A year ago, the first covid-19 vaccinations were being rolled out, offering a glimmer of hope that America would soon be back to normal. People started to travel again, restaurants were full. But the omicron variant began rising quickly in December. Healthcare officials started to sound the alarm and pandemic-weary Americans grew concerned as reports swirled that colleges were quickly moving final exams online and professional sports leagues were citing rising cases among their players. It was a roller coaster in 2021, leaving consumers wondering what 2022 will bring.

If they’re looking for stability, check the laundry hamper.

Ask any head of household; the loads keep coming—and coming and coming. That’s because whether math class is virtual or on campus, or that work meeting is being held on Zoom or in the conference room, clothing (at least from the waist up) is mandatory. And it has to get washed.

Laundry will be that never-ending chore—but the pandemic put it into a new positive light. More than ever before, laundry products began to play important role in maintaining one’s health and well being, insisted Brian Sansoni, senior vice president, communications, outreach and membership at the American Cleaning Institute (ACI).

“Cleaning and laundering is part of self-care and caring for your family,” he said.

Beyond food and grass stains, soiled laundry can be contaminated with germs and bodily fluids that be a source of pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses—and properly washing clothing and fabric like sheets and pillow cases can tamp down their spread.

Even washing machine manufacturers are more keenly focused on the role their devices play in maintaining health. Electrolux, for example, touts features such as HygienicCare that finishes the wash cycle with a soft spray of vapor to remove up to 99.9% of allergens like dust mites and germs like Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia.

The industry witnessed changing consumer behavior as covid hit—people were wiping down everything and doing more laundry (see chart).

“During the various phases of the pandemic, we have seen an increase and change in usage. People have been doing more loads of laundry and more frequent loads of laundry—driven by a need for a better clean and reassurance that they aren’t carrying invisible dirt on their clothing. It’s not only clothes that are being washed more, or more often, since the pandemic, we have also seen an increase in washing household items more frequently (bedding, towels, etc.) to keep the household safe,” said Julia Galotto marketing director, All laundry, which is part of Henkel.

“As many of us Americans have experienced, the pandemic has gone through many cycles—all with their own nuances and changes. For example, when the pandemic began, we did see a large amount of pantry loading, during which we worked hard to make sure our products were always available and ready on the shelves for consumers,” added Tide Principal Scientist Jennifer Ahoni.

Alongside the impact that laundering and proper use of cleaning products in general can have on one’s physical health, detergent makers have been increasingly focused on the health of the environment, too. They are doing more to encourage consumers to wash in cold water.

According to Sansoni of ACI, technology and R+D has taken the laundry category to new levels where you can wash almost all laundry in cold water, and that makes a big impact on sustainability.

“The detergent industry is putting more money, muscle and marketing behind the effort to clean and launder sustainably, he said.

Cold water washing not only helps to extend the life of fabrics, but it also is good for the environment and can save consumers money in the wash cycle, according to Ahoni.

According to research conducted by global research agency Opinium on behalf of American Water, 89% of Americans are likely to try at least one eco-friendly habit in 2022—and maybe it will be committing to cold water washing.


What’s New

Despite changes from the pandemic, consumers will always demand efficacy in laundry, according to market leaders like P&G.

“While some behaviors have changed, and others have stayed the same – one thing we have found is our consumers’ desire to use a high-performing and superior brand that they trust. At a time when cleaning and hygiene is top of mind for consumers, brands like Tide can deliver consistently on the promise of clean,” said Ahoni.

P&G says it continues to innovate to meet ever-evolving consumer needs that delight the consumer and solve some of their most challenging laundry problems. The P&G stable now includes Tide Hygienic Clean Heavy Duty 10X Power Pods, which contain 10 concentrated cleaning actives and is formulated with 50% more cleaning power. It is offered in Original, Spring Meadow and Unscented/Free versions.

“Designed to clean fabrics down to the microscopic level, Tide Hygienic Clean Heavy Duty 10X Power Pods removes both visible and invisible dirt from your garments, giving you a clean you can trust,” said Ahoni.

