We recommend tissues that score at least 70% overall, with no score below 55%.

This overall score is made up of softness (40%), puncture (30%), absorption (20%) and wet tear strength (10%).

We measure the softness of each tissue. This is a subjective assessment conducted by a panel of four people.

We assess how much fluid the tissue can absorb.

We assess the strength of the tissue by testing its resistance to puncturing. In this test a higher force is the most desirable result, meaning your finger is less likely to go through the tissue (along with the blast of a sneeze).

We test how easily the tissue will tear when wet – to show how strong it is, or if you're dealing with something you particularly don't want coming through the tissue...

Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our total score. N/A means there is no rating for that company.

The Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international organisation that works to promote sustainable forest management.

FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is an international, nonprofit organisation that promotes responsible forest management. It achieves this by setting standards on forest products with a certification process. You'll find the FSC tree-tick logo on some packs, but if you take a closer look at the fine print you'll notice there are three classifications to the label: FSC Mix, FSC Recycled and FSC 100%.

This is the price we paid in October 2022 at the time of testing.

This is based on the pack size tested. Buying in bulk can help to reduce costs.

Number of tissues in the pack we tested.

This refers to the number of layers of tissue used. Tissues usually range from one-ply to four-ply. Generally the higher the ply count, the thicker, stronger and more absorbent the tissue should be. 

Size of the tissue in millimetres.

Our testing showed that the tissues do not disintegrate in a similar time frame to toilet paper. The quickest took just under 20 minutes (we stopped measuring at 20 minutes). They're only suitable for the bin.