Persil
An international laundry-care brand introduced by Henkel in 1907 and marketed in different territories by Henkel and Unilever.
Last updated October 7, 2026
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Overview
Persil is a laundry-detergent brand with a divided international operating structure. Henkel introduced the brand in Germany on 6 June 1907, while Unilever holds and uses Persil trademark rights in several markets, notably the United Kingdom, Ireland and France. Consequently, Persil products are not made or marketed by one single worldwide company: Henkel manages the brand in Germany and many other countries, while Unilever operates it in a separate group of territories under historical licensing and trademark arrangements. The original Persil was a major development in household cleaning. It combined a detergent base with sodium perborate, an oxygen-releasing bleaching agent, and sodium silicate. This allowed the powder to create oxygen bubbles during washing, reducing the need for manual scrubbing and traditional outdoor sun-bleaching. The name Persil was formed from the names of two original ingredients, perborate and silicate. In French, the word also happens to mean parsley, although that meaning is unrelated to the brand's creation. Persil's history is closely connected with the development of mass-market washing products and with trademark disputes. A French soap bearing the name Le Persil had been launched by Jules Ronchetti in 1906. After commercial and legal developments during and after the First World War, a 1927 arrangement allocated use of the Persil mark in France and the United Kingdom to the English Lever Brothers business, later part of Unilever, while Henkel retained the mark in most other territories. The arrangement explains why the same name can identify products from two unrelated corporate operators. The brand has expanded from its original powder into liquid detergents, gels, tablets, liquid capsules and concentrated products. Its portfolio has included enzymatic formulas, non-enzymatic formulas, colour-care detergents and specialist products for wool and silk. Product names and formulations vary by market. Henkel has used Persil directly in Germany, much of Europe, North America and selected Middle Eastern markets, while using related local names such as Dixan, Wipp and Le Chat in some countries where the Persil trademark is unavailable or has a different commercial owner. Unilever's regional portfolio has included Persil Small & Mighty in the United Kingdom and Ireland and products emphasizing concentrated dosing, fabric care and skin-friendly or naturally positioned formulations in France and other markets. Important modern developments include Henkel's 2007 global relaunch and packaging redesign, the introduction of Persil ProClean in the United States in 2015, its expansion into Canada in 2016, and the replacement of Wisk with Persil following Henkel's acquisition of Sun Products. Packaging and dosing have also evolved. Unilever's British and Irish Small & Mighty range introduced a concentrated format and a dosing ball that could also be used for pre-treatment; later packaging incorporated recycled plastic and removed the dosing device. Today, Persil remains an active laundry-care brand rather than a single globally standardized product line. Its competitive positioning is generally premium mass-market, emphasizing stain removal, cleaning performance, formulation technology, concentrated formats and, in some markets, care for colours, sensitive skin or delicate fabrics. The brand's precise ownership, packaging, formulation and product naming depend on the country in which it is sold.
History
Persil emerged during the transition from household soap to purpose-made washing powders. In the late nineteenth century, manufacturers began selling powdered cleaning products that were easier to handle and more consistent than traditional bar soap. Henkel, a Düsseldorf company founded in 1876, pursued further chemical improvements and on 6 June 1907 introduced Persil. The product's key innovation was the combination of washing agents with sodium perborate, an oxygen-releasing bleaching compound, and sodium silicate. During washing, the formulation generated oxygen bubbles that helped loosen dirt and whiten fabrics. Henkel promoted this as a self-activating powder because it reduced the physical labour associated with scrubbing clothes on a washboard. It also reduced reliance on sun-bleaching, an established method in which washed textiles were spread outdoors for whitening. The name Persil was constructed from the names of two original components, perborate and silicate. Its international use was complicated by pronunciation differences between languages. The name also coincides with the French word for parsley, but that linguistic coincidence was not the source of the product name. The brand's ownership history became complicated in France and the United Kingdom. Jules Ronchetti, a Marseille-based entrepreneur, had introduced a soap under the name Le Persil in 1906. During the First World War, the French concessionaire associated with Henkel's laundry business reached an arrangement with Ronchetti under which it would stop selling detergent products under the Persil