Professional flushable/biodegradable wet wipe manufacturer

1.Key facts about flushable wet wipes/biodegradable wet wipes

1.1. Biodegradable wet wipes≠Flushable wet wipes≠Compostable wet wipe

Biodegradable wet wipe is different from flushable wet wipe and Compostable wet wipes,let us tell them apart.

1.2 What is biodegradable wet wipe？ 

Biodegradable wet wipe can be decomposed by microorganisms(Bacteria and Fungi),finally it will become a part of nature earth.Biodegradation is a process that occurs naturally.When wipe is decomposed,its original composition would become simple composition such as biomass,CO2 and water.The biodegradation procedure can happen with or without Oxygen around.Under oxygen circumstance,biodegradation procedure is shorter than the one with Oxygen circumstance. 

1.3 What is flushable wet wipe？ 

Flushable wet wipe is the wipe that is can be flushed down into the drain system.You can throw the wipe into the toilet directly and flushed just like common toilet paper.Flushable wipe can be dispersed through water flush power.To understand flushable wet wipe,you can treat it as paper.When the paper is in water,it is easy to break into pieces.While flushable wet wipes is dispersed into thin fibers that would not cause clogging of drain system.

1.4 Compostable wet wipe 

Compostable wet wipe are different from the wipes shown above.Compostable wet wipe can be biodegradable under human intervention. Biodegradation of biodegradable wet wipe is a natural procedure without human intervention.While,compostable wet wipe needs human intervention.

In the composing procedure,microorganisms would decompose the wipe under help of human being.Human would offer the conditions for composing such as water,oxygen and organics.The composing process takes about several months or 1 to 3 years.This time is affected by the oxygen,water,light and composing environment.

1.5 Only plastic-free wet wipes can be biodegradable or flushable

For both biodegradable and flushable wet wipes,they have one thing in common.The fibers used to make wet wipes must be plastic free.If there is chemical fibers such as PET,PP etc,it is impossible to be biodegradable or flushable.Only plants based fibers can be used in those eco-friendly wet wipes.

2 Biodegradable wet wipe options

2.1 100% pure cotton biodegradable wet wipes

Cotton fiber is a type of natural fibers that can be used in biodegradable wet wipe production.Pure cotton fiber come from cotton.Natural cotton fiber has impurity and dust particle so it has to be treated in advance.That make different quality of pure cotton nonwoven fabrics.100% cotton is different from others and only 100% cotton wipes can be biodegradable.

2.2 How to identify 100% pure cotton biodegradable wet wipe?

To ensure the biodegradability of wipes,the material must be of 100% cotton.It is not difficult to check it out.

It is easy to identify the 100% cotton material through burning test.Pure cotton wipe should be burned without black smoke and bad smell.After burning,pure cotton wipe turn into gray power and all of are soft matter.When the material is blended with other material such as chemical fibers,you would see black smoke when burn it and also hard matter left.

2.3  Pros and Cons of  100% pure cotton biodegradable wet wipe

It belongs to eco-friendly products,so it benefit our earth.Compared with other common wipe,its softness and low softness is better.So when you choose the pure cotton hand wipes and make up remover wipes,pure cotton is excellent.While the pure cotton’s price is much higher than others.So its target always on high end market.

2.4  Wood Pulp+Viscose Fiber Biodegradable wet wipes

Wood pulp is another type of natural fiber just like cotton fiber.The difference is that it comes from wood.While viscose fiber is made from wood,linters,reed,sugarcane.Those two types of fibers all come from plants,that is why wood pulp+viscose wet wipes can be biodegradable.

2.4.1 Wood pulp+viscose wet wipe can be biodegradable or flushable

With different blending ratio between wood pulp and viscose fibers,the wet wipe can be biodegradable or flushable.Higher ratio of wood pulp means flushable wet wipe.Higher viscose ratio means biodegradable(no flushable).

2.5  100% bamboo fiber biodegradable wet wipes

Bamboo is another type of natural fibers.100% bamboo wet wipes is also biodegradable.Bamboo fiber itself has advantages over others.For instance,it has excellent breathability,water absorption,natural antibacterial,anti-odor etc.

3 Flushable wet wipe options

3.1 Flushable wet wipes must be biodegradable and flushable

Flushable wet wipes definition:Follow the direction for use,the toilet and drain system keep unblocked;is compatible with sewage delivery,treatment and reuse system;Within reasonable time,the disposable is unrecognized and eco-friendly.Flushable wet wipes requires the fiber raw material biodegradable;As a result,Cellulose Fiber can be the raw material.Flushable wet wipe is also biodegradable wet wipes since they have to choose plants based fiber.

