The substrate is the nonwoven itself: its weight, its fibre blend and its construction. Those determine how the wipe feels, how much liquid it carries, whether it tears in use and whether it can be described as biodegradable or flushable, which are regulated descriptions in an increasing number of markets.

The lotion is the liquid the substrate carries, and it is where regulatory attention concentrates. A baby wipe, a feminine wipe and a kitchen wipe carry different formulations and, in most jurisdictions, fall under different rules, even when the pack looks nearly identical on a shelf.

That is why the destination market belongs in the first enquiry. A formulation that is unremarkable in one market may require registration, reformulation or different labelling in another, and finding that out after the samples are approved costs a production slot.

Pack format is a third variable that behaves like a product decision. A flow pack with a resealable lid, a soft pack and a canister are different tools, different costs and different shelf presences, and the choice is usually made by what the category looks like locally.