Method of making an ultra soft, high basis weight tissue

The present invention is a method of making an ultra soft, multi-ply tissue using wet press technology and the product produced thereby. The method comprises: (a) providing a fibrous pulp including 35 to 90% of a first fiber, wherein said first fiber has an average fiber length of 2.0 mm or less and a coarseness of 12 mg/100 metres or less; and including 10 to 65% of a second fiber having an average fiber length greater than 2.0 mm and a coarseness of less than 35 mg/100 metres wherein said pulp further includes up to about 5 lb/ton (2.5 kg/tonne) of a strength adjusting agent; (b) forming a first nascent web (W) from said pulp, where said first web (W) has a basis weight of at least about 11 lbs/3000 sq.ft. (5 kg/280 sq. metres) ream; (c) including in said first web (W) at least about 1.0 lbs/ton (0.5 kg/tonne) of a cationic nitrogenous softener; (d) dewatering said first web (W) through wet pressing; (e) adhering said first web (W) to a Yankee dryer (26); (f) creping (27) said first web (W) from Yankee dryer (26), wherein the adhesion between said first web (W) and said Yankee dryer (26) is controlled to achieve a reel crepe of at least about 20%; (g) forming a second nascent web (W) as recited in steps (a)-(f) above; (h) combining said first web (W) with said second web (W) to form a two-ply web; (i) wherein either said first and second webs (W) are calendered individually prior to combination into a two-ply web or said two-ply web is calendered. Optionally, the combined webs are sprayed with a softener and embossed with a pattern (figure 2). Steps (a)-(f), (g) and (i) are controlled to result in a two-ply tissue product having an MD tensile strength of about 27 to about 38 g/3" (76 mm) width per lb. (0.45 kg) of basis weight, a CD tensile strength of about 10 to about 23 g/3" (76 mm) width per lb. (0.45 kg) of basis weight, a caliper of at least about 3 mils/lb. (045 kg) basis weight, a GM MMD friction of less than about 0.190, and a tensile stiffness of less than about 0.72 g/% strain per lb. (0.45 kg) of basis weight.