Who Owns the Tissue and Paper Goods Market

Charmin is P&G. Bounty is P&G. Puffs is P&G. Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle, and Viva are all Kimberly-Clark. Quilted Northern and Angel Soft belong to Georgia-Pacific, a privately held Koch Industries subsidiary. The paper goods aisle looks like a choice. It is not.

Four companies control almost all recognizable brand volume in North American tissue and paper goods: Georgia-Pacific (Koch Industries subsidiary), Kimberly-Clark, Procter and Gamble, and Essity, the Swedish company spun from SCA in 2017. Together their brands span every segment from ultra-premium multi-ply products to mid-market value rolls.

According to Statista's 2024 tissue market data, the US tissue paper market is worth over $30 billion annually at retail. Despite the scale of the category, the competitive structure has barely changed in decades. Capital intensity in tissue manufacturing, enormous paper mills and distribution infrastructure, keeps new entrants out and the same four names on top.

Georgia-Pacific: Koch Industries' Consumer Goods Arm

Georgia-Pacific LLC is one of the world's largest manufacturers of paper and wood products. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries Inc., the privately held conglomerate controlled by Charles Koch and the Koch family. Koch Industries acquired Georgia-Pacific in December 2005 for approximately $21 billion, which was the largest private acquisition in US history at the time.

Because Georgia-Pacific is a private subsidiary of a private parent, it does not publish revenue figures. Industry estimates place Georgia-Pacific's total annual revenue at approximately $22 to $25 billion across all businesses, with consumer tissue representing a significant portion. The private ownership structure means the tissue consumer pays money that ultimately flows to one of the wealthiest families in the United States, with no quarterly earnings report in between.

[Quilted Northern](/brands/quilted-northern) is Georgia-Pacific's premium toilet paper brand, positioned directly against Charmin Ultra Soft in the premium segment. Quilted Northern is one of the top-selling toilet paper brands in the United States and competes on softness and quilted texture.

[Angel Soft](/brands/angel-soft) is Georgia-Pacific's mid-market toilet paper brand, one of the best-selling value-premium toilet papers in the United States, positioned between premium brands like Charmin and store-brand private label.

[Brawny](/brands/brawny) is Georgia-Pacific's premium paper towel brand, competing directly with Bounty (P&G) and Viva (Kimberly-Clark) in the paper towel segment. Brawny is known for its lumberjack mascot and strength positioning.

[Sparkle](/brands/sparkle) is Georgia-Pacific's value-tier paper towel brand, sold through mass retail channels.

[Vanity Fair](/brands/vanity-fair-napkins) is Georgia-Pacific's premium napkin brand.

Georgia-Pacific is the only major tissue brand group not affiliated with a publicly traded consumer goods company. That distinction matters for competitive dynamics: without public quarterly earnings pressure, Georgia-Pacific can invest in manufacturing and pricing without needing to report the outcomes to Wall Street.

Kimberly-Clark: Kleenex, Scott, and Cottonelle

[Kimberly-Clark](/companies/kimberly-clark) (NYSE: KMB) is one of the most recognized names in tissue and personal care globally. Its tissue portfolio spans facial tissue, toilet paper, paper towels, and industrial tissue products. Kimberly-Clark reported net sales of approximately $20 billion in fiscal year 2024.

[Kleenex](/brands/kleenex) is arguably the most brand-dominant product in facial tissue globally. In many markets the brand name is used generically to mean any facial tissue, a phenomenon called genericization. Kimberly-Clark introduced Kleenex in 1924, originally as a cold cream remover. Consumer research in the 1930s revealed most buyers were using it to blow their noses. The brand was repositioned accordingly and now sells in over 170 countries. Kimberly-Clark has actively fought to prevent the Kleenex name from becoming a fully generic term, the same legal battle Xerox and Band-Aid have waged in their categories.

[Scott](/brands/scott) is Kimberly-Clark's value-tier toilet paper and paper towel brand, sold through both consumer retail and commercial channels. Scott 1000 is one of the longest-lasting toilet paper products by sheet count, making it a staple in commercial settings including offices, restaurants, and hotels.

[Cottonelle](/brands/cottonelle) is Kimberly-Clark's premium US toilet paper brand, competing directly with Quilted Northern and Charmin in the soft, premium-quilted segment. Cottonelle is also sold with matching flushable wipes as a complementary product.

[Viva](/brands/viva) is Kimberly-Clark's premium paper towel brand, positioned around cloth-like feel and absorbency. It competes with P&G's Bounty at the premium end of the paper towel segment.

[Huggies](/brands/huggies) and related baby products are also in the Kimberly-Clark portfolio. See our post on who owns the diaper market for that breakdown.

