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Good Housekeeping Institute Rates Kimberly-Clark's Paper Towels as Tops DALLAS, March 27 -- Kleenex Viva paper towels and Scott paper towels this month received the Best Overall and Best Buy ratings respectively, by textile experts from the Good Housekeeping Institute. Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) manufactures and markets both towels.

"We're pleased that our paper towel brands rated so highly in the Institute's tests," said David Deising, marketing director for the Scott and Viva brands. "We've always said that Viva paper towels perform better than other paper towels, and Scott paper towels with ridges have a great combination of performance and value. Kimberly-Clark strives to produce superior-performing products at a fair price, and this test confirms we are meeting that commitment to consumers.

"Our sales gains show that consumers see Scott and Viva towels in the same light as the Institute did. Scott was the No. 1 brand in the U.S. last year in terms of sales volume increases, up 24 percent from 1999, while Viva paper towels was No. 2 with an almost 12 percent gain."

The Institute, which is the consumer product evaluation laboratory for Good Housekeeping magazine, tested nine leading brands of paper towels.

Commenting on its ratings of Viva and Scott paper towels, the Institute said:

• Best Overall: Kleenex Viva towels. It works fast and feels most like cloth. It soaks up large spills with a single sheet and holds up the longest when scrubbing a counter. Viva towels can be rinsed and reused.

   

• Best Buy: Scott towels. This bargain brand was also the strongest of the towels tested when wet and the quickest to absorb oil -- great for wiping a seasoned pan or cooking bacon in the microwave.

The Good Housekeeping Institute tested the nine brands in a battery of tests, including absorbency, strength, linting and dye-release. Three tests for absorbency (wicking, total absorbency and absorbency of oil) accounted for 60 percent of a paper towel's overall score. Tensile strength and scrubbing accounted for the remaining 40 percent of a towel's score.

"We're dedicated to quality and innovation at Kimberly-Clark," said Deising. "Both Viva and Scott paper towels demonstrate these qualities. If consumers would like to tell us what they think about these products, they may log on to Scott's website at http://www.scottbrand.com."

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is a leading consumer products company. Its global tissue, personal care and health care brands include Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex, Depend, Kleenex, Scott, Kimberly-Clark, Safeskin, Tecnol, Kimwipes and Wypall. Other brands well known outside the U.S. include Andrex, Scottex, Page, Popee and Kimbies. Kimberly-Clark also is a major producer of premium business, correspondence and technical papers. The company has manufacturing operations in 41 countries and sells its products in more than 150 countries.