The wipes market continues to face challenges—oversupply, raw material price escalation, bad press, government regulation, etc.—but it seems like manufacturers are rising to the occasion responding to these difficult times with innovation. And, this innovation is trickling down to store shelves.

In this edition of Household and Personal Care Wipes, we spotlight a number of new product innovations (see page 31) ranging from compostable baby wipes, new flushable wipes, floor cleaning systems and feminine hygiene wipes. One thing many—if not all—of these products have is a sustainability story. Whether it’s a baby wipe made from plant-based ingredients or a cleaning wipe that can be composted, the wipes market is extremely focused on providing “greener” products to its customers.

According to research conducted by Euromonitor (see page 15), surging wipes usage during the pandemic at the same time increased consumers’ dependence on the convenience of these products and their awareness on the environmental consequences of their usage. Recognizing that wipes can be a major source of plastic fiber pollution, consumers are demanding products that impose less environmental harm.

Also in this issue, we spotlight an up-and-comer looking to be the most environmentally conscious company doing business in wipes. KindCloth (see page 14)  uses green polymer technology commonly used in dissolvable capsules to create wipes material that can disperse in water in well under 60 seconds. It looks like we will soon be seeing this technology in markets like moist toilet tissue, cosmetic products and insect repellent wipes. We’ll see if this will truly be the game changer its founders think it will be.


Karen McIntyre
Editor