Procter and Gamble: Charmin and Bounty

Procter and Gamble (NYSE: PG) competes in tissue with two category-leading brands that are the best-selling products in their respective segments.

[Charmin](/brands/charmin) is consistently the best-selling toilet paper brand in the United States by value. P&G acquired Charmin in 1957 when it purchased the Charmin Paper Company. The brand competes on softness. Its Ultra Soft and Ultra Strong lines target opposite ends of the softness-versus-strength spectrum. Charmin's advertising has been some of the most memorable in the category, from "Please don't squeeze the Charmin" in the 1970s through the modern animated bears.

[Bounty](/brands/bounty) is the best-selling paper towel brand in the United States by value. "The Quicker Picker Upper" tagline has been in use for decades. Bounty competes at the premium end of the paper towel market against Brawny (Georgia-Pacific) and Viva (Kimberly-Clark).

[Puffs](/brands/puffs) is P&G's premium facial tissue brand, competing with Kleenex in the facial tissue segment. Puffs Plus Lotion is the core premium product, targeting consumers with sensitive skin.

P&G's tissue and paper goods participation is more concentrated than Kimberly-Clark's or Georgia-Pacific's. It competes in three categories, not six.

Essity: The International Tissue Leader

Essity AB is a Swedish hygiene and health company spun off from SCA in 2017 and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm under ticker ESSITY. Essity is the world's second-largest tissue company by global volume, with major positions across Europe, emerging markets, and professional tissue channels. Essity reported net sales of approximately 147 billion Swedish krona (roughly 13 billion euros) in 2024.

[Tork](/brands/tork) is Essity's professional tissue brand and the market leader in away-from-home tissue for offices, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and other commercial environments. Tork competes with Kimberly-Clark Professional in the B2B segment. In consumer tissue, Essity has limited US presence but is dominant across European consumer markets.

[Tempo](/brands/tempo) is Essity's consumer facial tissue brand in European markets.

[Zewa](/brands/zewa) is Essity's consumer tissue brand in Central and Eastern European markets.

[Cushelle](/brands/cushelle) and [Velvet](/brands/velvet) are Essity consumer toilet paper brands in the United Kingdom.

Full Brand Ownership Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns Kleenex tissues? Kleenex is owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB). Kimberly-Clark introduced it in 1924. The brand is so dominant in facial tissue that the name is used generically in many English-speaking countries, a status Kimberly-Clark actively works to protect through trademark enforcement.

Who owns Bounty paper towels? Bounty is owned by Procter and Gamble. It is the best-selling paper towel brand in the United States by value and competes with Georgia-Pacific's Brawny and Kimberly-Clark's Viva in the premium paper towel segment.

Who owns Quilted Northern and Angel Soft? Both are owned by Georgia-Pacific, a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries. Koch Industries is privately held and controlled by Charles Koch and the Koch family. Georgia-Pacific was acquired in 2005 for approximately $21 billion.

Who owns Charmin toilet paper? Charmin is owned by Procter and Gamble. P&G acquired the Charmin Paper Company in 1957. Charmin has been the best-selling toilet paper brand in the United States by value for many years.

Conclusion

The tissue and paper goods market is one of the most concentrated consumer staple categories in the United States. Charmin and Bounty are P&G. Kleenex, Cottonelle, and Viva are Kimberly-Clark. Quilted Northern and Brawny are Koch Industries through Georgia-Pacific. Every time you buy a branded toilet paper, paper towel, or facial tissue in a US grocery store, your money flows to one of these four companies.

For a complete look at who owns the household goods brands in your home, browse our household consumer goods brand database.

Explore Related Brands

• Charmin - America's best-selling toilet paper brand, owned by P&G
• Kleenex - The world's most recognised facial tissue brand, owned by Kimberly-Clark
• Bounty - Premium paper towel market leader, owned by P&G
• Quilted Northern - Premium toilet paper by Georgia-Pacific (Koch Industries)
• Who Owns the Diaper Market - Kimberly-Clark and P&G also dominate baby diapers

Browse all household consumer goods brands on WhoBrands

Sources

• Statista: North America tissue paper market shares by manufacturer 2024
• Open PR: Paper Towels Market 2026-2033 — https://www.openpr.com/news/4449774
• Kimberly-Clark Annual Report 2024 — https://investor.kimberly-clark.com
• Essity Annual Report 2024 — https://www.essity.com/investors
• P&G Annual Report FY2025 — https://www.pginvestor.com

All brand ownership data verified through WhoBrands.com research methodology. Last updated: March 24, 2026.