Moreover, Ahoni said the formulation ensures that consumers get a deep clean that is gentle enough for sensitive skin. Tide Hygienic Clean Heavy Duty 10X Power Pods is both perfume and dye-free and recognized by the National Eczema Association and the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Sensitive formulas have been gaining traction in the category with the biggest manufacturers expanding their offerings. Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin, Free & Clear Liquid Detergent, for example, now has SkinSafe’s safest” rating as the formula excludes 100% of the data-driven platform’s most recognized skin allergens. SkinSafe, developed in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic, is a platform that evaluates products through its database and ranks them based on their propensity to cause sensitivities, irritation or allergies.

Henkel reported that it has expanded its 99% allergen removal across the entire All Free Clear line, according to Galotto.

(Looking to formulate a new liquid detergent? Start here.) 


Additives and Add-Ons

Another segment that’s making gains is the additives category. According to recent IRI data, laundry prewash/additive sales soared 23.2% to top $2.0 billion in the past year (see chart here). Even the smaller static control/fabric protector liquid subcategory reported a 25.7% gain in revenues.

The increases are coming from sanitization products like Lysol Laundry Sanitizer Additive as well as popular scent enhancer and booster products.

P&G, for example, recently launched Downy Light Laundry Scent Booster Beads for consumers who want a long-lasting scent that they don’t find overpowering. Downy Light Laundry Scent Booster Beads are small, lightly scented laundry beads that impart “all-day” Downy freshness, according to Ahoni.

P&G also expanded its decades-old dryer sheet brand Bounce with an iteration specifically designed for pet owners. Each Bounce Pet Hair and Lint Guard sheet is two times the size of regular Bounce dryer sheets.

“Many of our consumers have pets as part of their family—but they don’t want that pet hair to be a part of their wardrobe. We launched Bounce Pet Hair and Lint Guard Mega Sheets to help repel pet hair so you can lint roll less,” said Ahoni.

Galotto said there’s been increased demand for fabric care products with added benefits in detergent as well as fabric finishers.

“Shoppers are looking for products that will give them the best bang for their buck—and that doesn’t mean the lowest price always wins…shoppers want added benefits to clean and protect their clothing,” she said.

Henkel last year rolled out Persil Active Scent Boost, which provides the deep clean of Persil with fragrance technology that maintains freshness for 100 days. In addition, Henkel also introduced Snuggle SuperFresh & SuperCare lines.

“Our Scent Boosters do more than just provide scent, we also eliminate odors and care for your fabrics to keep them looking newer longer,” insisted Galotto.

Church & Dwight’s stable now includes  Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean with Odor Blasters 5-in-1 Power Paks, which are said to deliver five powerful cleaning benefits—odor elimination, deep cleaning, whitening whites, brightening colors, with a powerful fresh scent booster—in a single dose. Also under the Arm & Hammer banner is new Clean Scentsation In-Wash Scent Booster, Fresh Burst, which is specially designed to eliminate tough odors with tiny scent crystals that deliver a vibrant floral fragrance. (For more on fragrances used on laundry and other household cleaning products, see p. 44 in this issue).


Slaves To Fashion

Detergent leaders also keep close tabs on apparel and fashion—areas also impacted by the pandemic. While suits and ties had already given way to casual Fridays (and Thursdays, Wednesdays and Tuesdays) at many workplaces, athleisure wear continues to gain in popularity outside the gym. In fact, American employees are gravitating to this type of more comfortable apparel as they work at home. It will impact detergent needs, according to leading brands.

“The days of formal wear to work are not likely to rise again given the demand for the hybrid lifestyle…That said, the composition of fabrics in our clothes (casual and work) has shifted over the years,” said Galotto. “Much of the clothing manufactured today is already made up of synthetic fabrics, and with that comes a need for enhancing laundry routines to effectively clean and protect those fabrics. An awareness of this need to clean effectively depending on fabric types could impact laundry routines in a positive way as we see that people have higher satisfaction with their laundry results when they use an expanded regimen of products.”

Consumers surely love the look and feel of technical and performance fabrics, but so do sweat and certain foods. These fabrics tend to contain more synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon and elastane, which are particularly attracted to natural greases and oils like sebum, Ahoni told Happi.

