rolls_rapide
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Low-Lather 'Pat' detergent
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The name apparently isn't an acronym ... so who's Pat?
rolls_rapide
Well-known member
Bibby possibly plucked the name out of thin air, to make it distinctive compared to the likes of Persil, Daz, Surf and Tide.
Or perhaps the 'Pat' name was based on the name of the low-foaming detergent ingredient. Maybe it was patented, hence 'Pat'?
They had other soap powders and bar soaps with names such as Glee, Clozone, Araby and Cidal.
Or perhaps the 'Pat' name was based on the name of the low-foaming detergent ingredient. Maybe it was patented, hence 'Pat'?
They had other soap powders and bar soaps with names such as Glee, Clozone, Araby and Cidal.
J. Bibby and Sons
Had their fingers in several different pies; what began as producing animal feel meal, morphed into various other things over years.
By 1963 they entered into a licensing agreement with American firm Soilax (then makers of Finish automatic dishwasher detergent), to become exclusive UK distributor. Rest is as quoted below.
"1963 The main business was in animal feeds, egg and broiler chicken production, oilseed refining and oil processing, grocery, catering and bakery products. Agreed with Soilax Ltd, proprietors of Finish, the US dishwasher powder, to take up an exclusive UK agency for packing and distribution. Other products that Bibbys were selling were Quip (instant potato), Twirl cooking oil, Cidal germicidal soap and Patour, low foam detergent for washing machines. Also considerable expansion of trade supplying bakers and caterers with oils and fats. Several subsidiaries served agricultural seeds markets; Henry Cooke continued to supply kraft papers"
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/J._Bibby_and_Sons
Pat is likely short for "Patour" detergent
Also found this:
"Bibby's low - foam detergent , Pat , is recommended by the makers of some large washing machines , and English Electric has included a sample in the Liberator . To date Pat has not been distributed or publicised widely ..."
Can find no mention that Bibby's owned any sort of detergent manufacturing plant, soap yes, but not laundry detergent. Thus have a strong hunch like Finish, they merely purchased distribution rights for a product made elsewhere to be repackaged as "Pat".
To be fair British housewives even by 1960's or 1970's still by and large equated high foam with good wash day results. This was how they did things with twin tubs or other semi-automatic washers (which for various reasons UK households were saddled with far longer than in North America).
Froth is an anathema to h-axis washers, and really isn't needed for top loading (fully or semi automatic) either, but old habits die quickly...
Tide when first launched in USA was low foaming, and housewives wouldn't go near. P&G reformulated product to include high frothing surfactants, and it was off to races. Tide flew off shelves nationwide, soon killing market for P&G's former top shelf laundry day product Chipso soap flakes.
Dash tried to get housewives to convert over, but never was more than niche product. American housewives and others wanted to see froth and lots of it on wash day, this generations after soap had long been dethroned as queen of laundry day.
Tide wouldn't finally become low froth until comparatively recently. This as American washing machine market moved firmly towards HE front and top loading washers.
Had their fingers in several different pies; what began as producing animal feel meal, morphed into various other things over years.
By 1963 they entered into a licensing agreement with American firm Soilax (then makers of Finish automatic dishwasher detergent), to become exclusive UK distributor. Rest is as quoted below.
"1963 The main business was in animal feeds, egg and broiler chicken production, oilseed refining and oil processing, grocery, catering and bakery products. Agreed with Soilax Ltd, proprietors of Finish, the US dishwasher powder, to take up an exclusive UK agency for packing and distribution. Other products that Bibbys were selling were Quip (instant potato), Twirl cooking oil, Cidal germicidal soap and Patour, low foam detergent for washing machines. Also considerable expansion of trade supplying bakers and caterers with oils and fats. Several subsidiaries served agricultural seeds markets; Henry Cooke continued to supply kraft papers"
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/J._Bibby_and_Sons
Pat is likely short for "Patour" detergent
Also found this:
"Bibby's low - foam detergent , Pat , is recommended by the makers of some large washing machines , and English Electric has included a sample in the Liberator . To date Pat has not been distributed or publicised widely ..."
Can find no mention that Bibby's owned any sort of detergent manufacturing plant, soap yes, but not laundry detergent. Thus have a strong hunch like Finish, they merely purchased distribution rights for a product made elsewhere to be repackaged as "Pat".
To be fair British housewives even by 1960's or 1970's still by and large equated high foam with good wash day results. This was how they did things with twin tubs or other semi-automatic washers (which for various reasons UK households were saddled with far longer than in North America).
Froth is an anathema to h-axis washers, and really isn't needed for top loading (fully or semi automatic) either, but old habits die quickly...
Tide when first launched in USA was low foaming, and housewives wouldn't go near. P&G reformulated product to include high frothing surfactants, and it was off to races. Tide flew off shelves nationwide, soon killing market for P&G's former top shelf laundry day product Chipso soap flakes.
Dash tried to get housewives to convert over, but never was more than niche product. American housewives and others wanted to see froth and lots of it on wash day, this generations after soap had long been dethroned as queen of laundry day.
Tide wouldn't finally become low froth until comparatively recently. This as American washing machine market moved firmly towards HE front and top loading washers.
Ironically P&G produced both Dash and Tide detergents. Guess they wanted to cover both sides of fence.
P&G wanted to not let any competitor get a foothold--they would find and exploit a niche. Tide, then Cheer (bluing), then Oxydol (oxygen bleach), then Dash (low-suds), then Dreft (baby clothes/oxygen bleach), then Bonus (towel premiums), then Salvo (tablets) then American Family (premium coupons/Chicago brand), then Ivory Snow (soap powder). The only niche they didn't immediately exploit was liquid detergents (Wisk had a monopoly on that market until P&G brought out Era)
