Pipe Cleaners Made in the UK

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Sports Applications| Pipecleaners & Flexistems | Hewitt & Booth :

Sport

Uses & Applications

We are Hewitt & Booth, market leaders in the bespoke manufacturing of pipe cleaners since 1922. Our expertise and flexibility makes us the first choice for companies wanting to develop disposable cleaning solutions for hard to reach places.  Our products are perfect for sports enthusiasts wanting to maintain their equipment. A simple, inexpensive but effective fine cleaning tool can prevent expensive repairs or replacement parts to sports apparatus, such as a derailleur on a bike. Prevention is always cheaper than the cure.

Mountain Bike Rider

(Magazine)Pimped-out pipecleaners. On steroids!

Case Study – Purple Harry Ltd

Purple Harry is an innovative cycling accessory company that started out in 2010 with our cleaning stems as a simple but effective solution to clean the most inaccessible areas of a bicycle, most notably the rear cassette, dérailleurs, chain rings, bottom bracket area and brake callipers…. This task was previously executed with ripped up cloths or toothbrushes.

Early thoughts were that a ‘flossing’ action was most effective in currently tackling this problem – and when one of the founders saw his daughter’s school project made from craft pipe cleaners a ‘Eureka’ moment occurred. He searched for a UK manufacturer and approached Hewitt & Booth as we already made industrial specification products with abrasive and absorptive qualities. We then worked with Purple Harry over several months to develop the first product, which they aptly named “Bike Floss”. After sample testing and slight modifications, the product was found to be highly effective, as the pipe cleaners had rigidity and could be pushed into areas that offered resistance. Three different types were agreed; two abrasive bristle cleaners with a purple fleck bristle to mirror the Purple Harry brand, and one soft fleece version for carbon components and paintwork.

From this initial product a whole cycle care range has been developed, which encompasses cleaning fluids, degreasers, chain lubes and bike maintenance sprays.  The whole range has enjoyed complimentary reviews from the industry press, qualified mechanics, professional cycling teams and amateur riders.  This culminated in an invitation to be an official product supplier of the Tour of Britain for 2013.  The range is now sold on-line, throughout the UK and into Europe.

Richard Hargreaves

(Director, Purple Harry Ltd)We worked with Hewitt & Booth as they are the only one of its type in the UK and their set up is geared for quality, bespoke applications, not just volumes like the craft suppliers in the Far East.