With the increasing awareness of health, disposable and convenient facial towels are becoming more favored.
For white-collar workers who often travel, this is especially true. Not long ago, Ms. An, who was on a business trip out of town, found that she had run out of her own facial towels. She bought a pack of fluffy towels in a small supermarket.
However, when she used the fluffy towel to wipe her face, she smelled an unusual odor. She even tried it with pure water and still detected the odor. So, she checked the ingredient list on the product packaging and found that it was labeled as “100% adhesive fiber,” not “100% cotton,” and the product name used “Soft” instead of “Cotton”, which made her concerned about the quality and safety of the product.
Such concerns are not isolated cases. On some social media platforms, many people have also posted about purchased facial towels or fluffy towels having a chemical or sour smell.
“Cotton” towels and “Soft” towels are actually two different things? How should we distinguish and choose between them?
One word’s difference, two different materials.
From a classification perspective, both “cotton soft towels” and “soft towels” belong to the category of soft towels.
In terms of intrinsic quality, appearance quality, safety, and performance, there are “hardware” requirements for soft towels. There are also “software” regulations related to labeling and packaging. However, the regulations for labeling soft towels do not define the use of the words “cotton” or “soft,” which has provided some manufacturers looking to “bend the rules” with an opportunity.
According to the “2021 Cotton Soft Towel Survey Report,” when purchasing cotton soft towels, 85% of respondents pay attention to whether the material is 100% pure cotton. Soft towels made from natural cotton fibers provide a comfortable user experience due to their excellent water absorption, skin-friendliness, and safety. Additionally, cotton fibers are renewable, naturally degradable within three months, and environmentally friendly.
With just one word’s difference, “soft” towels, their composition usually consists of a combination of materials such as polyester fibers and adhesive fibers.
GB/T 4146.1-2020 “Textiles – Chemical fibers – Part 1: Generic Names” indicates that viscose fibers are essentially man-made fibers. Viscose fibers are produced using materials such as wood fibers and cotton linters, which undergo processes including alkali treatment, aging, sulfonation to produce a soluble cellulose xanthate, and subsequently dissolved in dilute alkali to make viscose. The wet spinning method is then used for the chemical reaction to produce these fibers. On the other hand, polyester fibers, commonly known as “polyester,” are primarily derived from petroleum extracts and are synthetic fibers.
We also observe that some soft towel packaging does not provide detailed ingredient information and only states “plant fibers” or “natural plant fibers.” This has raised questions about whether these materials are entirely natural.
According to GB/T 11951-2018 “Terms for Natural Fibres,” plant fibers fall under the category of natural fibers, including seed fibers, bast fibers, leaf fibers, and fruit fibers. However, some brands that emphasize “plant fibers” or “plant-derived fibers” in their product descriptions often contain viscose fibers, which require a series of chemical processes and are not entirely natural.
In other words, the “soft towels” available in the market, even those labeled as “plant fibers,” are often a result of semantic maneuvers by manufacturers and are essentially chemical fibers.
Recently, some internet users have noticed that certain soft towel products have updated their packaging, and the material composition on the new packaging differs from the original. In reality, this change reflects the brand’s adherence to the latest standards, replacing the previous “plant fibers” with more accurate terms like “viscose fibers,” unveiling the mystery behind the semantic maneuvering.
In the production process of certain viscose fiber products, carbon disulfide is sometimes added, which can lead to the presence of residual sulfides in the final product. Some consumers have reported detecting chemical or sour odors, which are, in fact, odors generated by the interaction of sulfides with water.
According to a report from a testing organization in Guangzhou, China, analyzing 15 popular soft towel products available on the market, it was found that some brands’ products showed no detectable residue of chemical substances. However, for products containing a blend of viscose and polyester fibers, a certain amount of sulfur residue was detected. While this level of sulfur residue complies with the standards for “soft towels,” it is advisable for parents of babies or individuals with sensitive skin to opt for more natural and skin-friendly all-cotton soft towels.
How to distinguish genuine all-cotton towels?
Can you use the product name with “cotton” or “fluff” to determine if the face cloth is pure cotton? The answer is no.
In August 2022, a Chinese fiber testing organization released an analysis and recommendations regarding the labeling standardization and quality of soft towels. They conducted ingredient testing on soft towels from six different brands. The results showed that there were irregularities and even inaccuracies in the labeling of fiber composition and content, with some claiming to be “hydroentangled nonwoven fabric” or emphasizing the use of “plant fibers” and “plant cotton.”
