Over 50 years of Harrisons innovation
Our role – The Original J-Cloth®
The Original J-Cloth®
It’s the mark of a truly timeless product – when a brand becomes a household name, or better yet, synonymous with the product itself. Whether it’s the Hoover or Sellotape, iconic brands have the power to weave their way into our everyday language.
But, no brand starts off this way.
The same is true for the J-Cloth®, the original blue and white striped non-woven wipe that burst onto the scene in the 1970s, climbing its way to the top of the market and remaining there ever since. Many wipe companies have tried to emulate the style and performance, but how many know the story behind the icon?
Building an iconic reputation takes time, constant innovation and generations of know-how. Now, as a Chicopee® UK platinum distributor, we’re leading the non-woven market with a sustainable new product – the J-Cloth® Compostable. Dive into the story of the J-Cloth®, how Harrisons made it what it is today in the UK, and how we’re continuing to drive innovation in the non-woven market.
The past
The origins of the original
The original J-Cloth® has remained a staple product in the UK for over 50 years. But before becoming synonymous with cleaning excellence across these great isles, it actually started its life in Holland when the trademark was registered by Johnson & Johnson (the original parent company of Chicopee®).
Johnson & Johnson wanted to take J Cloth across Europe – bringing the J-Cloth to a UK audience – where they have since found exceptional success, thanks to Harrisons.
And it all starts, as most good stories do, on Fleet Street.
The Fleet Street promotion
Before bringing their wipe to the masses, Johnson & Johnson ran a campaign in a Fleet Street-based newspaper.
By enclosing samples of their new product in a national paper, they hoped to reach UK businesses looking for an innovative cleaning solution.
When the promotional campaign came to a close, however, the brand was left with a significant amount of leftover material – and no idea what to do with it.
Enter Norman Harris, a seasoned Harrisons salesman (then Saul D. Harrisons) with plenty of contacts in the East End, as well as Fleet Street. Specialising in selling used dishcloths, Norman saw the potential in the J-Cloth® and asked for a portion of the stock.
East End success
Norman’s intuition was correct. His East End contacts – and their customers – loved the J-Cloth®, and he sold his portion of the leftover material over a single weekend, going so far as to ask for more.
With years of expertise, Norman quickly sold the remaining J-Cloth® stock and knew that Harrisons had found something incredible.
At the time, stockinette – a simple cotton rag – was commonly used to clean, making the J-Cloth® and its non-woven structure truly revolutionary.
The Harrisons partnership
With generations of expertise under his belt, Seymour Harrison (3rd generation owner of Harrisons, and uncle of the current MD) saw the opportunity laid out before him and decided to take it – offering to partner with Johnson & Johnson for the sale of the J-Cloth®, and they agreed.
Since then – as the Chicopee® platinum distributor in the UK – the original J-Cloth® has changed the very nature of Harrisons. Shifting our focus from textiles and rags to non-woven wipes, and setting us up to be the UK market leader we are today.
The Fleet Street promotion
Before bringing their wipe to the masses, Johnson & Johnson ran a campaign in a Fleet Street-based newspaper.
By enclosing samples of their new product in a national paper, they hoped to reach UK businesses looking for an innovative cleaning solution.
When the promotional campaign came to a close, however, the brand was left with a significant amount of leftover material – and no idea what to do with it.
Enter Norman Harris, a seasoned Harrisons salesman (then Saul D. Harrisons) with plenty of contacts in the East End, as well as Fleet Street. Specialising in selling used dishcloths, Norman saw the potential in the J-Cloth® and asked for a portion of the stock.
East End success
Norman’s intuition was correct. His East End contacts – and their customers – loved the J-Cloth®, and he sold his portion of the leftover material over a single weekend, going so far as to ask for more.
With years of expertise, Norman quickly sold the remaining J-Cloth® stock and knew that Harrisons had found something incredible.
At the time, stockinette – a simple cotton rag – was commonly used to clean, making the J-Cloth® and its non-woven structure truly revolutionary.
The Harrisons partnership
With generations of expertise under his belt, Seymour Harrison (3rd generation owner of Harrisons, and uncle of the current MD) saw the opportunity laid out before him and decided to take it – offering to partner with Johnson & Johnson for the sale of the J-Cloth®, and they agreed.
Since then – as the Chicopee® platinum distributor in the UK – the original J-Cloth® has changed the very nature of Harrisons. Shifting our focus from textiles and rags to non-woven wipes, and setting us up to be the UK market leader we are today.
The present
Leading the non-woven market
Since its inception, we’ve seen the J-Cloth® range take on a variety of sectors – like healthcare, janitorial, HoReCa and education – all with solutions designed to cater to different environments.
From keeping environments clean in the food and hospitality environments to aerospace and automotive Harrisons continues its legacy of innovation.
The next innovation
Whilst family and tradition form the foundation of our business, innovation and sustainability are at the heart of all our decisions in the next phase of our journey.
Consumers are beginning to prioritise sustainability when it comes to their products. From a recent survey, 80% are willing to pay a premium –
during a cost of living crisis – to access eco-friendly credentials like local sourcing, recycled or sustainable materials, and a lower carbon footprint throughout supply chains.
Further, in a 2023 survey, more than 60 percent of UK consumers said they would favour the purchase of a product that was proven to be more sustainable.
Recognising this customer need, we decided it was time to innovate, creating a bold new solution – one that balances efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Introducing the
J-Cloth® Compostable
Made of 100% PEFC-certified viscose, the FCC-approved wipe is fully compostable according to DIN EN 13432:2000-12.
With an open-weave structure, the J-Cloth® compostable effortlessly tackles food spills, dirt, debris, and dust, making it perfect for a variety of applications.
The impact
Watch
See it to believe it
The J-Cloth® compostable begins to break down in the soil after just 2 weeks and is fully broken down after 6 weeks.
Read
Dive into the science
Learn more about the J-Cloth® compostable – including product life cycle and solutions.
Download PDF
Certified, versatile,
and sustainable.
Make the switch today and experience the future of cleaning.
Discover the J-Cloth® Compostable
The future
The next innovation for J-Cloth®?
If our relationship with the J-Cloth® proves anything, it’s that we are never resting on our laurels. We understand that the clamour for ever-more-conscious products will come from the next generation of consumers, and we’re committed to working with our partners to provide solutions that make a difference.
The next innovation being designed as we speak and will be coming to the UK market from Chicopee® will be the 100% plastic-free J-Cloth®; taking the iconic product one step further on its journey. This new design (currently being developed) will totally remove plastics from the manufacturing process, not just the fibres, making it a perfect solution for businesses looking to drive toward their sustainability!
Harrisons and the J-Cloth®:
Committed to innovation
Since our incorporation in 1891, we have remained at the very forefront of the wipes industry in the UK – and it’s all down to our generations of expertise and our commitment to innovation, as well as our committed collaboration with our brand partners. Thanks to the expertise of Norman Harris and Seymour Harrison over 50 years ago, the J-Cloth® has remained an iconic brand throughout the UK and beyond. Both as a household name and as a name synonymous with hundreds of other blue and white striped wipes.
The story of the J-Cloth® is a constant reminder of our dedication to keeping up with customer needs, and, with the J-Cloth® Compostable, we’re ensuring that our non-woven wipes can fulfil the needs of a new market – while reducing waste and harm to the environment.
Discover the J-Cloth® CompostableLearn more about Harrisons' history
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