"Kleenex": A History of the Cellulose Tissue

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In 1924, the market welcomed a never-seen-before novelty: "Kleenex", the tissue paper meant for cleaning. This year marks the start of an international success story. Since then, Kleenex has become synonymous with makeup remover tissue and has continued to reinvent itself according to the market situation in terms of design, packaging and product quality. Nowadays, environmental protection and sustainability are top agenda items.

In the early 1920s, Kimberly-Clark Company began developing its cellulose products. One of the novelties during this time was the feminine hygiene product "Kotex". However, as the topic was considered taboo, sales were rather difficult. This resulted in a large inventory of production material, and, since necessity is the mother of invention, other processing options were researched. A modified mixing formula for the ingredients and the use of other fibres heralded the birth of the disposable cleaning tissue called "Kleenex". The increasing need for cosmetic products prompted the development to market "Kleenex" as an alternative for the unsightly cloth used to remove makeup. The brand name "Kleenex" derived from the word "clean" and was supplemented with a capital "K" at the beginning and the suffix "ex", derived from "Kotex".

"Kleenex" Yesterday

In 1925 the first advertisement for Kleenex is published in the American "Ladies' Home Journal". Soon there are also ads in all major women's magazines, such as "Harper's Bazaar", "Vogue" and "Cosmopolitan". Starting in 1927, stars of the screen and stage are promoting the revolutionary tissues. The development is rapid: As early as 1928, the first Kleenex pop-up box enters the market, and in 1929 the first coloured tissues are produced. In the 1930s Kleenex positions itself also as disposable handkerchief and thus reacts to the requests of many consumers. From now on, Kleenex is no longer a product for women only, but rather a brand equally accepted by men and women of all age groups. As of 1930, printed tissues are available, and since 1932 Kleenex handkerchiefs are available in a convenient pouch for the road.

When the paper rationing is lifted in 1945, the Kleenex boxes with 200 tissues are back on the market. In the 1950s, product development continues, as does the use of star power for advertising. Kleenex is and remains an absolutely innovative market leader during these times, as well. The year 1956 marks the start of the "Sneezin' Season" displays. 1961 sees the first "space saver" packages, which allow for smaller box sizes, and in 1965 small Kleenex package sizes for ladies' purses were introduced. In 1967 the first upright box is developed hand in hand with the introduction of the Kleenex brand tissues "Boutique".

During the 1970s, Kleenex continues to introduce new tissues and stylish designs and is always in line with the trend. The brand introduces its multipacks in the 1980s. This type of packaging proves to be very successful with budget-conscious consumers. The upswing in the specialty packaging department leads to the creation of the Kleenex package tissues "Expressions" and the "Holiday Collection" during the 1990s. These varieties are well suited to satisfy the tastes of the consumers. "Kleenex Ultra", the first triple-layer tissue, is introduced in 1990. In 1995, it becomes possible to enhance the "Expressions" tissues with designer graphics, and in 1998 the Kleenex brand "Expressions" introduces new designs that are produced using six-colour printing technology.

"Kleenex" Today

At the turn of the millennium, the Kleenex brand is recognized by families in more than 150 countries, and the development of new quality products continues in order to satisfy the increasing demand. The brand name "Kleenex" has become synonymous with cosmetics tissues all over the world. But times have changed and the company needs to adapt, for example with regards to environmental protection and sustainability. With its brands "Kleenex" cosmetics tissues, "Hakle" toilet paper or "Camelia" sanitary pads, producer Kimberly Clark is one of the major players in the international cellulose business. The U.S.-based corporate group consumes over four million tons of cellulose per year. In the middle of 2009, the company, together with Greenpeace in Washington, published new buying guidelines for cellulose and paper products. According to this guideline, Kimberly Clark no longer uses materials from rainforest logging and focuses more on recycled fibres and cellulose that have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and come from ecologically sustainable forestry operations.

"Kleenex" Tomorrow

The hygiene product and paper producer plans to completely reorganize its production and buying processes by the year 2011. By this deadline, the manufacturer plans to use only FSC-certified cellulose from Canadian forests. This should protect several 10,000 tons of rain forest timber. "With a main focus on reduction, all these developments fall under the program ‘Reduce Today, Respect the Future'", explains Lisa Morden, Global Sustainability Manager with Kimberly-Clark Professional. This program is also looking for new ways to reduce the use of resources for the entire product life cycle. "We are very proud of our achievements to date; however, this is not the end of the story. We'll find further improvements on our path towards sustainability," says Morden.