Karen McIntyre, Editor04.03.25
It was three years ago, during the GO Wipes Conference in Amsterdam, when I first heard of Kindcloth, the dissolvable wipes technology. It was during a presentation at GO Wipes that one of its founders dissolved a wipe in a cup of water and then drank the water in front of the conference crowd. Quite a shock for an industry that has struggled with disposal issues for decades.
Earlier this year, Kindcloth, which has now forged partnerships with a polymer specialist and a nonwovens producer, announced that it had achieved commercialization of an insect repellent wipe with a South African company and a makeup removal wipe—certainly both niche areas, but interesting developments nonetheless.
And, the manufacturers of this technology aren’t done, not even close. They have their sights set on larger wipes markets like moist toilet tissue where their technology can certainly solve issues related to flushability and dispersibility, if they are able to balance other issues like performance, comfort and, most importantly, cost.
Flushability expert Kyra Dorsey, who does work with one of Kindcloth’s partners, described the technology behind products like Kindcloth this month as having the potential to be the next level of flushability, if issues like consumer education and market acceptance can be achieved.
Of course, Kindcloth is not alone in promoting dissolving technology. Procter & Gamble has applied it to products like cleansing cloths and laundry tiles; and an Australian eco-conscious beauty brand known as Conserving Beauty is marketing not only dissolvable wipes but acne patches that dissolve into the users’ skin—offering not just a more eco-friendly product but also the ability to offer longer lasting treatment.
Companies involved in this technology agree that dissolvables continue to be a niche category, for now, but if seeing is believing, the next big breakthrough in wipes could be here.
Karen McIntyre
Editor
Earlier this year, Kindcloth, which has now forged partnerships with a polymer specialist and a nonwovens producer, announced that it had achieved commercialization of an insect repellent wipe with a South African company and a makeup removal wipe—certainly both niche areas, but interesting developments nonetheless.
And, the manufacturers of this technology aren’t done, not even close. They have their sights set on larger wipes markets like moist toilet tissue where their technology can certainly solve issues related to flushability and dispersibility, if they are able to balance other issues like performance, comfort and, most importantly, cost.
Flushability expert Kyra Dorsey, who does work with one of Kindcloth’s partners, described the technology behind products like Kindcloth this month as having the potential to be the next level of flushability, if issues like consumer education and market acceptance can be achieved.
Of course, Kindcloth is not alone in promoting dissolving technology. Procter & Gamble has applied it to products like cleansing cloths and laundry tiles; and an Australian eco-conscious beauty brand known as Conserving Beauty is marketing not only dissolvable wipes but acne patches that dissolve into the users’ skin—offering not just a more eco-friendly product but also the ability to offer longer lasting treatment.
Companies involved in this technology agree that dissolvables continue to be a niche category, for now, but if seeing is believing, the next big breakthrough in wipes could be here.
Karen McIntyre
Editor
