Facial tissue

A box of tissues

Facial tissue and paper handkerchief refers to a class of soft, absorbent, disposable papers that is suitable for use on the face. They are disposable alternatives for cloth handkerchiefs. The terms are commonly used to refer to the type of paper tissue, usually sold in boxes, that is designed to facilitate the expulsion of nasal mucus from the nose although it may refer to other types of facial tissues including napkins and wipes.

Facial tissue is often referred to as a "tissue", or by the genericized trademark "Kleenex" which popularized the invention and its use.

Manufacture

Facial tissue and paper hankerchiefs are made from the lowest basis weight tissue paper (14 18 g/m²). The surface is often made smoother by light calendering. These paper types consist usually of 2-3 plies. Because of high quality requirements the base tissue is normally made entirely from from pure chemical pulp, but might be added selected recycled fibre.^[1] The tissue paper might be treated with softeners, lotions or added perfume to get the right properties or "feeling". The finished facial tissues or hankerchiefs are folded and put in pocket size package or a box dispenser.

History

Facial tissue has been used for centuries in Japan, in the form of washi (和紙) or Japanese tissue, as described in this 17th century European account of the voyage of Hasekura Tsunenaga:

"They blow their noses in soft silky papers the size of a hand, which they never use twice, so that they throw them on the ground after usage, and they were delighted to see our people around them precipitate themselves to pick them up."^[2]

In 1924 facial tissue as it is known today was first introduced by Kimberly-Clark as Kleenex. It was invented as a means to remove cold cream. Early advertisements linked Kleenex to Hollywood makeup departments and sometimes included endorsements from movie stars (Helen Hayes and Jean Harlow) who used Kleenex to remove their theatrical makeup with cold cream. It was the customers that started to use Kleenex as a disposable handkerchief, and a reader review in 1926 by a newspaper in Peoria, Illinois found that 60 % of the users used it for blowing their nose.^[3]

Kimberly-Clark also introduced pop-up, colored, printed, pocket, and 3-ply facial tissues.^[4]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Facial tissue

• Handkerchief
• Tissue paper
• Tissue-san

References