Fibre combinations

Different Kimberly-Clark products use different combinations of softwood and hardwood fibres, depending on the needs of the products and our consumers.

Pine is a softwood which produces long, thick and strong fibres. These qualities give strength to tissue. At our Tantanoola and Millicent mills we ‘pulp’ pine from renewable, virgin thinnings to make fibres. We also purchase softwood fibres for different tissue properties.

Hardwood fibres, from eucalyptus, are shorter and finer. They give smoothness and softness to tissue. We purchase eucalyptus fibres grown in sustainably managed and certified plantations overseas.

  • Kleenex® premium facial tissue is a blend of softwood and eucalyptus for surface softness.
  • Kleenex® Cottonelle® toilet tissue uses a blend of softwood and hardwood (eucalyptus), for strength and softness.
  • Viva® paper towels use a blend of softwood and hardwood fibres, for strength and softness.
  • Kimsoft® CostSaver hand towel consists of 100% pine fibre.
  • Wondersoft® toilet tissue is a blend of pine and eucalyptus fibres.
  • Thick & Thirsty® paper towels use 100% pine fibre.
  • Huggies® and Snugglers® nappies use 100% pine fibre.

Forest “wastes” put to good use

Our pulp mill was established with government and local support, keen to use pine plantation wastes left in the South Australian pine forests.

This waste is called “thinnings” – small trees which are cut down for the health of the bigger trees which ultimately are harvested for lumber. Before Kimberly-Clark used these “thinnings” they had been left to rot on the forest floor and were a wasted resource.

These pine plantations are replanted and managed to ensure there is full replacement and sustainability into the future. It’s like growing and harvesting wheat, only on a longer time scale.

Kimberly-Clark uses this renewable resource as the sole supply for the fibre made in its pulp mill. Today, our use of the pine forest thinnings is integral to the economics of South Australia’s South East forestry industry and provides a local, Australian use for this forestry by-product.

This pine fibre provides 60% of our fibre needs. The rest of our fibre comes from plantation eucalyptus wood and northern hemisphere softwoods in sustainably managed forests.

We do not take fibre from protected old-growth forests.

Find out more about our sustainable forest management.