In-house testing: The secret to sustainability

AT HARRISONS, a family-run business with more than 130 years of wipe manufacturing experience, tackling this challenge has become a core focus. It’s not just about improving performance - it’s about reducing environmental impact in a measurable, practical way.

The problem with old habits

Across industries -  from aerospace and automotive to food production and pharmaceuticals - cleaning processes are mission-critical. But wipe selection often happens based on habit rather than informed decision-making. A product that’s “always worked” gets reordered without question, even when the surrounding processes or compliance standards have changed.

This reliance on legacy products leads to inefficiency. When a wipe doesn’t have the requisite absorption, tears during use or leaves lint behind, teams are forced to use two, three, or even four wipes to complete a task that should have required one. That drives up material consumption, packaging waste, chemical usage, and operational time - all of which directly challenge sustainability goals.

What’s more, inefficiencies like these often go unnoticed. Businesses may not even realise how much waste is being generated through repeated, ineffective wiping. It becomes baked into the process, accepted as the norm - until someone decides to test assumptions.

From assumptions to evidence: a smarter, science-led approach

So, how do you challenge assumptions? Breaking this cycle requires better data. 

That’s where in-house testing comes in. By bringing testing capabilities directly into the business, companies gain the ability to evaluate wipes under real-world conditions, using objective, measurable criteria. In-house testing moves decision-making away from guesswork and tradition, and instead provides clear evidence about which products perform best for specific tasks. 

This approach allows businesses to match the right wipe to the right job, reducing unnecessary usage, chemical consumption, and packaging waste. Ultimately, it leads to more efficient processes, lower costs, and a smaller environmental footprint.

Recognising these benefits, Harrisons invested in a dedicated in-house laboratory - a facility designed not only for product development, but also to help customers make informed decisions from the very start.

Our key tests (and why they reduce waste)

Tensile strength testing

We measure the force needed to pull fibres apart - a crucial factor in high-friction environments like engineering, automotive, and MRO (maintenance, repair and operations), where wipes need to perform under pressure. 

Testing both wet and dry tensile strength ensures the wipe stands up to chemicals and solvents used in the field, not just in theory. If a wipe breaks or shreds mid-use, it leads to multiple replacements, increased consumption, and more waste.

Abrasion resistance testing

This test simulates repeated surface contact to see how well a wipe resists linting when faced with friction. For industries like food processing, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals, where contamination can halt production or compromise safety, avoiding lint performance is non-negotiable. Even a small amount of fibre left behind can lead to contamination, failed inspections, or production delays.

So, having a test to establish the lint control of a wipe reduces the risk of rework and disposal due to contamination. That means less product waste, less downtime, and improved process reliability - all measurable gains in sustainability.

Absorption testing

The team also analyses how much liquid a wipe can absorb in relation to its weight. A highly absorbent wipe can clean more with less, cutting down on both wipe usage and chemical consumption.

But more isn’t always better, especially when wiping with solvents. If a wipe absorbs too much chemical too quickly, it can lead to excess solvent use, increasing costs and environmental load. 

Precision in absorption means fewer wipes used and fewer resources wasted.

Consistency over time

However, in-house testing should not be a one-off event. At Harrisons, we see the benefits of batch testing products to ensure that each production run performs to the same high standard as the last. 

This ongoing verification is essential - not just to meet technical specifications, but to maintain the level of performance customers rely on every day. 

When performance is consistent, teams don’t need to “double up” just in case. They trust the wipe to deliver, first time. 

Beyond the lab: real-world validation

Of course, lab testing is only part of the picture. We know that conditions on the production line rarely mirror those in a controlled environment, which is why we place real value on on-site validation too. 

We work directly with customers to observe wipes in action, assess conditions, and adjust recommendations accordingly.

This holistic view, combining lab data with real-world feedback, gives businesses a clearer picture of what works and why. It eliminates hidden inefficiencies and provides a roadmap to smarter wiping, with less trial-and-error along the way, and better compatibility with evolving operational demands.

The industrial range: tested, proven, ready

All of this research and testing feeds directly into our Industrial Range. Each product is tested for tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and absorption, ensuring it’s fit for purpose from day one.

Whether it's ultra-low-lint options for surface prep, heavy-duty cloths for degreasing, or highly absorbent wipes that will tackle spills quickly, the range is backed by data and designed for real use. Harrisons also offers additional lab testing for customers with niche solvents or chemicals to ensure compatibility.

We’ve also seen in-house testing open the door for us to introduce more environmentally friendly wipes that use innovative materials, such as Tech 100 (compostable, made with 100% cellulosic Sontara®  materials) and Prem 100 (compostable, made with wood pulp and lyocell).

They both undergo the same rigorous performance testing as our synthetic counterparts, and through our data, we have shown that these plastic-free wipes can match - and in some cases exceed - the performance of traditional synthetic wipes. This evidence has given our customers the confidence to transition away from plastic, knowing that sustainability doesn’t have to come at the cost of efficiency, consistency, or compliance.

Sustainability starts with the right wipe

Ultimately, sustainability isn’t about buzzwords, it's about using fewer resources to achieve better results. When a wipe is strong enough, absorbent enough, and lint-free enough to get the job done right the first time, that’s a direct reduction in material waste, packaging volume, and chemical usage. Multiply that across hundreds of tasks per day across a large business, and the impact becomes significant.

In-house testing helps us quantify that improvement. It gives customers the tools to switch from “what we’ve always used” to “what works best” — and measure the savings along the way.

Stephen Harrison is owner and managing director of Harrisons

For more information, visit harrisonwipes.co.uk/industrial

TEL: 01708 377 330