name. Subsequent legal disputes led to a 1927 settlement. The English Lever Brothers company received rights to use the mark in France and the United Kingdom, while Henkel retained rights across most of the rest of the world. Lever Brothers later became part of Unilever, creating the two-company operating model that still defines the brand. Henkel has marketed Persil directly in Germany, Poland, much of continental Europe, the United States, Canada and selected Middle Eastern markets. In some countries it has used alternative names for related formulations, including Dixan in Greece, Italy and Cyprus, Wipp in Spain and China, and Le Chat in France, where Unilever controls the Persil name. Belgium has had a mixed arrangement in which both Persil and Dixan products may be present, with Persil receiving priority in Henkel's local marketing. Unilever has marketed Persil in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, parts of Latin America, China, Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand, with historical variations in Australia and other markets. Its Small & Mighty range, launched in the UK and Ireland in 2007, reflected the broader movement toward concentrated liquids. A later version used a flexible dosing ball that could also serve as a pre-treatment tool. In 2020, the packaging was redesigned with recycled plastic and the dosing device was removed. Henkel marked Persil's centenary in 2007 with a brand and packaging relaunch. In the United States, Henkel introduced Persil ProClean in 2015, offering liquid, Power-Caps and Power-Pearls formats. The line expanded to Canada in 2016. Henkel's acquisition of Sun Products in 2016 also affected the North American detergent portfolio: Wisk was discontinued and Persil was used as its successor. Persil's current portfolio spans powders, liquids, gels, tablets and capsules, as well as colour-care and delicate-fabric products. Formulas may be enzymatic, non-enzymatic or bleach-free, depending on the intended use and market. The brand remains active, but its products should not be assumed to be identical worldwide because the manufacturer, formulation, trademark ownership and product names vary by territory.
- 2020
Small & Mighty packaging changes
[1]Unilever updated Small & Mighty packaging with recycled plastic and removed the dosing device.
- 2016
North American portfolio expansion
[1]Persil ProClean expanded to Canada, while Henkel replaced the discontinued Wisk brand with Persil after acquiring Sun Products.
- 2015
Persil ProClean launches in the United States
[1]Henkel launched ProClean in liquid, capsule and bead-based formats, initially with Walmart distribution.
- 2011
Persil enters Mexico
[1]Persil was introduced to the Mexican market.
- 2007
Centenary relaunch and concentrated liquid expansion
[1]Henkel refreshed Persil's global presentation, while Unilever launched Small & Mighty in the UK and Ireland.
- 1931
Unilever becomes a Persil operator
[1]Unilever acquired or assumed rights to market Persil in a group of territories including the UK, Ireland and France.
- 1927
Trademark rights are territorially divided
[1]A settlement assigned Persil naming rights in France and the United Kingdom to Lever Brothers and preserved Henkel's rights in most other territories.
- 1907
Henkel launches Persil
[1]Henkel introduced Persil in Germany as a powder combining washing agents with oxygen-based bleaching chemistry.
- 1906
Le Persil soap appears in France
[1]Jules Ronchetti launched a French soap using the Le Persil name, later contributing to the trademark dispute surrounding the brand.
Products and positioning
Premium mass-market laundry care focused on stain removal, cleaning performance, formulation technology and increasingly concentrated or specialized formats.
Laundry detergent · 1907
Persil Powder
The original product format, developed as a powdered detergent combining washing agents with oxygen-based bleaching chemistry. Powder variants continue to appear in markets where consumers prefer measured solid detergent and may be offered in standard, colour-care or specialized formulas.
Laundry detergent
Persil Liquid
Liquid detergents provide a pre-dissolved format for machine washing and are sold in multiple regional formulas. Depending on the market, Persil liquids may emphasize stain removal, colour protection, sensitive-skin positioning, concentrated dosing or cold-water performance.
Premium laundry detergent · 2015
Persil ProClean
Henkel's North American Persil platform, introduced in the United States in 2015. The range has included Power-Liquid, Power-Caps and Power-Pearls formats, with products positioned around strong cleaning performance and premium detergent technology.
Concentrated liquid detergent · 2007
Persil Small & Mighty
Unilever's concentrated liquid detergent range for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its launch promoted smaller packaging and lower dosing, while a later package used a flexible dosing ball for measuring and stain pre-treatment before subsequent packaging changes.
Colour-care detergent
Persil Color
A family of detergents intended for coloured garments. Colour-care formulations generally prioritize cleaning while avoiding or reducing conventional bleaching effects that can contribute to colour fading.
