2008 Volume 8 Issue 11 Pages 479-485
This paper shows the recent advancements on laundry detergents and their related technologies which have been continuously reinvented to meet the changing consumers' lifestyles and expectations. Laundry detergents are indispensable for daily lives, consequently, their annual production amounts to almost 770 thousands tons nationally. In 1987, the concentrated laundry powder detergent was launched in Japan and immediately prevailed in the market. More concentrated powders, laundry tablets and laundry sheets were developed and launched afterward. In 2001, the new laundry powder detergent appeared which realized the significantly quick dissolving property to meet the changing washing machines & conditions and consumer requirements and improved the detergency as well. In recent years the function-added products have been consistently launched, which provide not only washing performance but also other functions such as bleaching, anti-bacterial and/or softening abilities. In the background of these product advancements, the development of new manufacturing processes and ingredients have been proactively pursued.
