Blog › Quality Series › Chapter 4
◆ Quality Series · Part 4
In short: quality starts before production — with the nonwoven, the alcohol and the pouch film, and the suppliers behind them.
The three materials that decide the pad
| Material | Specification | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Nonwoven (substrate) | Hygienic thin nonwoven, ≥ 40 g/m² (FZ/T 64005); viscose options | Incoming weight & appearance check |
| Alcohol (active) | Pharmacopeia-grade, blended to 75% | Incoming content / purity check |
| Pouch film | Barrier laminate (73 or 102 g/m²) | Seal and alcohol-barrier performance |
Why we screen for optical brighteners
Many commodity nonwovens contain fluorescent whitening agents to look brighter. Under a 365 nm UV lamp these show a strong blue fluorescence. For a skin-contact product we screen incoming nonwoven and reject strong blue fluorescence — only the faint natural fluorescence of clean fibre is acceptable. It is a small check that says a lot about material grade.
Supplier qualification
- Quality agreements with key suppliers (nonwoven and alcohol).
- A quality file and periodic evaluation for each key supplier.
- Incoming inspection on every lot before material is released to production.
For buyers — what to ask for: the material specification and grade (nonwoven weight and fibre, alcohol grade), and whether the nonwoven is screened for optical brighteners.
