What types of tissue machines are there?

When you pick up a soft facial tissue, a roll of kitchen towel, or a pack of toilet paper, have you ever wondered how it’s actually made? Behind every smooth sheet of tissue lies an impressive piece of technology—tissue machines. From high-speed production lines to compact converting units, these machines power a multi-billion-dollar global industry that produces the essentials we use every day.But here’s the big question: what types of tissue machines are there? Understanding the different machines is not only crucial for manufacturers looking to scale production, 

tissue machines

1. Tissue Paper Making Machines

At the heart of tissue production is the tissue paper making machine, which converts pulp into large rolls of parent tissue paper. These are the massive machines you often see in paper mills. They use a combination of water, heat, and pressure to transform raw pulp into thin, soft sheets.

Capacity: Some large machines can produce over 200 tons per day.

Output: Parent rolls that later get processed into finished products.

2. Toilet Paper Machines

When people think “tissue,” they usually picture toilet paper. Specialized toilet paper converting machines take parent rolls and cut, emboss, and roll them into the familiar household product.

Features: Automatic cutting, perforation, and embossing.

Speed: Modern lines can reach 600 rolls per minute.

Customization: Options for 1-ply, 2-ply, or even 3-ply tissue rolls.

3. Facial Tissue Machines

Facial tissues are all about softness and precision folding. Facial tissue machines cut and fold the parent tissue rolls into rectangular sheets, which are then stacked and packaged into boxes.

Key element: Gentle handling to preserve softness.

Packaging options: From traditional paper boxes to compact plastic packs.

4. Napkin Tissue Machines

Ever pulled a napkin from a dispenser at a café or restaurant? That’s the work of napkin tissue machines. These machines emboss, fold, and cut napkins from jumbo rolls.

Variety: Cocktail napkins, dinner napkins, or takeaway napkins.

Customization: Logos, colors, and embossing patterns for branding.

5. Kitchen Towel Machines

Kitchen towels (or paper towels) require strength and absorbency. Kitchen towel converting machines are designed to handle heavier embossing and winding processes.

Specialty: Strong ply bonding to improve durability.

Speed: High-capacity machines produce thousands of rolls daily.

Tissue machines come in many types, each serving a unique role in creating the everyday essentials we can’t live without. From high-speed toilet paper machines to specialized wet wipe lines, the technology behind them is both powerful and fascinating.

If you’re in the tissue business (or considering joining), knowing the different types of machines helps you make smarter investments, scale production, and stay competitive in a market valued at over $90 billion globally.