Kleenex–free Kleenex Tissues

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Kleenex is a brand name for a variety of toiletry paper-based products such as facial tissue, bathroom tissue, paper towels, and diapers. The name Kleenex is a registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Often used as a genericized trademark, especially in the United States, “Kleenex” is in fact owned and used as a trademark by Kimberly-Clark. Kleenex products are manufactured in 30 countries and sold in more than 170. The material from which Kleenex is made was originally called “Cellucotton,” and was designed by Kimberly-Clark during World War I. It came to be used in gas mask filters during the war as a replacement for cotton, which was in high demand for use as a surgical dressing. The Kimberly-Clark Corporation created the first Western facial tissue in 1924 (it had been in use for centuries before in Japan; see History of facial tissue for details) and originally marketed them as a way to remove cold cream or makeup remover. It was a disposable substitute for face towels. In 1925, the first Kleenex tissue ad was used in magazines showing “the new secret of keeping a pretty skin as used by famous movie stars…” A few years after the introduction of Kleenex, the company’s head researcher tried to persuade the head of advertising to try to market the tissue for colds and hay fever. The admin declined the idea but then committed a small amount of ad space to mention of using Kleenex tissue as a handkerchief. By the 1930s, Kleenex was being marketed with the slogan Don ™t Carry a Cold in Your Pocket  and its use as a disposable handkerchief replacement became predominant. The original Kleenex trademark application at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) was filed by Cellucotton Products Company of Neenah, Wisconsin on Saturday, July 12, 1924. The trademark for Kleenex was filed in the class of Medical, Beauty, Agricultural Services. The description provided to the USPTO was for, “ABSORBENT PADS OR SHEETS FOR REMOVING COLD CREAM.”