You can’t really get many paper towel patterns or colorful styles today (see some that are available here), so these simple household goods from back in the day are surprisingly scarce now. The same goes for the retro colorful toilet paper brands!
To refresh your memory of the fun and sometimes kitschy kitchen glory days, we have examples of more than 60 different old paper towel patterns and colors from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
Solid-colored ScotTowels you could get in 1964
Put up a ScotTowel Holder anywhere: INSIDE the utility closet — ALONGSIDE the refrigerator — ON the bathroom sink — UP over the play table — UNDER the laundry shelf — DOWN on the workbench
Choose from 6 delicious holder colors, a shade to match or blend with any color scheme, any ScotTowel color you prefer. So easy to mount down from a shelf, flat on a wall, sideways too. Now, with Scott’s new adhesive kit, you can even put up a ScotTowel Holder on porcelain, tile or glass. Your holder will stick up and stay stuck!
Gala paper towels with color borders (1965)
New Gala may be the prettiest paper towel ever made. At least, it’s the newest, and it makes its bow with a full wardrobe of color borders. (Blush pink, ice blue, and a so-right yellow.)
Gala has a soft and silent strength that it comes by honestly. It’s two layers thick. Two layers of soft white fiber pressed together to give it strength even when drenched. Gala — a really wonderful new towel. You ought to try it! Border to border, it’s the hardest-working towel you can buy.
Three new shades in Zee towels (1967)
You thought most paper towels were pastel? Then you’re in for a colorful surprise — new Zee towels in three lush tropic tones. Choose from Rain Forest Green, Tahitian Coral, and Pirates’ Gold. They’ll put more color in your life.
Colorful 1960s paper towels from Kleenex Boutique (1968)
“Paper towels this pretty are just plain frivolous!”
Frivolous our foot. These new Kleenex towels may be soaked with color, but they’re still the thirstiest ones around. Each one is so layers thick to absorb 50% more.
So don’t let those “frivolous” shades of gold, blue and green fool you — handsome is as handsome does. Right? Kleenex towels in new deep-tone colors
Crown Chiffon paper towels (1971)
(We love the inclusion of the retro Iona hand mixer here.)
Viva white & blue patterned kitchen towels (1972)
Introducing the first really elegant towel decoration.
Viva has always had exceptionally pretty decorations and bright colors. But this time we’ve really outdone ourselves. With two new, exciting designs: Bold, cheerful butterflies. And festive flowers. And each design comes in 4 bright colors: Green, Gold, Blue, and new Poppy.
The towel itself hasn’t changed, of course. It’s still strong enough to keep right on working. Even if you scrub with an abrasive cleanser. And it’s still very absorbent. But it’s a lot prettier than it used to be.
Viva. The absorbent paper towel that keeps on working.
Vintage colored paper towels: Roll out the Paisleys (1972)
Kleenex Boutique Towels from Kimberly-Clark: Paisley patterned designs and bold solid colors
MORE: Remember retro toilet paper that had colors & patterns?
Redecorate your kitchen once a week (1972)
Not with wallpaper or paint. But with Designer’s Towels. Beautiful paper towels that come in nine different color and pattern versions. Tough paper towels that can handle the day’s biggest jobs. While making your kitchen a little different. Every week.
3 different patterns, 3 different color combinations in each pattern
Retro fruit pattern colored paper towels for the kitchen (1972)
Hang a work of art today — Designed to look as good as they work.
It’s the quicker picker-upper: Bounty vintage paper towels (1973)
As the Bounty paper towel lady Rosie says: “Bounty absorbs fast, but this towel absorbs even faster…”
New Bounty gets spills up faster than every other leading brand. Bounty absorbs faster because it’s made a unique way… there’s nothing like it!
And new Bounty is made to absorb punishment while it absorbs spills. Wet or dry, it’s as strong as ever.
As Rosie would say, “You got a spill that’s tough to take? Take it up faster with new Bounty. It’s the quicker picker-upper.”
DON’T MISS: “You’re soaking in it!” Vintage Palmolive ads featuring Madge the Manicurist
Chiffon patterned paper towel designs from the 70s (1973)
Once upon a time, there was a paper towel. It was strong, soft, and very, very absorbent. But it was plain.
So Chiffon decorated it with all sorts of pretty things that grow. Now the towel was warm and pretty.
So Chiffon called the towel Sun Fresh. And made it in two designs and three colors…
Viva Fiesta paper towels from the 70s (1973)
The point is, there are four new, beautiful Fiesta designs to choose from.
So if the Pennsylvania Dutch design isn’t exactly what you had in mind, how about fruits & flowers, or kitchen utensils? In poppy, green, blue or gold?
The towel itself, of course, is still the absorbent paper towel that keeps on working even when it’s wet. All we’ve done is make it prettier.
Vintage Chiffon plain & patterned paper towels (1974)
Here are two towels that absorb more and faster than any leading brand: Chiffon Sun Fresh Prints… and Chiffon Spill-Mate Paper Towels.
That’s right. Whether you choose the decorator prints of Chiffon Sun Fresh or the refreshing colors of Chiffon Spill-Mate, you’ll be using a towel that tests prove absorbs more and faster than the leading brand.
Fiesta – The prettiest paper towels in the West (1975)
Coronet Prints paper towels (1977)
Phyllis “The Spiller” Diller for Thick & Thirsty paper towels (1977)
Rosie’s Diner & Bounty paper towels (1979)
Jane the Jogger learns “The secret of speed” (as it relates to harvest gold colored paper towels, anyhow)
Viva designer paper towels patterns (1979)
5 different antique-style patterns — fruits, old-fashioned kitchen, tree branches, birds and butterflies — in harvest gold, avocado green, poppy red, and blue
“UnbeVIVAbly strong. UnbeVIVAbly absorbent. And UnbeVIVAbly pretty. ”
MORE: If you lived during the 70s, you probably had a drink from one of these vintage Libbey glasses
Bounty Design Collection – colorful border patterned paper towels (1980)
Patterns: Wild Rose, Eyelet Lace, Morning Glory, Spices & Containers
Retro 80s Mardi Gras gold brown and yellow colored paper towels & napkins (1985)
Bounty Medleys paper towels with country house print (1991)
1990s Bounty paper towels with country cat print
Paper towels with country duck print (1990s)
Retro 90s Bounty Medleys paper towels with Hallmark Bless our Home design (1998)
1996 Bounty Paper towels with Hallmark picnic print
Discontinued Bounty Fun Prints towels with Hallmark party designs (1996)
Retro 90s paper towels with designs (1992)
Vintage 90s Bounty Fun-Prints colored paper towel patterns on white
MORE: See some old-fashioned linen calendar towels that lived in retro kitchens
6 Responses
Nancy Walker and Edie McClurg in the diner ad for Bounty.
I LOVE the paisley towels!!
Does anyone know why no more print/color in paper towels/napkins? (Oh, and also facial tissue & bathroom tissue) Is it cost? Or, perhaps the concern abt dyes being unhealthy? Curious
I loved all the colorful towels! and bathroom tissue! wish they could somehow bring it back.
Loved the bounty country and fun prints. I was wondering the same thing as Julie H.
Sometimes I can find printed paper towels at the Dollar General stores in Cincinnati.