What Are Nonwoven Spunlace Wipes?
Nonwoven spunlace wipes are incredibly valuable for businesses today. Industries including industrial auto painting, cleaning, solid surface manufacturers and printing are just a few of those that look to this product in their daily operations.
Understanding Nonwoven Spunlace Wipes
What makes spunlace wipes unique is their composition and construction. They are made of a “nonwoven spunlace fabric”. To explain, this is actually a family of fabrics created using a process (invented by Dupont in the 1970s and also called hydroentangled spunlacing) that assembles rows of high-powered water jets to “lace” (or entwine) the short fibers together, thus the name spunlacing.
Several different fibers can be used in the spunlacing process, but for wipes, woodpulp and polyester are the most popular. When these fibers are laced together, the high-power water jet technology provides great strength to the fabrics in both directions without the use of binders or glues.
Additionally, the weight of the spunlace fabric is light compared to most woven fabrics. Wovens range from 4 to 8 ounces per pound while spunlaced fabrics provide strength and absorbency at 1.6 to 2.2 ounces per pound. The benefit of this to you, the end-user, is more wipes per pound.
The Uses and Benefits of Spunlace Wipes
Originally, spunlace fabrics were used for medical supplies, in particular, disposable patient gowns and drapes that were soft, low lint, and absorbed a blood resistant coating to protect operating room doctors and nurses. As a result, the spunlace nonwoven wiping cloth industry was born.
Over time, more and more businesses have recognized spunaced benefits among which is the fact that they are incredibly cost-effective. Because they are so cost-effective, most end users dispose of them and simply use a new wipe for each job. This provides the added benefit of a completely clean start to each task, leaving machinery and surfaces free of unwanted deposits.
Spunlace wipes outperform comparable products AND cost less.
Looking at the Competition
When comparing spunlace wipes to other similar products, it is evident that the cost savings can be considerable. For example, woven rags yield 7-8 pieces per pound with a cost ranging from 30 cents to $1.50 per rag, depending upon the type you purchase. Conversely, spunlace wipes yield 50-60 wipes per pound and cost 10 to 15 cents per wipe. The cost difference is significant and when combined with the other benefits, it’s easy to see why business owners are turning to this product more often.
The comparison to rental shop towels is equally interesting. These users are often required to contract with suppliers. While this may seem like a common business practice, it can be detrimental if the supplied towels have metal shards, chemicals, or debris not quite removed from the washing process. The residue from previous users can damage your products and equipment. And, when you account for additional charges (for lost towels, delivery fees, disposal fees, and fuel surcharges) the costs can really add up.
There are also a host of wood pulp-based industrial wipes found at retailers across the country These products are mostly wood pulp held together with binders or glues. They are basically a very thick paper towel. While cheaper than spunlace products on a cost per wipe basis (they 6-9 cents per wipe, versus 10-15 cents per wipe for spunlace) the overall cost for those using spunlace wipes will be less. Spunlace wipes last longer so you will use less, as much as a fourth to a half the number of spunlace wipes versus a heavy paper towel type wiper. Also, spunlace wipes are stronger and have no chemical residue or binders to contaminate surfaces. Overall, customers save money and have a better wipe using spunlace wipes.
The use of nonwoven spunlace wipes has grown considerably in the past 30 years, particularly in the printing, auto paint prep, mechanical repair, and industrial cleaning industries. New uses for spunlace wipes include glass, composite, and solid surface manufacturing, institutional cleaning, fiberglass molding, powder coating, and pharmaceuticals.
Why Use Telesto Products Spunlace Wipes?
Telesto Products has one of the largest MADE IN THE USA spunlace wipe offerings. After the spunlace technology was acquired overseas in the early 1990s, Asian fabric penetrated the US market. In general, Asian spunlace fabric lacks the strength and softness of Dupont’s original spunlace fabric which is still MADE IN THE USA. Some Asian fabrics even have small amounts of binder (glue) to enhance their cross directional strength, which is inferior to USA manufactured spunlace.
Telesto Products offers a full line of spunlace wipes in various sizes that are all manufactured domestically. All put-ups have a single case as well as volume pricing. Take a look at the example below which compares one of Telesto Products’ spunlace offerings to what you may currently be using.
Specific Cost Comparisons
Primo® Wipe Crushpack is offered by Telesto Products at $49.00 per case of 400+ wipes so 11 cents per wiper. These spunlace wipes are MADE IN THE USA; they are the best you can buy. They have all the benefits mentioned above and delivery in the lower 48 states is FREE.
An average price for rags is $2.20 per pound with an average of 7 rags per pound or about 31 cents per rag for the same application. Prices can be higher for terry towels or thicker rags. Therefore, there is both a price and performance advantage to spunlace wipes versus rags.
As discussed earlier, rental shop towels are even more expensive. And, while washed, rental towel residue may not be completely removed. In this case, a cost and performance advantage to spunlace wipes exists once again.
Our final comparison looks at your local retail options. You can purchase Scott DRC Shop Rags at Home Depot or on Amazon for about $13 for 200 wipes (6.5 cents per wipe). While the base price is less expensive than Telesto’s Primo® Wipe Crushpack price (11 cents per wipe) you will want to consider how long the wipe will last.
Primo® Wipe Crushpack wipes’ lifespan is at least twice and up to four times as long and they don’t have glues or binders or lint. The overall benefits for your industrial job favor Primo® Wipe Crushpack spunlace wipes.
Information and videos are available on our website to support comparison claims for price and performance of Telesto Products spunlace wipes. We invite you to carefully examine all of our products and contact us with any questions. We are proud of our product offerings and their reputation as the best in the industry.
