Nonwovens are huge in private label: annual PLMA show attracts a range of wipes, diapers and more.

Nonwovens held a strong position at this year's Chicago area Private Label Manufacturers Association show in November. Solidly part of what PLMA calls "consumer affection for private label in the U.S.," nonwovens were the backbone of products from fabric softener sheets to sanitary products and wipes of all kinds.

Nearly half of all respondents to a PLMA-MORI study said their "regular shopping cart contains up to one-quarter of store brands," according to PLMA president Brian Sharoff in his speech at the show on November 12. "For all consumers, each time they shop, the average amount of private label they buy is 32%."

PLMA defines store brand products as: All merchandise sold under a retail store's private label. That label can be the store's own name or a brand name created exclusively by the retailer for that store. In some cases, a store may belong to a wholesale buying group that owns labels that are available to the members of the group. These wholesaler-owned labels are referred to as controlled labels

Interestingly, the study also reports that consumers at the highest and middle-income levels are significantly more likely to increase their purchases of private label in the upcoming year than those in the lowest income range. This factor should be a comfort to companies rolling out value-added and premium nonwovens-based products. Products such as two-sided skin exfoliation and cleansing pads and new task-specific convenience items will appeal to these consumers.

Just when we think we have seen almost every possible wiping product and task-specific application, the PLMA show dispels that notion. There's more. In addition, technology is supporting some product efficiencies that are helping producers remain competitive. In other cases private labelers are following brand leadership, rolling out products such as kids' wipes and washcloths, flushable wipes and new fragrance wipes.

Wet Wipes Still Growing

"More wet wiping products" is an understatement. From citrus scents to botanicals and thicker cleaning "cloths," private labelers showcased new products and line extensions:

* AFG Wipes Inc., Reidsville, NC, featured baby wipes, antibacterial hand wipes, household cleaning wipes, flushable adult and bathing system wipes. "We're looking to provide the best results in each and every niche," said Michael Fitzgerald, vice president of sales and marketing. "Flushable products are important and consumers have still to embrace the concept fully," he said, pointing out that a large marketplace is yet to be realized. As an indication of the range of wet wipes available to consumers, AFG promotes more than a half-dozen basic household categories including multipurpose cleaning, general floor cleaning, hardwood floor cleaning, kitchen and bath wipes, furniture cleaning wipes and window wipes.

* Custom Manufacturing Products, Greenville, SC, displayed germicidal wipes, ultra disinfectant wipes, surface wipes, Erase It disposable cleaning pads and Ultra Sweeper with electrostatic action According to John Graham, Custom Manufacturing's president, "After four years in wiping products, we continue to offer new items like our citrus scents for household surface wipes and a large 75-count and two-pack offering."

* FA+MA Jersey sPa., Pistoia, Italy, featured its cleaning cloths, wet wipes, dusting cloths, synthetic chamois, microfiber and healthcare products. Samples of its personal hand wet wipes are made from 100% annually renewable resources.

* First Quality Products, Great Neck, NY, featured the latest in its Prevail line of wiping products with bathing cloths and pop-up washcloths. Lavender scented baby wipes, flushable wipes and quilted flushable personal cloths, quilted ultra-strong washcloths and pet training pads were also on display.

* Nice-Pak Products, headquartered in Orangeburg, NY, showed a full range of consumer wiping products. According to Cheryl Moran, category director, its latest toddler wipes offer interleaved dispensing with popup lidding. The product is brand equivalent to Kimberly-Clark's Clean Team toddler wipes. K-C has been the brand leader in the $680 million baby and toddler bath and body category.

* Rockline Industries in Sheboygan, WI covered a full range including natural, flushable, disinfecting, wet and dry floor, glass, furniture wipes, eraser pads and dusters. Rockline's lineup also encompassed all demographics for skin care including baby, kids, feminine, adult, facial and other wipes.

* Royal Paper & Wipes, Phoenix, AZ, touted its "all natural formula" baby wipes as well as cleaning wipes. "Our licensing business is growing with tissue and wiping products," said Sep Dardashti, vice president. Royal holds licensing rights to create customer packaging with Baby Looney Tunes and Clifford the Big Dog characters.

