New Air Compression Technology for Paper Hand Towels
Compression brings environmental and commercial benefits to KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* hand towel brands.
Global hygiene products supplier KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* is employing new air compression technology to fit up to 18% more paper hand towels into each case, resulting in a range of commercial and environmental benefits.
The company is using compression to remove air from finished paper towel products to enable more to be placed into a sleeve or onto a roll, meaning more towels can be put in a case – resulting in reduced distribution and storage requirements, less waste and fewer dispenser refills.
The technology is being applied across a range of 11 KLEENEX® and SCOTT* branded hand towels manufactured from AIRFLEX* Fabric, the highly absorbent fabric developed by KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* using patented technology. Compression will enable between 7% and 18% more towels to be packed into a case, depending on the towel in question.
Compression offers benefits both in terms of sustainability and practicality. From an environmental perspective, it means more towels per load so fewer trucks on the road. Packaging waste is also reduced.
End-users will now need to use less warehouse storage space for the same amount of hand towels, while more towels in each sleeve or on each roll will mean fewer changeovers are required.
Compression has no negative impact on the performance of hand towels made with AIRFLEX* Fabric, which continue to offer superior absorbency and strength and outstanding levels of hygiene and comfort. In addition, AIRFLEX* Fabric reduces fibre consumption by 15% compared with standard fabric, complementing the sustainability benefits offered by compression.
The use of compression technology to pack KLEENEX® and SCOTT* branded paper hand towels forms part of a wider KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*sustainability initiative entitled ‘REDUCE TODAY, RESPECT TOMORROW*’. Within this programme, the company is reducing its impact on the environment by examining the whole life cycle of its products, from source to disposal.
Lisa Morden, Global Sustainability Manager at KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*, explained: “REDUCE TODAY, RESPECT TOMORROW* is the KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* approach to sustainability. It begins with the understanding that the way we use resources today shapes the world of tomorrow. It has led us to focus on reducing consumption at every stage of the product life cycle – from design and manufacture to distribution and disposal. Reduction is the key to lowering the environmental impact of our activities as well as those of our customers.”
