Downy, also known as Lenor in Europe, Taiwan and Japan, is an American brand of fabric softener produced by Procter & Gamble that was introduced in 1960.[1]
History
Procter & Gamble developed Downy during the late 1950s to address the physical effects of synthetic detergents on textiles. While these detergents improved cleaning, they often left fabrics with a stiff texture, a problem compounded by the high heat of automatic dryers which contributed to wrinkling and static cling. Proctor & Gamble's research and development team identified compounds that could bond to fabric fibers during the rinse cycle, resulting in a smoother feel and providing a barrier against impurities in wash water. Following successful test marketing in 1960, Downy became the first liquid fabric softener to be distributed nationally in the United States. To address the difficulty of manual application during the rinse cycle, Procter & Gamble encouraged appliance manufacturers to integrate automatic dispensers into washing machines and later introduced dispensing balls to automate the release of the liquid.[2]
During a period of high demand in the early 1970s, production at Procter & Gamble's Lima, Ohio, plant was updated by technician-led initiatives. Rather than hiring outside contractors to expand capacity, the facility's workforce underwent intensive training to increase line speeds internally.