Rolled absorbent paper products and methods for making same

A method for making a rolled absorbent paper product, the method comprising:

• advancing a substrate in a machine direction, the substrate comprising cellulose fibers, the substrate further comprising a first surface and an opposing second surface, and a first longitudinal edge and a second opposing longitudinal edge separated from the first longitudinal edge along a cross direction;
• directing energy from a laser onto the first surface of the advancing substrate;
• the laser energy bleaching the cellulose fibers to form a visible indicia on the first surface of the substrate, wherein the indicia is oriented at an angle Φ with respect to the machine direction;
• helically winding the substrate to form a tube wherein the first surface of the substrate defines an inner radial surface of the tube and the second surface of the substrate defines an outer circumferential surface of the tube;
• bonding the second surface proximate to the first longitudinal edge and the first surface approximate the second opposing longitudinal edge, and wherein the first and second longitudinal edges extend along a helix angle being substantially equal to the angle Φ;
• and
• winding a length of absorbent paper product onto the tube.

A rolled absorbent paper product comprising:

• a hollow, cylindrically shaped tube comprising a substrate of cellulose fibers;
• the substrate comprising a non-coated and non-dyed Kraft paper or paperboard and extending for a length from a first circular end edge to a second circular end edge, the tube comprising an inner radial surface and an outer circumferential surface;
• a visible indicia defined by bleached cellulose fibers on the inner radial surface of the tube;
• the visible indicia having a color difference, Delta E, vs. a non-bleached fiber containing area of the inner radial surface of greater than 5;
• and
• a length of an absorbent paper product wound onto the tube.