New Dirt Is Good laundry capsule technology to drive premiumisation

Capsules revolutionised the laundry category when they first hit the shelves, offering consumers greater convenience with easy dosing and no mess. Now we’re introducing the next step change, with our most advanced capsule yet from Dirt Is Good (also known as OMO, Persil and Skip).

This is a complete reinvention of our capsule architecture, moving from three chambers to four and incorporating patented Nano-Power™ and Nano-Sense™ technologies. The new product is designed to tackle the toughest stains and deliver a premium laundry experience.

“Superior stain removal remains a defining expectation in laundry, but the premium experience matters too,” says Keith Rutherford, Global Innovation Lead for Unilever’s Home Care brands. “This capsule has been comprehensively redesigned to deliver enhanced cleaning performance, elevated fragrance delivery and a more premium consumer experience.”

New capsules address what matters most to consumers

All four chambers of the new capsules dissolve at the same time during the wash cycle, releasing a blend of technologies that get to work fast on stain removal, whiteness and fragrance delivery. The technology works on all types of stains – on both natural and synthetic fibres – reducing the need for pre-soaking, pre-treatment or re-washing.

The formulation includes Polyshield, a technology that builds up a protective layer on the fabric’s surface from the first wash. This layer prevents greasy, fatty or oily stains from forming and ensures they are repelled from the surface during the wash cycle.

The clear film encasing the capsules dissolves fast, leaving no residue, even in energy-efficient quick and cold wash programmes, which consumers are increasingly using. Residue left by incomplete dissolving is a concern for 28% of users​.

The capsule’s redesigned fragrance system delivers both an instant burst of scent and long-lasting freshness. Insufficient longevity of scent post-wash is cited as an issue by 32% of consumers​. Fragrance is intrinsically linked to cleaning as a self-care trend and is an important way for us to differentiate our premium products and build Desire at Scale.

Factory investment underpins Unilever’s shift to pureplay HPC business

The new Dirt Is Good capsules are already rolling off the lines at our Port Sunlight facility in the UK.

Investment in new machinery has enabled us to triple production capacity while, at the same time, giving us greater precision in dosage. This is important for the new capsules as they contain a more concentrated liquid in each chamber.

The upgrade is part of a £150 million investment that’s turning Port Sunlight into a high-efficiency, tech-enabled European Home Care hub with manufacturing, logistics and innovation under one roof. This is designed to fuel reinvestment in our biggest brands, which is crucial to Unilever’s reset as a more focused, higher-growth pureplay HPC company.

Frequently asked questions

• What is new about the Dirt Is Good capsules?

  Dirt Is Good has upgraded its full capsules range from a three-chamber to an advanced four-chamber design. The redesign features two new proprietary technologies, Nano-Power for stain removal and Nano-Sense for fragrance, along with a fast-dissolving film that works in cold and short wash cycles.

• What is Nano-Power technology in Dirt Is Good capsules?

  Nano-Power is Dirt Is Good’s new stain-fighting technology built into the redesigned four-chamber capsule. It delivers increased cleaning actives per dose, specifically targeting tough and dried-in stains, which is the No.1 concern among laundry capsule users.

• Do the new Dirt Is Good capsules work in cold wash cycles?

  Yes. The new Dirt Is Good capsules feature a fast-dissolving film engineered to dissolve fully in cold water and short wash cycles, addressing residue, which is a key pain point for capsule users running quick or low-temperature washes.