“In fact, we refer to synthetic fibers as dirt and odor magnets. Any garments that are fully synthetic or contain synthetic fibers are more likely to get smellier faster,” she said. “When more Americans spend time at home—whether that be in work or leisure—we are seeing more and more wash-friendly fabrics and textiles find their way into our consumers’ laundry rooms.” 


Safer Choices

Multinational and indie brands are also committed to making laundry sustainable.

Clorox, a 2021 Safer Choice Partner of The Year for leadership in advancing safer ingredients, currently has 27 products that carry the Safer Choice label, up from 19 products in 2018.

Albertsons Companies, Inc. also received a Safer Choice Partner of the Year award. The Boise, ID-based company received Safer Choice Certification for its laundry detergents in 2020. Today, six Open Nature laundry detergent products meet Safer Choice criteria.

Grove Collaborative was also named a 2021 Safer Choice Partner of the Year winner, marking the second year in a row it has been honored by the EPA. Grove’s roster of EPA Safer Choice Certified products currently includes several of its laundry detergents. More recently, Grove announced that it will be going public in a new deal it forged with Virgin Group Acquisition Corp. II, a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company sponsored by Virgin Group.

Investors appear to be intrigued by sustainable laundry and cleaning brands.

In September, Cleancult, a sustainable cleaning brand closed a Series B funding round, adding $25 million to its coffers. Along with Reynolds Channel and Anchor Capital, investors included Box Group, Vanterra Capital and Blue Scorpion Investments, as well as several celebrity-owned groups, like Kevin Hart’s VC firm (Hartbeat Ventures) and Rachel Zoe’s Rachel Zoe Ventures.

Launched in 2019, Cleancult started out D2C, but it is now selling products through brick and mortar in the US and Canada at places like CVS, Bed Bath & Beyond and Meijer. With the new funding, Cleancult says it aims to bring on additional retailer partners.

In November, Daniel Lubetzky, founder of Kind Snacks, invested in Sheets Laundry Club when the startup laundry brand made an appearance on “Shark Tank.”

Sheets sells products ranging from its patented laundry detergent sheets to scent boosters to dryer sheets as single units or as part of a subscription service through sheetslaundryclub.com and on Amazon. The Mooresville, NC-based startup has posted steady growth since its launch, according to CEO and Co-Founder Chris Videau, who is a veteran US Army helicopter pilot.

Videau admitted the laundry category is hard to break into and changing consumer habits when it comes to plastic usage is equally tough.

His approach: sell products that do not require a lifestyle change.

“If it requires consumers to have to read instructions on how to use, it isn’t for us,” he said.


Independent Thinkers

Other indie brands are also having success in laundry.

Dropps reported to Happi that its newest product line has been getting a workout at checkout, so to speak.

Dropps new Active Wash formulas feature odor control technology that helps eliminate and prevent odors caused by bacteria. Five active enzymes penetrate tight-knit performance fabrics to wash away sweat, body oil and everyday odors. Further, the formula focuses on preserving the technical properties and elasticity to maintain shape and stretch of performance fabrics. 

The new formulation has resonated with customers and has been “has been incremental to the core business,” Founder and CEO Jonathan Propper told Happi.

This month marks the fifth anniversary of Dropps’ Naked Truth ad, which features a naked Propper in a bathtub promoting his unit dose products. The video has had more than two million views.

A viral video can help a small brand attract attention, but Propper insists that Dropps’ success comes down to chemistry.

“Our products really work. It is about efficacy,” said Propper. “You can fool someone once. You can’t do it twice. If you don’t get the repeat order, you won’t create a sustainable business model.”

Charlie’s Soap is another indie company on the rise—thanks to unique chemistry that it says wins over customers for life. This family-owned company traces its start to the mid 1970s when Founder Charlie Sutherland Sr. sold yarn lubricant to textile mills. He and his son (Charlie Sutherland Jr.) invented an industrial cleaner for the mill machines that worked so well, employees started taking it home to use on their own.

Over time, mill workers kept asking for more of “Charlie’s soap,” according to Taylor Sutherland, the third generation, who handles sales and marketing for the Stoneville, NC-based company.

