Vintage paper towels from the ’70s: Plain, patterned & paisley designs

Crown Chiffon paper towels (1971)

(We love the addition 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 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 Designer’s Towels 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)

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.”

MORE: Vintage Corning Corelle dishes from the ’70s & ’80s are plates full of memories: See dozens of vintage patterns

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 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.

MORE: See 17 old-fashioned linen calendar towels that lived in retro kitchens

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”

Viva designer paper towels patterns (1979)

UnbeVIVAbly strong. UnbeVIVAbly absorbent. And UnbeVIVAbly pretty. 

MORE: If you lived during the ’70s, you probably had a drink from one of these 46 vintage Libbey glasses