Detergents were invented during the period between the two world wars to counter a shortage of soap. Today, a number of companies manufacture detergents of different types. Their products differ in multiple ways, but all follow a similar mechanism to clean impurities. They are essentially chemicals that react with water to reduce its surface tension. A reduction is surface tension makes water “wetter”. Wetter water interacts with oil, grease, and other impurities; and washes them away.

As there are different chemicals used in the making of different kinds of detergents, a variety of detergent packaging materials have evolved which do not react with detergent chemicals.

Companies usually avoid packaging soaps in metal boxes, jars, and bottles as there is often an uncertainty about how the metal will react with the chemicals in the detergents. In comparison, the inertness of plastic has made it a popular packaging material for detergent companies.

Plastic bottles, jars, and spouted pouches are all used to package detergents. Of all the methods, the use of spouted pouches in detergent packaging is increasing fast for a number of reasons. These plastic barrier bags are less costly to produce, cheaper to transport, and do not harm the environment as much as the cumbersome plastic jars and bottles do.