How an exhibition of toilet paper holders led us to designer Sam Stewart and the creation of Spool Paper Towel Holder.

Photo of "Under/Over (East)" by Scott Barry for PlantPaper and Marta.

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when toilet paper suddenly became a particularly precious commodity, and the things we surrounded ourselves with in our homes took on renewed importance. Perhaps prompted by the conditions we were living in (we’re just surmising), Los Angeles-based gallery, Marta, put on a group exhibition “Under/Over” in collaboration with earth-friendly toilet paper brand, PlantPaper. The show exhibited over 50 different toilet paper holders imagined by various artists, designers, and studios. “Under/Over (East)” followed a year later in NYC with a fresh set of creatives, curated by Emmanuel Olunkwa.

Spool, 2021 designed by Sam Stewart for "Under/Over (East)" at Marta.

Our Chief Design Officer, Roberto Fantauzzi, attended the exhibition in New York and was especially fond of a red, playful T.P. holder titled, Spool, designed by Sam Stewart. “It caught my eye, so we approached Sam,” says Roberto. The encounter kicked-off a collaboration with the designer to create a similarly common domestic object: a paper towel holder.

Ado Ko Verzuu, Kids Roll Toy, Holland 1950

While working with Sam, we learned that Spool’s playful form and color was partly influenced by the work of Dutch artist and designer Jacobus (Ko) Verzuu. “I was fascinated at the time by a book that featured pictures of Bauhaus toys. This must have influenced my decision to design the holder in the style of a color-blocked toy spool,” explains Sam. “Also, I noticed that the main thing in common between the spool and the toilet roll is that both have material wrapped around a central cylinder.” 

Spool Paper Towel Holder assembly instructions.

Since the form of a toilet paper and paper towel holder is more-or-less the same, it didn’t take long for the final design to come together. ”For both of us, I think it seemed like a relatively easy object to scale up in size as well as refine the details a bit so that it would be more functional for the user,” says Sam. Most importantly—apart from it looking really good, of course—we wanted to make sure the holder could be flat-packed and would be easy for the user to assemble. This makes it more cost-effective to ship, but also that much simpler to pack up and take with you wherever you go.

Spool Paper Towel Holder has other thoughtful design elements, like rubber bumpers on the bottom so that it stands steady when a paper towel is pulled and torn off (no tipping!). It comes in two colors: Red/Yellow and Natural (a two-toned wood), making a typically humble household item a countertop attraction.