3.2 Flushable wet wipes:wood pulp+viscose fiber

Under water condition,the hydrogen bond of wood pulp is open and tangled structure is broken;While the viscose fiber’s wet strength is much less than dry strength.That makes the wet wipes made with wood pulp and viscose fibers become flushable.

Wood pulp+viscose fibers can be biodegradable or flushable depends upon different combination of those two fibers ratio.Generally,the thickness for flushable wet wipes should between 40 and 60 gsm,and the wood pulp is 65%-75%.The thickness should never be too thin or to thick.Too thin means the strength of wipe is too weak for use,too thick may cause flushable problem.

4. Application of flushable and biodegradable wet wipes

All wet wipes are developed for different purpose in daily life.People tend to choose eco-friendly wet wipes for various applications.However,it does not mean flushable and biodegradable can fit every purpose.

Based on different purpose,wet wipes can be classified into three types:common wet wipes,sanitary wipe and disinfection wipes.

4.1 Biodegradable wet wipes applications

4.1.1 Biodegradable common purpose wet wipes

Biodegradable common wet wipes offer general cleaning functions such as hand,skin surface or substance surface.However,it can not kill germ to provide disinfection or sanitary purpose.  

Biodegradable material can be widely used in this types of common wet wipes.

Biodegradable baby wipes:For baby wipes,the biodegradable material should be soft and the solution must be natural:pure cotton baby wipes(top parents choice wipes);100% bamboo baby wipes;Wood pulp+viscose baby wipes;

Biodegradable make up remover wipes:For make up remover wipes,the material must be very soft since it touches your face area:pure cotton make up remover wipes;Bamboo make up remover wipes;

Biodegradable face cleaning and body cleaning wipes:For general purpose of cleaning wipes,it can be biodegradable too.

4.1.2 Biodegradable sanitary wipes

Sanitary wet wipes can be made with same biodegradable common wet wipes shown above.The difference is that the antibacterial composition is added to kill Escherichia coli and staphylococcus aureus.For sanitary/hygiene wipes,the bacterial killing rate must be above 90%.Hand sanitary wipes and feminine wipes are the most common wipes.Same biodegradable material for common wipes also apply.

4.1.3 Biodegradable disinfecting wipes

Disinfecting wipes is also called antibacterial wipes.Disinfecting wet wipes is different from sanitary wipes.Sanitary wipes just decrease the number of germs on surface to a safe level.While disinfecting wipes is to kill most of the germs.So,there must be disinfectant chemicals such as alcohol and quaternary ammonium salt.It is designed for medical purpose and medical equipment disinfectant.The germ killing rate must be more than 99%.You can see 75% alcohol wet wipe in the market.For biodegradable disinfecting wipes,the material should be strong enough.For environment disinfecting of surface,the wood pulp+viscose material is recommended.

4.2 Flushable wet wipes applications

Flushable wet wipes requires the disperse of wipes under the water flush.There are less types of flushable wipe material than biodegradable wipe material.The possible applications for flushable wipes is less than others.

Flushable toilet wipes

Flushable toilet wipe is the most popular application of flushable wipes.Compared with common toilet paper,wet wipe deliver much better cleaning result.Then it can be thrown into the toilet directly like dry papers.

5  Package for flushable/biodegradable wet wipes

Low quality and unreasonable package means the wet wipes can be damaged and cause leakage problems,thus the wipes can be polluted by the bacterial and wet wipes with broken package would bad our health.

5.1 Package for flushable wet wipes

Common package for flushable wet wipes

Individual pack:One piece of wipe included in one bag.

Bag package:the most common package for wet wipe.Based on different size of wipes,the bag size is different and can include different quantity of wipes:10 pcs/bag; 20 pcs/bag;80pcs/bag or any other quantity.

Seal types:Sealing stickers or sealing cover+sticker

Wipe pulling out design:No continuous pulling design is recommended,that means the wipe can be pulled out of bag only one each time.Continuous pulling out design like tissue package should be avoided.

Canister/cylinder/bucket is not a good package option for flushable wet wipes since the this package required high strength to pull out and flushable wet wipe is easy to tear.

5.2 Package for biodegradable wet wipes

Common package for biodegradable wet wipes

Individual pack:One piece of wipe included in one bag.

Bag package:the most common package for wet wipe.Based on different size of wipes,the bag size is different and can include different quantity of wipes:10 pcs/bag; 20 pcs/bag;80pcs/bag or any other quantity.

Seal types:Sealing stickers or sealing cover+sticker

Canister/cylinder/bucket:The canister/cylinder/bucket provides better sealing than bag.

