Toilet seat covers, upgraded

Hygiene-minded consumers who worry about the germs in public restrooms will soon be able to rest—or, at least, relieve themselves—more easily thanks to a new, premium line of toilet seat covers. Ottawa-based Toletta bills its namesake product as the world’s first premium brand of paper toilet seat covers. Tolettas are 20 percent larger and 42 percent thicker than competing alternatives, the company says, yet still flushable, biodegradable and safe in septic systems. They are also packaged with a dash of style in small, purse-sized travel packs containing 5 seat covers each. Tolettas are due to become available through select retailers in Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland and South Africa later this month, with prices ranging from USD 1.49 to USD 1.99 per package. Two colour choices will be available—pink or blue—and a percentage of the proceeds from each sale will go towards supporting an associated cause: breast cancer research for the pink versions, or child poverty awareness for the blue ones. Dora Cardenas, Toletta’s cofounder and VP of communications, explains: “The product concept came to me and my husband while we were trying to find small travel packs of disposable paper toilet seat covers to use ourselves. Not only was I shocked to learn that travel packs are hard to find, but the products we did find didn’t have any ounce of style or quality tissues. All the products we found looked and felt like something you would find in a camping supply store—not exactly something retail stores and supermarkets would be proud to carry on their shelves.” So there you have it, once again: further proof that everything—yes, everything!—can be upgraded. What’s your industry’s version of the flimsy toilet seat cover? Time to put your premiumization hat on and make it better—before someone else does! 😉 (Related: Chic sanitary stop — Mobile loo locator — Luxury loos on location.)