Okay, so I won't win "Green Mom of the Year" with that admission, but paper towels are an evil necessary in my home. I also entertain family and friends about once per month so I was intrigued when the Kleenex Hand Towels product came on the market.
Kleenex Hand Towels are pretty much paper towels in a box, although they are obviously marketed as much more than that (because every household NEEDS one, right?). The pop-up box is designed to be both eye-catching and convenient because it can set upright on a level surface or be flipped upside down on a towel bar and used as a dispenser. I guess this could be impressive to party guests, especially if they are children who get a kick out of pulling paper towels out of dispensers like my kids do.The Kleenex Hand Towels are thick and absorbant so one towel is usually plenty for drying hands or cleaning up a small spill. I get the same results from other high-quality absorbant paper towels that I use from my trusty paper-towel holder that sits on my kitchen counter. The only difference is that one towel comes from a roll and the other from a pop-up box.
Here is where the real difference between Kleenex Hand Towels and paper towels come into play: price. Even with a coupon (which I don't see very often), the Kleenex Hand Towels are pricey at a cost of over $3.50 per box. I can purchase a six roll package of quality paper towels for that price (usually on sale and with a coupon, but still...). As moms, we aim to teach our children good hygiene habits. This is where Kleenex comes to our aid. While washing our hands is important, it only fills half the equation for good hand hygiene. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends drying hands with a single-use towel to help prevent the spread of germs. Until the recent introduction, families have not had a practical alternative to cloth hand towels in their home bathrooms.Here are some interesting findings:
- The majority of Americans (89%) use a cloth hand towel to dry hands in their home bathroom for an average of 14.7 seconds
- Other hand drying methods used in home bathrooms include
– Using a paper towel or paper napkin (38%)
– Simply shaking hands in the air to dry off (18%)
– Wiping hands on a T-shirt or other article of clothing (9%)
- Americans ages 18-24 are the most likely to shake their hands in the air (29%) or use an article of clothing to dry their hands (17%)
Fact Versus Fiction
- Perception: Three quarters of Americans (73%) believe hand drying is less important than hand washing when it comes to helping stop the spread of germs
- CDC Fact: Freshly cleaned, wet hands transfer pathogens more readily than dry hands or hands not washed at all. The residual moisture determines the level of bacterial and viral transfer following hand washing. Careful hand drying is a critical factor for bacterial transfer to skin, food, and environmental surfaces.
- Perception: Most Americans (84%) say they change their hand towels for sanitary reasons yet the majority (78%) use the same hand towel in their bathroom for a couple of days or longer.
- CDC Fact: Repeated drying of hands with reusable cloth towels is not recommended and should be avoided. Only one-in-five Americans (22%) are familiar with the recommendation of drying hands with a one-time use towel.
I think that Kleenex Hand Towels were a wonderful idea and I am so glad I had the opportunity to review them! Kleenex Hand Towels is an innovative solution that delivers one clean, fresh, dry towel every time consumers wash and dry their hands in the home bathroom. The single-use, disposable bathroom hand towel provides consumers with a unique new product that addresses a growing awareness of hand hygiene as a means to help maintain their families’ health and wellness.
Why Kleenex Hand Towels? “Consumers know that even after they are washed, hands are only as clean as the towel used to dry them,” said Gordon Knapp, president, Kimberly-Clark North Atlantic Family Care. “Kleenex Hand Towels are a first-of-its-kind solution that leverages K-C’s strengths in translating consumer insights into product design and technology to offer a real alternative to less hygienic, shared bathroom cloth hand towels.
Kleenex Hand Towels have a unique, Cottony-Soft base sheet that is free of inks, dyes, and fragrances. The sheets are highly absorbent – drying hands effectively, with enough capacity in the brand’s proprietary, absorbent Dry-Touch fibers for secondary quick clean-ups around the bathroom sink. Kleenex Hand Towels’ flexible packaging complements bathroom decor and space limitations, allowing the product to be placed on a towel bar or countertop. The Pop-Up delivery system is designed to help keep one clean, fresh, dry towel conveniently at hand.
Sustainability FAQs
1. Does Kimberly-Clark have sustainability standards?
Kimberly-Clark has long recognized the importance of corporate responsibility and integrated the concept of sustainability in our business practices. We published our first annual sustainability report in 2004, and the reports can be reviewed at www.kimberly-clark.com . From raw materials, our manufacturing processes, even our supply chain, we’re building sustainability into every facet of how we work. This includes selecting suppliers that operate in a sustainable manner. To that end, we work hard to assure that the wood fiber we purchase comes only from well-managed forestlands or from recycled sources.
2. Is conservation a priority for Kimberly-Clark?
At Kimberly-Clark, we take concern for the environment and conservation of natural resources seriously. In 2009, the Kimberly-Clark Foundation donated $400,000 to environmental causes and $550,000 over the last three years to Conservation International (CI) for a biodiversity conservation project. The project will have environmental benefits for the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, a major global pulp producing region that provides 30 percent of our fiber.
3. Are any responsible forestry practices in place?
Kimberly-Clark has one of the most progressive fiber procurement policies in the tissue industry. We support forestry practices that help conserve valuable forestlands, respect fundamental human rights and ensure both a thriving ecosystem and a sustainable source of wood fiber for the future.
In fact, K-C was the first major tissue company to set the goal of purchasing 100 percent of our wood fiber from suppliers that gain independent certification of their woodlands or their fiber procurement activities.
4. Why is this product necessary? Aren’t my cloth towels acceptable?
KLEENEX® Brand Hand Towels offer a hygienic option for our consumers by providing an alternative to traditional cloth bathroom hand towels. KLEENEX® Hand Towels– a clean, fresh towel every time™.
5. Are KLEENEX® Brand Hand Towels made with recycled fiber?
Because of the superior softness consumers expect from KLEENEX® Brand, KLEENEX® Brand Hand Towels are made with 100 percent virgin fiber. The product’s unique, Cottony-Soft base sheet is free of inks, dyes and fragrances and is soft enough for faces yet durable for family needs.
6. Can I recycle the Kleenex Hand Towel package?
Yes, you can recycle the carton at a facility that processes paperboard.
7. For Additional Information on Kimberly-Clark’s commitment to sustainability, please visit:
http://www.kimberly-clark.com/aboutus/sus_2010/sustainability_home.aspx
You can find Kleenex Hand Towels in the paper towel aisle at grocery and mass retailers nationwide at a suggested retail price of $2.99 per box. Check it out today!!!
I think that Kleenex Hand Towels are a nice alternative to paper towels when hosting a party, however it's more gimmick than need in my opinion.
Great Post. I love these kleenex hand Towels.
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