Wipe pulling out design:No continuous pulling design is recommended,that means the wipe can be pulled out of bag only one each time.Continuous pulling out design like tissue package should be avoided.

6 Our production capacity for flushable/biodegradable wet wipe

 As a professional manufacturer of flushable/biodegradable wet wipes,we are equipped with 100k workshop.We have two factories covering 45000 square meters.

We have got ten production lines which can produce 150K unit packs of flushable/biodegradable wet wipes.

7 Our production certification for flushable/biodegradable wet wipe

Our production certification can meets various regulations around the world.Our production certification includes shown below:

We have been manufactured our wipe products for some big brands.We are qualified to offer you the high quality products based on your customization requirements.

Some of our clients includes:MacDonald,WaltDisney,Walmart,Lufthansa,Mercedes-Benz,Airfrance,Fly Emirates etc.

8  flushable/biodegradable wet wipes composition

Just like common wet wipes,both flushable/biodegradable wet wipes are consisted of three composition:spunlace nonwoven fabrics,water and additive.

8.1 Spunlace nonwoven fabrics

There are various types of nonwoven fabrics which can be used in making wet wipes.Spunlace nonwoven fabrics is the nonwoven fabrics used most.About 90% of wet wipes are made of spunlace nonwoven fabrics.Spunlace nonwoven fabrics provides perfect softness and strength for wet wipes,the same with flushable/biodegradable wet wipe.All the material for those wipes mentioned above are classified as spunlace nonwoven fabrics.Please check more further details about spunlace nonwoven fabrics for wet wipe material.

8.2 Water

Water takes up 80% of flushable/biodegradable wet wipe.Generally,the content of water is 80%,neither higher nor lower.Too low water content is too dry,while too high water content is too moisture and not easy to use.Based on test results,80% water content is the most appropriate ratio.While water takes up 90% of fluid of wet wipes.While the water used for wet wipe is not the common water.The water has to be purified and it always marked as”refined water””pure water ”or “RO pure water”.Water plays an important role in wipe making.If the water is not qualified enough,the additive would react to the water.

Within our factory,we have R/O anti-osmosis deionized water system,EDI deionized water system and ultraviolet sterilization.

8.3 Additives

Just like common wet wipe production,same type of additives is used in flushable or biodegradable wet wipes.

8.3.1 Glycerin

Glycerin helps the additives dissolve into the water and hold the water within.Additionally,it provides functions of antibacterial and anti corrosion.This ingredient is almost used in all types of wipes.

8.3.2 Antibacterial agents

Sodium Lactate,Eucalyptus;There are many types of antibacterial agents available in the market.They can be classified into chemical antibacterial agents and Natural antibacterial agents.Antibacterial agents means that they can get rid of bacterial.Additionally,there are other natural agents such as  eucalyptus extract,aloe vera extract for skin care.For baby wipes,the agent such as chamomile extract are added to reduce the allergic reaction.

8.3.3 Preservative

Preservatives such as phenoxethol,Methylparaben,Paraben.Since there are a great amount of water and different composition,the quality guarantee period can not last up to 2 years if no preservatives is added into the wipes.

8.3.4 Plants extract

Plants extract is another important ingredient in wipe composition list.What is the function of those plants extract?Would the wipes contain those ingredients are better than others?

Different plants extract provides different functions,we would love to list some of popular plants extract:

Shea butter:contains non saponification ingredient,easy to absorb by skin to prevent dry and laceration of skin,keep skin elasticity and moisture.

Portulaca oleracea extract:moisture,relieve itching,clearing heat for detumescence .It can be used for dermatitis and eczema exudation.

Tremella fuciformis extract:Moisturizing and water locking

HoneySuchle Flowers Extract:contains neochlorogenic acid and luteoloside to provide diminish inflammation and antibacterial effect.

Natural oat extract: can be provided as function compositions delivery carriers to improve the skin absorb capacity.

Aloe Vera extract:diminish inflammation and antibacterial effect;Moisturizing and water locking for skin,smoothing skin

Chamomile Extract: Keep the balance of oil secretion for skin and provide germ killing and skin care purpose.

Teaseed oil:contains Vitamin E and antioxidant to nourish skin.

There are hundreds of plants extract which deliver different function and for different types of wipes.If the wipe choose plant extract as the main germ killing ingredient,then it should be used for sensitive body areas since it is tender,for instance,feminine wipes.For other type of wipes,plants extract just play assistant role such as moisturizing and skin care.The actual

functional composition for germ skill are still alcohol,quaternary ammonium salt etc.

8.3.5 About additives mark on the package

There are always”No additives”mark outside the wet wipe package.While you should understand it in the right way.It does not mean no Chemical is added,it means it does not add certain substance.