Using recyclable material is good, but using no material is even better.

With that in mind, Kimberly-Clark is testing out toilet paper rolls that don't have cardboard tubes on the inside. The tube-free rolls of Scott Naturals are being sold at Walmart and Sam's Club stores in the northeast U.S. starting next month.

Sales will determine if the tube-free design will be rolled out to other markets and even possibly used with paper towels.

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) brand manager Doug Daniels told USA Today the tube-free rolls are made with a winding process that's similar to one used for tissue sold to businesses.

The U.S. creates about 160 million pounds of waste from the 17 billion toilet paper tubes produced annually. The recycling rate for paper in the U.S. is around 63 percent, and that rate includes all types of paper, and means plenty of tubes are going to the trash (or, possibly, craft projects).

Scott Naturals even had a poll conducted of consumers, finding that 37 percent frequently recycle cardboard toilet paper tubes and 50 percent throw them away.

_{Toilet paper tube - CC license by Flickr user GorillaSushi}