What are the Raw Materials Used in Wet Wipe Manufacturing?

The Cornerstone of Wet Wipes Manufacturing

Nonwoven Fabric: The Cornerstone of Wet Wipes

Nonwoven fabric is the key material for making wet wipes. They're engineered materials made from fibers that are bonded together in all sorts of ways, like through mechanical, heat, or chemical means. The choice of nonwoven fabric depends on things like strength, softness, absorbency, and cost.

The raw materials for wet wipes are made from spunlace. Spunlace is made from different types of materials:

1. 100% Viscose or Rayon

2. Bamboo pulp

3. Wood pulp

4. Cotton fibers

5. Polyester fibers

6. Polypropylene, commonly known as PP

Properties of 6 Types of Materials:

1. 100% Viscose Fiber or Rayon

Softness: Viscose fibers or rayon are known for their softness and silk-like texture, making them an ideal choice for high-quality wet wipes and hygiene products.

Absorbency: They have excellent water absorption, suitable for applications that require quick liquid absorption.

Environmental Friendliness: Biodegradable and eco-friendly.

Strength: Despite their softness, they also have certain strength and durability.

2. Bamboo Pulp

Antimicrobial Properties: Bamboo fibers have natural antimicrobial and antifungal characteristics, making them suitable for personal care products.

Softness: Bamboo fibers are soft to the touch and gentle on the skin.

Environmental Friendliness: Bamboo grows quickly and is highly renewable, making it a sustainable resource.

Moisture-Wicking: Bamboo fibers have good moisture absorption and breathability, suitable for sports equipment and summer clothing.

3. Wood Pulp

Strength: Nonwoven fabrics made from wood pulp are usually strong and durable.

Moldability: Can be processed into different thicknesses and densities as needed.

Environmental Friendliness: Derived from renewable wood resources, biodegradable.

Cost-Effectiveness: Generally lower in cost, suitable for mass production.

4. Cotton Fibers

Comfort: Cotton fibers are favored for their natural softness and comfort, especially suitable for sensitive skin.

Absorbency: Cotton fibers have excellent water absorption, making them suitable for cleaning and hygiene products.

Durability: Cotton nonwoven fabrics are long-lasting and tear-resistant.

Environmental Friendliness: Cotton is a naturally biodegradable material.

5. Polyester Fibers

Strength: Polyester fibers are strong and durable, resistant to tearing.

Wrinkle Resistance: Polyester fibers do not wrinkle easily and maintain their shape well.

Quick-Drying: Nonwoven fabrics made from polyester dry quickly, suitable for outdoor use.

Chemical Resistance: They have good resistance to most chemicals.

6. Polypropylene (PP)

Chemical Resistance: Polypropylene has excellent resistance to a variety of chemicals, suitable for industrial uses.

Strength and Durability: Polypropylene nonwoven fabrics are strong and durable.

UV Resistance: It has good resistance to ultraviolet rays, suitable for outdoor use.

Cost-Effectiveness: Polypropylene is an economical material, suitable for mass production.

Each material has its unique properties, suitable for different products and applications. The choice of which material to use depends on the specific needs and intended use of the product.

Different Patterns for Specific Uses

Nonwoven fabrics used in wet wipe production come with different patterns, each designed for specific uses and offering their own perks. The choice of pattern depends on what you want the wipes to do and what features you're looking for in the final product. It's like picking the right tool for the job.

Cross spunlace Monwoven Fabric

Pearl Pattern Nonwoven

EF Pattern Nonwoven

Mesh Pattern Nonwoven

Dot-Molded nonwoven fabric

Meltblown Nonwoven Fabric

Fiber Compositions to Meet Different Needs

The nonwoven fabrics used for wet wipes come with a variety of fiber compositions, including high-strength polyester fibers, soft and highly absorbent viscose fibers, custom-blended fibers with specific properties, eco-friendly bamboo fibers, and wood fibers with antibacterial characteristics. Each type has unique advantages to cater to different uses and consumer preferences.

Polyester Fibers

Viscose (Cotton) Fibers

Polyester-Viscose Blends

Bamboo Fibers

Wood Fibers

Nonwoven Fabric Cost Comparison

When it comes to nonwoven fabrics, costs can vary significantly based on the type of fiber and manufacturing process. Here's a rough cost comparison to give you an idea of the price differences:

1. Polyester fibers: Known for their strength and durability, polyester is relatively cheap due to its synthetic nature. Its cost typically ranges from $0.05 to $0.15 per square meter.

2. Viscose (cotton) fibers: As a natural fiber, viscose is slightly more expensive than polyester. The cost is between $0.10 to $0.30 per square meter.

3. Polyester-viscose blends: This blend offers a balance of strength and softness, with costs between $0.15 to $0.25 per square meter.

4. Bamboo fibers: Environmentally friendly and with natural antibacterial properties, bamboo fibers are on the higher end, costing between $0.20 to $0.40 per square meter.

5. Wood fibers: In terms of softness and absorbency, wood fibers also fall on the higher side, with costs between $0.25 to $0.35 per square meter.

Biodegradable and Flushable Materials

To align with environmental sustainability, nonwoven fabrics made from natural plant materials (such as 100% viscose fibers, 100% bamboo fibers, and 100% wood fibers) are biodegradable. Flushable materials made from wood fibers are designed to break down in water, reducing their environmental impact.

Wet Wipes Ingredients

What are the Ingredients in Wet Wipes?

1. Water - Purified Water, Pure Water, RO Pure Water: The liquid content in wet wipes generally accounts for about 80%. If the content is too low, the wipes will feel dry; if it's too high, they will feel too wet and inconvenient to use. Since over 90% of the liquid is water, the water used in wet wipes must be specially treated to prevent reactions between the water and the other ingredients. You can see terms like "purified water," "pure water," and "RO pure water" on the packaging.

