It’s been quite the journey for the wipes industry over the last few years. As wipes demand surged overall in 2020 at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, causing shortages of disinfectant wipes, closures across industries—including fitness facilities, hotel and lodging, restaurants, schools, universities and others—caused sharp declines for wipes in the industrial and institutional sector. As businesses and facilities reopened in 2021, the market began to rebound, and today companies in the wipes industry are reporting similar growth patterns to the pre-pandemic days.

 “At the beginning of the Covid pandemic, the demand for wipes in the I&I market quickly dropped. This was due to the policies around remote work, remote learning and social distancing that limited the need for cleaning at businesses, schools, large venues, fitness centers, and in medical facilities. As the pandemic restrictions ease and people return to offices, schools, athletic facilities, and other large venues, the demand for wipes continues to move back toward pre-pandemic levels.”

which provides historical data for 2011, 2016 and 2021 and forecasts for 2026 and 2030 for wipe demand, the market for industrial and institutional wipes rebounded in 2021 following a depressed 2020 that was attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic, as the foodservice market was negatively impacted by restaurant closures, and hospitals saw the cancellation of non-emergency procedures and focused more on telehealth. In 2021, the market for industrial and institutional wipes was approximately $1.5 billion, estimated at the converters’ level, according to Freedonia. Demand through 2026 is expected to increase 2.8% per year.

The market for wipes remains strong and continues to present new opportunities for suppliers,  the market for surface disinfectant wipes was particularly challenged during the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic. A surge in demand for these products caused shortages in retail and non-retail settings. So much so that suppliers had to prioritize healthcare facilities over restocking shelves as they worked to meet the spike in demand. As the overall market steadies through the forecast, demand for some pandemic-surge products will lessen.”

 “It was affected by the transition to remote working, but as people return to the office, that demand will return. “The requirement for clean, safe and sanitary environments will continue to drive growth in the wipes market.”

healthcare environments are increasingly demanding faster and easier access to cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in order to maintain infection prevention protocols. “Facilities have a number of disinfectants and formats to choose from, including sprays, aerosols, dilutable concentrates and wipes,” Nasrallah explains. “Wipes are emerging as the standard for decontaminating low-risk patient equipment and high-touch environmental surfaces within the healthcare space because of their ease of use and reduced exposure to cross-contamination.”

The key attributes of cleaning wipes—ease of use, convenience, efficacy and the decreased risk of cross-contamination—are some of the major reasons businesses and institutions are increasingly replacing spray disinfectants and reusable cloths with wipes. This is especially the case in healthcare facilities where there is a risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).