* Triad Group of Brookfield, WI specializes in pharmaceuticals with nonwoven wipes, pads and similar products oriented to wellness. Triad's store brand programs include alcohol prep pads, hemorrhoidal wipes and pads, antibacterial moist towelettes, acne pads, adult washcloths, personal cleansing washcloths and cleansing cloths for breastfed babies. The cleansing cloths for breastfed babies are a new offering featuring lanolin additives that protect against dryness and chaffing.

* U.S. Cotton featured its makeup remover pads.

Other Featured Products

There were few exhibitors at the PLMA event showing traditional dry wiping products. An exception was Berk Wiper of Lansdale, PA. According to Jeff Berk, president, "We are still concentrating on dry wipers for industrial, janitorial and sanitary cleaning applications." His business focuses on the fact that "every business has a need for wipers, whether it is for hand cleaning in restrooms or wiping office computer screens." Berk products using nonwovens included polishing cloths and premium heavy-duty wipers. Mr. Berk feels that companies like his can compete against foreign imports because many customers do not want to incur a time delay. Freight costs from overseas shipments make U.S. costs competitive.

A number of private labelers, including AHP, mentioned their latest diaper product entry following the brand leader Cruisers. Pampers Custom-Fit Cruisers are highly ranked in terms of leakage prevention, dryness and fastener quality. They are targeted to older and more active babies, extending the variety of baby-specific diaper styles producers can offer.

Hospital Specialty of Cleveland, OH also featured brand-equivalent sanitary products, from feminine hygiene to diapers and training pants. According to Bill Hemann, president, the latest Hospital Specialty offerings include adult cleansing wipes and rinse-free bathing systems as well as the company's Safe & Soft cleansing flushable wipes with aloe and vitamin E infused formulation for added comfort. These wipes are also said to be biodegradable and safe for sewer and septic.

Patent Pending Biodegradable

While most wipes manufacturers now offer a "flushable" wipe, the biodegradables are emerging too. In addition to Hospital Specialty, an interesting display was Wausau Paper's Biodegradable Fabric Softener Sheet. Known for its history in paper manufacturing, Wausau Paper, Brokaw, WI, has emerged as a nonwovens product producer too.

The Wausau team was also prepared to answer the question about defining biodegradability. While the term "flushable" is still being defined by the industry, Wausau could turn to its "certified lab testing" using ASTM D 2020-92 standards. Its test method B "verifies complete com postability in soil burial testing, being totally degraded in 14-21 days," according to Mike Rekitzke, vice president/general manager. Wausau's nonwoven-based fabric softener sheet is also said to be non-toxic, having no harsh chemicals and the product has recyclable packaging. Wausau's patent pending design is for its "truly compostable base fabric." The fabric softener sheet also uses a natural essential oil fragrance and vegetable-based antistatic and softening agents. Wausau says product performance "meets or exceeds leading brands."

Printed Wipes Emerging

O-PAC of Valmadrera, Italy displayed its lineup of Speedy Clean, Speedy Care and Laura Baumer hygiene products. O-PAC's literature and samples noted its achievement as the "first patterned and customized wipes" using all natural single-color printing ingredients without conventional inks. According to O-PAC sales director Mario Bartesaghi, "We are printing on the wipes using an in-line process that is unique." O-PAC calls its additional abilities to customize products and brands "a real revolution."

The O-PAC display appeared to be unique in spotlighting printed-on-the wipe products. If not commonly seen yet in the U.S., these printed wipes are on the way here too. According to one equipment manufacturer who offers in-line printing systems, there are at least two other producers with in-line printing systems.

New Leave-Behind Scents

GPMI of Gilbert, AZ took scented wiping products to another level with its new HomeScents that "leave behind a pleasant, refreshing scent" on the cleaned surface. "Our HomeScents feature fragrances from mango pineapple to spiced apple," explained Geoffrey Slick of GPMI. "Consumers can use these wipes and forget the need for plug-in and other room fragrance items." Five fragrances were featured along with the company's disinfecting wipes, easy-dispense lids on flat packs and a task-specific array of products.

If store brands and private labels are continuing to grow in popularity with consumers, so too will consumers' opportunities to try new wiping and nonwovens-based products-based on the continuing new product roll-outs seen at PLMA 2006.

By Susan Stansbury

Contributing Editor

Susan Stansbury is CEO of Right Angle Concepts ([e-mail]).