet paper
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses the growing consumer demand for sustainable products, especially in everyday items like sanitary tissues. By combining traditional performance attributes with sustainability messaging, it aims to help manufacturers offer eco-friendly options without compromising perceived quality. This approach could allow companies to differentiate their products in a competitive market and appealappealAfter repeated rejections, an applicant can appeal to the PTAB — and from there to federal court. Slow and expensive.Read more → to environmentally conscious buyers.
Filed
June 14, 2023
Granted
September 15, 2026
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Major consumer goods companies like Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, and Georgia-Pacific are constantly innovating in the sanitary tissue space, especially regarding sustainable materials. Smaller, specialized brands focusing on eco-friendly products, such as Who Gives A Crap or Seventh Generation, are also active in this area, exploring alternatives to traditional wood pulp.
Market impact
This patent reflects and supports the industry-wide shift towards more sustainable consumer products. It provides a framework for manufacturers to introduce and market tissue products that balance environmental concerns with consumer expectations for quality. This approach helps address the challenge of convincing consumers to switch to newer, often more expensive, sustainable options by ensuring performance parity.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent, as described in its abstract, details arrays of sanitary tissue products. These arrays include a first tissue product in a package designed to highlight its strength, absorption, or softness. They also include a second tissue product in a separate package that emphasizes sustainability. A key aspect is that both the first and second tissue products are intended to share several common measurable properties, such as TS750 (tensile strength), lint, slip stick, tensile ratio, VFS (vertical fluid absorption speed), and SST (surface softness). For example, a multi-pack might contain one roll of premium, soft toilet paper and another roll made from bamboo, both engineered to feel and perform similarly.
The clever bit
The clever bit is recognizing the market need to offer both high-performance and sustainable tissue options simultaneously, within a single product offering. It proposes achieving this by packaging them together while ensuring they meet similar quality standards, specifically by matching key physical properties like strength and softness.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover a single sanitary tissue product sold individually, as the abstract specifies 'arrays' comprising a 'first' and 'second' product.
- Does not cover arrays where the first and second sanitary tissue products do not share common intensive properties like TS750, lint, slip stick, tensile ratio, VFS, and SST.
- Does not cover sanitary tissue products where the packaging does not convey specific attributes like strength, absorption, softness, or sustainability.
- Does not cover tissue product arrays made exclusively from wood pulp if they do not include any non-wood materials, as the title specifies 'non-wood(s)'.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$10K – $31K
Midpoint $19K · 16.7 yr remaining · industry ×0.8
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
(2026). Packaging Tissue Products Made from Non-Wood Materials (U.S. Patent No. 12,735,246). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12735246/arrays-of-sanitary-tissue-products-comprising-non-woods
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Packaging Tissue Products Made from Non-Wood Materials cover?
This patent describes packaging different types of sanitary tissue products together, where some are made from non-wood materials, to offer both performance and sustainability.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses the growing consumer demand for sustainable products, especially in everyday items like sanitary tissues. By combining traditional performance attributes with sustainability messaging, it aims to help manufacturers offer eco-friendly options without compromising perceived quality. This approach could allow companies to differentiate their products in a competitive market and appeal to environmentally conscious buyers.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover a single sanitary tissue product sold individually, as the abstract specifies 'arrays' comprising a 'first' and 'second' product.
Patent monitoring