2. Humectant - Propylene Glycol: Propylene glycol is a solvent and humectant. It helps dissolve the effective substances in the liquid, prevents water from evaporating, and serves as an antibacterial and preservative agent, which is why it is found in almost all wet wipes.

3. Preservatives—Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben: Wet wipes contain a lot of water and various substances. Preservatives must be added to maintain the activity of the effective ingredients, but they are usually present in very low concentrations and do not have negative effects.

4. Antimicrobial Agents - Sodium Lactate, Silver Ions, Eucalyptus Leaf: Many types of antimicrobial agents are chemically synthesized and natural. As the name suggests, their function is to eliminate bacteria and inhibit bacterial growth.

5. Nonionic Surfactants - Polyoxyethylene Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyether: Nonionic surfactants are found in laundry detergent and most cleaning agents. Their specific function is to remove dirt and grease, achieving a cleaning effect.

Wet Wipe Ingredients: Custom Solutions for Specific Needs

As an OEM and private label manufacturer of wet wipes, SYWIPE specializes in producing a variety of products tailored to specific needs. Our extensive range includes baby wipes, personal care wipes, household cleaning wipes, pet wipes, medical wipes, and specialty cleaning wipes. Each category requires a unique formula, and we take pride in developing custom formulations that are optimized for efficacy and safety.

With years of industry experience and expertise, we continuously refine our formulations to meet the highest standards of quality and performance. Whether it's the gentle ingredients for baby wipes, powerful cleansers for household cleaning wipes, or specialized formulations for medical and specialty cleaning wipes, we ensure each product delivers outstanding results.

Moreover, we understand that customers may have their own specific requirements and preferences. That's why we offer flexibility to accommodate custom formulations and tailor our production to meet their exact specifications.

The Importance of Water Quality in Wet Wipe Production

In the wet wipe manufacturing industry, the quality of water used in the production process plays a crucial role in determining the purity and effectiveness of the final product. Reverse osmosis (RO) technology has long been used to purify water for various industrial applications, and now, with the advent of electro-deionization (EDI), water purity standards have been raised even further.

EDI Pure Water Filtration Equipment

What is EDI Water Purification Technology?

EDI, or Electrodeionization, is a cutting-edge water purification method that uses ion exchange resins and electricity to remove impurities from water. Unlike traditional ion exchange methods that need regular chemical regeneration, EDI consistently produces high-purity water without such agents. Combined with Reverse Osmosis (RO), EDI forms a powerful combo known as RO II, ensuring the removal of virtually all dissolved solids and ions from water, resulting in super pure H2O.

Advantages of EDI Pure Water in Wet Wipe Manufacturing

1. Boosting product quality: Using EDI pure water in wet wipe production ensures a top-notch final product. Impurities and contaminants in traditional water sources can negatively affect the texture, efficacy, and shelf life of wet wipes. With EDI pure water, we can maintain consistent quality standards, offering wipes that are gentle on the skin and free from harmful residues.

2. Increasing efficiency: The RO II system not only purifies water to an extremely high standard but also does so with low energy consumption. This efficiency saves us costs since less power is needed to run the purification process. Plus, the low maintenance requirements of EDI systems reduce downtime and optimize production output.

3. Environmental sustainability: EDI technology aligns with eco-friendly manufacturing practices, minimizing the use of chemicals and reducing wastewater discharge. Unlike traditional water treatment methods that generate chemical waste during regeneration cycles, EDI operates without such chemicals, thus reducing environmental impact.

4. Compliance with regulatory standards: The purity of water used in wet wipe manufacturing is governed by strict regulatory standards set by health authorities and industry bodies. Implementing EDI pure water technology ensures compliance with these standards, reducing the risk of product recalls or regulatory penalties due to water quality issues.

5. Versatility and adaptability: EDI systems can be customized to meet the specific requirements of different wet wipe manufacturing processes. Whether producing baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, or specialty wipes for industrial use, RO II technology provides precisely the quality and quantity of water needed for each application, ensuring consistent product performance.

Soft Pack Related Components

Wet Wipes Soft Packaging solution

At SYWIPE, we believe in not only providing effective hygiene solutions but also taking responsible steps towards environmental sustainability. We're committed to reducing waste and minimizing our carbon footprint, which drives us to innovate in every aspect of our products, including packaging.

We carefully select our wet wipe packaging materials to minimize environmental impact while maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and durability. We use biodegradable and compostable materials that break down naturally over time, easing the burden on landfills and ecosystems.

Common raw materials for soft pack wipes include laminated packaging films, plastic lids, lid labels, opening stickers, and hot melt adhesives.

Packaging Material Cost Comparison

Packaging is a significant part of wet wipes, and the choice of materials greatly affects the cost. Here's a comparison of common packaging materials and their costs:

Laminated packaging films: This material strikes a good balance between cost and quality, priced from $0.02 to $0.05 per square meter.

Plastic lids: Depending on thickness and quality, the cost of plastic lids ranges from $0.03 to $0.10 per unit.

Lid labels: Custom-printed labels cost from $0.01 to $0.03 per label, depending on the complexity of the design and the materials used.

Opening stickers: These stickers help ensure the package is properly sealed and cost around $0.1 each.

Conclusion

Understanding the raw materials of wet wipes helps consumers make wiser choices and encourages manufacturers to focus on product quality and environmental responsibility. SYWIPE wet wipes manufacturer is committed to providing high-quality wet wipes while continuously seeking more environmentally friendly and comfortable material solutions.

Related:

Sywipe seizes every opportunity to use high-quality resources, including peer-reviewed research, to support the facts in our article. Learn more about our factory and how to keep the content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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