Global hygiene and health company Essity has strengthened its dedication to tackling hygiene poverty in Ireland by committing to donate 150,000 essential products to community charity Hygiene Hub in 2026.
The contribution builds on Essity’s long-standing partnership with In Kind Direct, which sees a minimum 2.2 million products donated to charities across the UK each year. Together, these efforts form part of Essity’s wider mission to ensure that access to essential hygiene products is never a luxury.
Hygiene poverty continues to affect millions of people across the UK and Ireland, with families forced to choose between heating, food and basic hygiene items. Research by Hygiene Hub and Trinity College Dublin found that 65% of respondents had gone without basic toiletries in the previous 12 months because they could not afford them, highlighting the scale of the issue in Ireland.
The 150,000 products will be distributed by Hygiene Hub’s nationwide volunteer network to individuals and families experiencing hygiene poverty. The charity operates a network of local community hubs across Ireland, providing toiletries and personal care products directly to those who need them most. The organisation works with schools, family resource centres, direct provision centres and community groups to ensure discreet and dignified access to essentials.
Ailish Walsh at Essity Ireland, said: “Hygiene products are everyday essentials that most of us don’t think twice about. But for many families, they’re simply out of reach.
“We’ve worked with In Kind Direct for more than 20 years, donating a minimum of 2.2 million products each year to charities across the UK. Strengthening our support in Ireland through Hygiene Hub is a natural extension of that commitment.”
– Ailish Walsh at Essity Ireland.
Ciára Dalton, Head of Partnerships at Hygiene Hub, added: “We see first-hand the impact hygiene poverty has on people’s confidence, health and ability to participate in everyday life. Parents skip essentials so their children don’t have to. Teenagers miss school because they don’t have access to basic products.
“Donations like this from Essity make a tangible difference. They allow us to respond to need quickly, with dignity and care. We’d encourage more businesses to recognise the role they can play, even small commitments can have a meaningful impact when it comes to ensuring everyone has access to life’s basic essentials.”
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