Table 1 : Analysis of current situation of soft towel description| GB/T40276-2021 Labeling requirements |
Towel Brand | |||||
| Brand 1 | Brand 2 | Brand 3 | Brand 4 | Brand 5 | Brand 6 | |
| Product Name | Soft cleansing wipes for wet and dry use | face towel | Soft cotton face towel | Soft towel | Pure cotton soft towel | Cotton soft cleansing wipes |
| Implementation Standards | GB/T 27728 | Corporate standards | Corporate standards | Corporate standards | Corporate standards | GB/T 27728 |
| Fiber Composition And Content | Spunlaced nonwoven fabric | Plant fiber non-woven fabric | cotton plant fiber | 100% natural plant fiber | Cotton spunlaced non-woven fabric | Imported plant cotton |
| Production Date And Shelf Life | Marked | Marked | Marked | Marked | Marked | Marked |
| Product Specifications | No label | 200mmx180mm | No label | 20cm x18cm | 200mmx200mm | No label |
| Internal Content | No label | 60 pieces | No label | No label | 80 pieces | 60 draws |
| Qualification Mark | Marked | Marked | Marked | Marked | Marked | |
| Manufacturing Company Information | Marked No contact number |
Marked | Marked | Marked No contact number |
Marked | Marked |
| Additive | No added fluorescent whitening agent | No added fluorescent whitening agent | No added fluorescent whitening agent | No added fluorescent whitening agent | No added fluorescent whitening agent | No added fluorescent whitening agent |
| Other | Marked net weight | Product features, usage, precautions | / | Features | Product features and precautions | Product features and precautions |
| Method | Towel Brand | ||||||
| Brand 1 | Brand 2 | Brand 3 | Brand 4 | Brand 5 | Brand 6 | ||
| Identify ingredients and content | Spunlaced nonwoven fabric | Plant fiber non-woven fabric | cotton plant fiber | 100% natural plant fiber | Cotton spunlaced non-woven fabric | Imported plant cotton | |
| Qualitative | combustion | It burns with the smell of paper gas and a little gray-white ash. | It burns with the smell of paper gas and a little gray-white ash. | Melting and burning produces black smoke with a sweet taste and a hard and black cylindrical residue. | Melting and burning produces black smoke with a sweet taste and a hard and black cylindrical residue. | The combustion smells like paper gas, and the residue is in the form of fine and soft gray-black floc. | Melting and burning produces black smoke with a sweet taste and a hard and black cylindrical residue. |
| microscope | Smooth surface with clear stripes | Smooth surface with clear stripes | Some fibers have a smooth surface with clear stripes, some fibers have a smooth surface with small black spots. | Some fibers have a smooth surface with clear stripes, some fibers have a smooth surface with small black spots. | Flat ribbon shape, slightly naturally curved | Some fibers have a smooth surface with clear stripes, some fibers have a smooth surface with small black spots. | |
| Dissolution quantification | All soluble in 70% sulfuric acid | All soluble in 70% sulfuric acid | Partially soluble in 70% sulfuric acid. The other part is dissolved in boiling m-cresol | Partially soluble in 70% sulfuric acid. The other part is dissolved in boiling m-cresol | All soluble in 70% sulfuric acid | Partially soluble in 70% sulfuric acid. The other part is dissolved in boiling m-cresol | |
| Test ingredients and content | 100% viscose | 100% viscose | 50% viscose, 50% polyester | 60% viscose, 40% polyester | 100% cotton | 60% viscose, 40% polyester | |
Although there are many types of labels for face cloths on the market, distinguishing between cotton and non-cotton face cloths is actually very simple before making a purchase – look for the packaging or product information card.
Only those products with clear labeling indicating “100% cotton” or “100% cotton hydroentangled nonwoven fabric” are truly pure cotton face cloths.
If the label only indicates “hydroentangled nonwoven fabric” or “plant fibers,” it’s challenging to determine the specific material of the face cloth, and further examination of related ingredient test reports is needed.
Of course, today’s consumers are no longer satisfied with just looking at packaging labels. Bloggers have already conducted experiments online to test the composition of face cloths.
One method is the soaking test: soaking the face cloth in water. Pure cotton face cloths have no odor, while some adhesive fiber face cloths may have an odor.
The other method is the burning test: pure cotton face cloths do not produce black smoke when burned, and the residue appears as fine and soft ash. In contrast, polyester fiber (polyester) face cloths produce pungent black smoke when burned, and the residue is a hard, black, solid mass.
Some adhesive fibers may produce an odor when exposed to water due to the addition of carbon disulfide during the production process. Polyester fibers (polyester) are a type of chemical fiber, and they do produce black smoke and form solid chunks when burned. Consumers can use simple methods like burning and soaking to make initial judgments. However, for more scientifically rigorous conclusions, it’s advisable to rely on professional testing organizations.
To make it clear for consumers
Today, disposable facial wipes, known for their softness, excellent absorbency, and non-shedding qualities, have become substitutes for towels, tissue paper, and other products, marking a “facial cleansing revolution” in the market.
Data shows that in 2022, the demand for disposable facial wipes in China reached 12.36 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 51.8%. The consumer market continues to grow, attracting many cross-category brands to enter this industry. Currently, there are more than 500 brands in the industry.
In the fierce competition, raw material prices are a crucial factor. Data indicates that by the end of July 2023, the China cotton price index was 17,998 yuan/ton, while the prices of polyester staple and filament were 7,428.91 yuan/ton and 8,209.78 yuan/ton, respectively. Due to the much higher cost of all-cotton compared to synthetic fibers like polyester, some manufacturers may opt for lower-cost synthetic materials.
The use of synthetic and natural fibers in the textile industry has a long history, and they differ in terms of performance, cost, safety attributes, environmental attributes, and more. Some businesses blur the distinction between the two by using terms like “mian rou” (cotton-like), “cotton feel,” and “plant fiber.” Some companies, in order to avoid using synthetic fibers, do not adhere to national standards in ingredient labeling, which can lead to consumer confusion, making them believe that their products are primarily made of pure cotton.
The market is flooded with various brands of facial wipes, with varying raw materials, materials, and labeling standards. We found that only a few companies have improved their standards in accordance with national requirements, but the majority of companies still lack standardization. As a result, the facial wipe industry still faces issues related to non-standardization and excessive marketing.
To address the chaotic product labeling in the market and make it easier for consumers to choose, companies should accurately label the composition of facial wipe products, respecting consumers’ right to information and choice. Additionally, it is advisable to adopt multiple national standards, industry standards, or group standards that meet or exceed national standard requirements.
In the future, as the public becomes more concerned about raw materials and pursues quality, the demand for facial wipe products will become increasingly diverse. Each company should truthfully label the product’s ingredients, giving consumers the choice between “synthetic or cotton,” in order to promote the facial wipe industry and improve facial wipe quality.
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