Back to nature in the bathroom

27 February 2006 00:00  [Source: ICB]

For years, manufacturers of consumer chemicals have been striving to make their products seem more natural. But some people think the back-to-nature movement can often move back a step too far.

Henkel’s recently presented Fritz Henkel Awards for creative consumer products – named after its founding father – could be a case in point. This depends, of course, on whether you fancy the idea of taking a yoghurt shower or consider the scent of exotic fruits makes for a ‘tasteful’ toilet.

Alongside the creators of new technologies for user- and environmentally-friendly adhesives and sealants and for improved PU-based hot melts, Henkel rewarded Italian designer Alessi for creating the WC FreshSurfer, a toilet rim block that not only functions as an air freshener and cleaner but also stands out as ‘a tasteful designer object’.

Henkel says ‘the new chic fragrances’ – lemon, grapefruit and exotic – were created to complement the new-look FreshSurfer, which it launched in Europe in August 2005.

Noting that ‘for millions of consumers, yoghurt has become a favourite breakfast food that is both healthy and good,’ the Düsseldorf group says its new Fa Yoghurt shower gel ‘can be appreciated even before sitting down at the table’.

With its ‘Fa feelgood freshness’ slogan, this new product line – said to be the ‘first time that yoghurt has ever been used in shower gel – has found ‘instant acceptance on the market,’ claims Henkel.

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