Policy content: The English region of England will impose a comprehensive ban on the sale of civilian wet wipes containing plastic fibers in 2027, with exemptions only for medical and industrial products; the European Union will strictly enforce the Single-Use Plastics Directive, restricting the circulation of non-dispersible wet wipes, and mandating that the outer packaging of wet wipes must bear the warning text "Do Not Flush into Drains".
Industry Impact: Traditional wet wipes made of blended spunlace fabric with polyester and viscose are unable to enter the civilian markets in Europe and the United States. Orders for plastic-free substrates such as bamboo fiber, cotton, and regenerated cellulose have skyrocketed. In the first half of 2026, domestic foreign trade orders for plastic-free wet wipes increased by 47% year-on-year, prompting a large number of OEM factories to urgently revamp their production lines and eliminate plastic-containing raw materials.
Corporate response plan: For exporting civilian wet wipes to the EU, it is necessary to use 100% plant fiber substrates and provide a compostable degradation test report. In addition to material testing, disinfectant wipes also need to complete BPR biocide registration. Regular plastic-containing wet wipes can only be sold to markets such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East, where plastic restriction policies have not yet been introduced.