Specialist laundry care
Persil Delicate Care
Specialist products for delicate textiles such as wool and silk. Availability and exact naming differ by country, but the range extends Persil beyond general-purpose laundry detergent into fabric-specific care.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013For whatever life throws
United Kingdom · Ireland
Unilever promoted an updated Small & Mighty bottle and its integrated dosing ball, presenting the device as both a measuring tool and a stain pre-treatment aid.
Outcome. The campaign supported the concentrated-liquid proposition and practical use of the package.
- 2007Persil centenary relaunch
Henkel markets
Henkel refreshed Persil's identity and packaging in connection with the brand's 100th anniversary and planned related redesigns for associated regional names.
Outcome. The relaunch updated the brand presentation for its second century.
- 1927Persil skywriting
United Kingdom
Persil was promoted through skywriting in a historic form of outdoor advertising associated with the brand's early marketing.
Outcome. The campaign is documented as an early example of Persil brand advertising; detailed performance results are unavailable.
Brand decisions
2016
Use Persil to replace Wisk after the Sun Products acquisitionM&ABackground
Henkel acquired Sun Products, whose portfolio included Wisk, and reviewed the positioning of its North American laundry brands.
Action taken
Henkel discontinued Wisk and replaced it with Persil in the relevant market.
Aftermath
Persil became a more prominent Henkel laundry brand in North America, alongside the expanded ProClean range.
2015
Launch Persil ProClean in the United StatesProduct launchBackground
Henkel entered the US market with a premium-positioned Persil platform after Persil had previously been available there through more limited channels.
Action taken
Henkel introduced Power-Liquid, Power-Caps and Power-Pearls, initially distributing the line through Walmart.
Aftermath
The launch established Persil as a broader consumer retail brand in the United States.
2007
Relaunch Persil for its centenaryStrategyBackground
Henkel sought to modernize a century-old detergent brand while retaining its historical identity.
Action taken
Henkel announced new brand and packaging designs for Persil and related regional brands.
Aftermath
The redesign supported continued use of Persil across Henkel's international laundry portfolio.
1927
Accept a territorial trademark settlementOtherBackground
Competing claims involving Henkel's laundry business and Jules Ronchetti's French Le Persil soap created uncertainty over use of the name in France and the United Kingdom.
Action taken
The settlement reserved the Persil mark in France and the United Kingdom for Lever Brothers while Henkel retained it in most other territories.
Aftermath
The arrangement ultimately produced the brand's continuing division between Unilever-operated markets and Henkel-operated markets.
Recent events
- 2016
Henkel acquires Sun Products and replaces Wisk with Persil[1]
M&A · Product generation
Following its acquisition of Sun Products, Henkel discontinued the Wisk detergent brand and used Persil as its replacement in the relevant market.
- 2016
Persil ProClean expands into Canada[1]
Product launch
Henkel extended Persil ProClean into Canada with liquid, capsule and Power Pearls products, including a cold-water liquid variant.
- 2015
Persil ProClean launches in the United States[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Henkel introduced the Persil ProClean range in the United States in liquid, capsule and bead-based formats, initially through Walmart.
- 2007
Henkel announces a global Persil relaunch[1]
Campaign · Product generation
Henkel announced a redesign of Persil's brand presentation and packaging to mark the centenary of the product.
- 2007
Unilever launches Persil Small & Mighty in the United Kingdom and Ireland[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Unilever introduced a more concentrated liquid detergent format in the UK and Ireland, reducing the package size and dosage relative to conventional liquid products.
- 1931
Unilever acquires rights to market Persil in selected territories[1]
M&A · Other
Unilever became the operator of Persil in markets including the United Kingdom, Ireland and France, establishing the brand's enduring dual-company structure.
- 1927
Trademark arrangement divides Persil rights between Henkel and Lever Brothers[1]
Other
A legal and commercial settlement reserved use of the Persil trademark in France and the United Kingdom for the English Lever Brothers business, while Henkel retained the mark in most other territories.
- 1907
Henkel introduces Persil as a self-activating laundry powder[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Henkel launched Persil in Germany as a commercially available detergent combining cleaning agents with oxygen-based bleaching chemistry.
Sources3 sources
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