Unilever brands Dirt Is Good (known as Persil in the UK) and Robijn are bringing laundry sheets to the mass market for the first time. And true to our Clean Future strategy, we’ve added innovative fragrance technology to this ultra-convenient, sustainable format.
Laundry sheets are becoming increasingly popular as shoppers look for a more convenient alternative to liquids and capsules. In fact, online searches for and about the format have been growing fast over the last few years – up 116% in the US and 129% in the UK.
Our own research showed that people look for products that perform well but, at the same time, are very simple to use.
Laundry sheets… made better
Laundry sheets offer this ‘ultra-convenience’. The user doesn’t have to think about whether they’re putting in too much or too little of the product. Each sheet delivers just the right dose of detergent for an optimum clean, avoiding waste through over-dosage. Better still, a sheet can be halved (they are perforated down the middle) for lighter loads, or a second sheet can be used for larger or more soiled laundry.
In developing these products, our focus has been on overcoming a criticism often levelled at laundry sheets: that they struggle to match the long-lasting scent of liquids or capsules. Thanks to innovative slow-release fragrance technology, the Dirt Is Good (DIG) and Robijn products retain a more intense scent within the fabric long after the clothes have been washed. This is good news for consumers who want their clothes to smell fresher for longer.
How are they made?
The ultra-concentrated sheets are created from a liquid containing active ingredients, water and air which are mixed, then dried. Once the water has evaporated, what remains is, in effect, a sheet of solid detergent, made highly porous by the added air content. This porous quality allows the sheet to dissolve in less than 15 seconds, leaving no residue, even at temperatures as cold as 20 degrees.
Biodegradable ingredients and recyclable, paper-based packaging
The format certainly punches above its weight when it comes to sustainability. The sheets have been formulated with highly biodegradable ingredients, and their main active ingredient is plant-based.
What’s more, the product is packaged in a recyclable, paper-based box which is compact and lightweight (on average 80% lighter than other formats*), which means they take up less space and are easier to carry, use and store. It also means they’re ideal for those who like taking laundry detergent with them on their holidays.
“We are ready to disrupt the market with a new format from Persil that we are confident consumers will love and which can bring incremental sales to the category,” says Eleni Koulara, Dirt Is Good Marketing Director.
“We know that shoppers are looking for new laundry alternatives that can provide high-quality cleaning results and beautiful fragrances while also being sustainable. With DIG’s reputation for product superiority and innovation, we’re in a prime position to deliver what they need.”
Robijn’s sheets launched in the Netherlands early this year, in-store and online, and have attracted a largely new audience to the brand. Persil launches in the UK this month, exclusive on Amazon, and will expand across other e-commerce and grocery channels in 2024.
Advert for Persil laundry sheets showing paper-based box
*
Total weight of the pack plus the product.
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