Sutherland Jr. and his son Morgan eventually formulated a laundry powder based on that cleaning formula. Fast-forward to today, Charlie’s Soap offers a range that includes liquid, powder and packets, as well as stain solutions that are sold online and inside mom’n pop shops and high profile retailers like Weis, Ace Hardware and Whole Foods.

The secret to Charlie’s Soap, according to company officials, lies in its proprietary formulation, which contains plant-based surfactants and zero additives. On the company’s website, it states: “Our formulas clean better because there are no additives in the way, clearing the path for surfactants to do their job.”

Charlie’s Soap is enjoying success thanks to some fanatical customers (what other laundry brand sells drink coozies on its website?)—but has also had some recent sorrow. Charlie Sutherland Jr. died just before Thanksgiving, according to Taylor Sutherland, who shared the news with Happi just after his father’s passing.


Wear & Where

Detergent executives Happi spoke with noted that changes from the pandemic are likely to linger—and that will speed up changes that were already underway—think what consumers wear, where they wear it, and where they buy the detergent to clean it (online or in the store).

“Generally speaking, the pandemic has accelerated trends that were already seeing growth,” said Galotto with All laundry. “While we may go in to the office some days and work from home others, the need for laundry and fabric care will remain high!” 

2022 ACI Convention Keynote Speaker Ben Nemtin Ben Nemtin—the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of “What Do You Want To Do Before You Die?”—will give a keynote address at the 2022 American Cleaning Institute (ACI) Industry Convention, which is scheduled for Jan. 31-Feb. 5 at the Grande Lakes Orlando in Orlando, FL. In his address to ACI, Nemtin will weave the remarkable story of how highly rated MTV show The Buried Life grew from 100 impossible dreams into a global movement and connects his lessons to the fabric of our daily lives.  Registration for the global cleaning product supply chain’s top business-to-business event is open on the ACI website. Companies that are eligible to join ACI must be members of the association to attend the convention. Membership inquiries can be directed to membership@cleaninginstitute.org.

New Ingredients for Laundry
 
Looking for an ingredient for your next detergent or fabric care launch? Here are some options from industry-leading providers. For more information on the ingredients below, contact the company directly.
 
 
Ashland Specialty Ingredients
Tel: 800 505 8984
Email: kunal.kapsime@ashland.com
Website: www.ashland.com
 
• Ecothix polymer
Chemical Description: polysaccharide based system
Applications: fabric care (fabric conditioners)
Use Levels: 0.1-0.5% w/w active 
Comments: Ecothix polymer is a novel polysaccharide system for softness and suspension. It functions as a softening booster and suspension aid for fragrance encapsulates, that provide long lasting fragrance for fabrics. Ecothix is optimal for low quat containing formulations. It has a natural origin content of more than 70% according to the ISO 16128 2:2017 standards and contains more than 80% of components that are either readily or primary, inherently biodegradable following OECD 301D and OECD 302B testing methodology. It is also vegan and is not classified as a microplastic following current ECHA restriction guidelines.
 
BASF
Tel:  973 245 6000
Email: detergents-cleaners-na@basf.com
Website: https://www.hcii.basf.us/
 
• Lavergy Pro 114LS
Chemical Description: Non-boron stabilized protease enzyme
Applications: Liquid laundry detergent, dishwashing, hard surface cleaning
Use Levels: 1-2%
Comments: Excellent non-boron stabilization technology, made by BASF. Very good stability of other enzymes in your detergent formulation. Protease without addition of preservative. High wash performance already at low temperatures
 
• Lavergy C Bright 100 L
Chemical Description: Anti-graying cellulase  
Applications: Liquid laundry detergent
Use Levels: 0.2%
Comments: Strong anti-graying performance at low temperatures on cotton. Easy to formulate into Liquid Concentrates. Works perfectly in combination with Lavergy Protease types
 
• Sokalan HP 30 Booster
Chemical Description: Broad spectrum performance polymer – 100% active Alkoxylated PEI
Applications: Liquid laundry detergent
Use Levels: 1-3 %
Comments:  Superior cleaning performance on oily stains even at low temperature. Compaction aid for concentrates, reduces viscosity. Anti-redeposition.Broad spectrum performance on stains at low temperature when combined with Sokalan HP 20.