The Wenzelburgers
George and Diane Wenzelburger are retirees from New Jersey, USA. George, an architectural designer, Diane, a nurse came to the US in the early 1950s (George from Germany, Diane from UK) and worked in the United States all their lives making occasional trips to Europe to see relatives.
TW: You have Tempo pocket tissue in your car. This brand is not sold in the US.
George: I am still very fond of this brand since the time I had come across with Tempo in the late 1950s in Germany, where it was originated and gained popularity. I still believe Tempo is the strongest disposable handkerchief, and I always bring some supply from my trips to Germany. You can find Tempo offers on Internet, however, even the pictures of the product may suggest a high possibility of counterfeiting, especially for this brand. When I am out of Tempos a Kleenex is available everywhere, and it is almost that good.
Diane: It may sound strange fore a nurse who was quite used to disposable hospital products, but I like linen stuff for hankies and kitchen towels, and do not see any difference between Tempo and Kleenex. George is probably sentimental due to his German roots.
TW: What about your family dedication to some other tissue goods like toilet paper or kitchen towels?
George: Diane makes all purchasing decisions in our family, I believe, based on price or sales promotions. Sometimes my engineering background makes me analyze the product label and evaluate the pro and contra of “virgin” or “post-consumer” sources. But not being an expert in the paper field I am lost somewhere between two questions: is the tissue paper from trees harmful for environment or is the tissue paper from paper waste good for your health? But we use whatever Diane finds in the stores.
Diane: There is no dedication at all. I prefer white noncolored and non-printed rolls, definitely not singleply. I believe Bounty still stands out among kitchen towels. I still remember how I did notice this brand in the 1980s, when the middle-aged popular daytime serial’s actress was promoting it as a ‘quicker picker-upper’.
The Davies
Ingrid Davies is from Austria and now works as an international tour guide in the south of France and Monaco. She is a mother of two and a grandmother of one.
Honestly, for me the most important thing for toilet paper is quality; it’s important for daily comfort. And then I look at colour because I like the colour to match the bathroom. We have two bathrooms and - it may sound stupid - but I can’t find one colour to match them both. For our bathroom I buy blue/green and for the guest bathroom only an orange/brown matches the dé'8ecor. I can usually find both in our local Casino supermarket; I buy Lotus, although I can’t always find it, or Casino’s own brand; they are both good and thick and sometimes the own-brand has a relief pattern. Honestly I don’t compare prices but if there is a special offer I will buy it – as long as it is the right colour. But I find that very often the only coloured toilet paper on special offer is pink. And I could never buy pink! Generally I’d rather pay more and get what I want.
I’ve just come back from New York and there was a big ad campaign on the subway. Long toilet paper rolls rolled out along the station saying ‘Be kind to your behind’. I think it was Kimberly-Clark. I nearly missed the station - it was hilarious! It just made me laugh, though it wouldn’t make me buy it.
Tissues – I get the supermarket brand or Kleenex. I usually get white but I look at the colour of the boxes. I like them to match the bedrooms and the bathrooms. Kitchen towel – I like good, thick quality. The supermarket brand or a good brand on special offer. So quality first and colours to match and I don’t care for patterns. TW
