Toilet Paper Was Invented by the Chinese in the 6th Century
The Chinese invented toilet paper in 589 AD, but it didn't reach the Western world until the 14th century and wasn't mass-produced until 1857.
About this fact
The earliest recorded use of toilet paper was in China during the Sui Dynasty (589 AD). Chinese scholar Yan Zhitui wrote about it, and by the Tang Dynasty, it was commonly used by the wealthy. The paper was made from rice straw and was even perfumed for the imperial family. Meanwhile, Romans used communal sponges on sticks, medieval Europeans used hay or leaves, and wealthy Europeans used wool or lace. Toilet paper didn't reach Europe until Marco Polo's travels in the 14th century, and the first commercial toilet paper wasn't produced until Joseph Gayetty created 'Gayetty's Medicated Paper' in New York in 1857.