About Comfort
Comfort: Britain's Original Fabric Conditioner Since 1969 Comfort holds a special place in British household history as the first fabric conditioner ever launched in the United Kingdom. Since 1969, this Unilever brand has been making clothes softer, fresher, and more comfortable to wear, earning its place as a staple in millions of British homes. At Grocefully, we help you compare Comfort fabric conditioner prices across UK supermarkets, ensuring you find the best deals on this trusted laundry brand. The Origins of Comfort The Comfort story begins with a simple problem that affected households across Britain in the 1960s. The laundry detergents and soaps of the era, whilst effective at cleaning clothes, often left fabrics feeling stiff, scratchy, and uncomfortable against the skin. Clothes emerged from the wash clean but far from pleasant to wear. Lever Brothers, the British soap and cleaning company founded in 1885 by William Hesketh Lever, set about solving this problem. Their research and development efforts resulted in a revolutionary new product category – the fabric conditioner. In 1969, Comfort launched in the United Kingdom as the nation's first commercial fabric conditioner. The product addressed the harshness of contemporary laundry products by softening fabric fibres, making clothes more comfortable to wear. The name itself encapsulated the product's primary benefit. The launch proved transformative for British laundry routines. What had been an unknown product category quickly became essential for households seeking softer, more pleasant clothes and linens. From Lever Brothers to Unilever Lever Brothers merged with the Dutch company Margarine Unie in 1929 to form Unilever, one of the world's largest consumer goods companies. Comfort has remained part of Unilever's portfolio throughout its history, benefiting from the company's global resources and research capabilities. Today, Unilever's Home Care division, which includes Comfort alongside other laundry and cleaning brands, generated €12.4 billion in turnover in 2024. Within this portfolio, Comfort generates approximately €1.4 billion in annual sales globally, with around 40 units purchased every second worldwide. This scale has enabled continuous investment in product development, ensuring Comfort remains at the forefront of fabric care innovation whilst maintaining the quality that British consumers have trusted for over five decades. Decades of Innovation Comfort's history is marked by continuous innovation, with each decade bringing advancements that have kept the brand relevant and effective. The 1990s: Environmental and Skin-Conscious Developments The 1990s brought significant changes to Comfort. Alongside refreshed branding with a new logo and more modern packaging, the decade saw important formulation advances. In 1993, Comfort achieved its first fully biodegradable formulation, addressing growing environmental concerns about household product impacts. This demonstrated Unilever's commitment to developing products that delivered performance whilst minimising environmental harm. Five years later, in 1998, Comfort introduced its first hypoallergenic fabric conditioner. This variant addressed the needs of consumers with sensitive skin, expanding the brand's appeal to households that had previously avoided fabric conditioners due to skin reaction concerns. The 2000s: Format Innovation The new millennium brought format innovations that changed how consumers used fabric conditioner. In 2004, Comfort produced the first ever fabric softener capsules in the UK with Comfort Pearls. This dosing format provided convenience and precision, eliminating the need to measure liquid conditioner and reducing mess during laundry routines. The following year saw the launch of Comfort Crème, a premium variant that elevated the fabric conditioner category. This product demonstrated that fabric conditioner could be more than a functional laundry essential – it could be a premium experience. The 2020s: Advanced Fabric Care Recent years have seen Comfort develop increasingly sophisticated products that go beyond simple softening. In 2021, Comfort launched Comfort Ultimate Care, a re-launch of ultra-concentrated fabric conditioners with added clothes care benefits. The unique Pro-fibre technology helped protect clothing fibres, extending garment life whilst delivering the softness and fragrance consumers expected. The innovation continued in 2023 with concentrated fabric conditioners featuring Stay Fresh Technology, ensuring 100 days of freshness and fragrance. This technology addressed a key consumer need – maintaining pleasant-smelling clothes throughout extended wear or storage periods. Understanding the Comfort Range Today's Comfort range has expanded far beyond the original single product, offering variants to suit different needs and preferences. Comfort Pure Comfort Pure represents the brand's sensitive skin offering, developed for those with delicate skin or households with babies and young children. The hypoallergenic formulation minimises the risk of skin irritation whilst still delivering effective softening. The Pure range uses gentle ingredients that have been dermatologically tested, providing reassurance for concerned parents and individuals with sensitive skin. It represents the evolution of the hypoallergenic innovation first introduced in 1998. Comfort Intense Comfort Intense offers concentrated formulations that deliver more washes per bottle. These products suit environmentally conscious consumers seeking to reduce packaging waste, as well as those wanting value through extended product life. The concentrated format requires smaller doses to achieve the same results as standard formulations, meaning each bottle lasts significantly longer despite the smaller size. Comfort Creations The Creations range focuses on sophisticated fragrances that transform laundry from a chore into a sensory experience. These products feature carefully developed scent profiles that linger on clothes long after washing. Fragrances in the Creations range include floral options, fresh scents, and more exotic perfumes. The variety allows consumers to choose scents that match their personal preferences and the mood they want to create. Comfort Ultimate Care The Ultimate Care range represents Comfort's most advanced fabric care technology. Beyond softening and fragrance, these products actively help protect clothing fibres from damage during washing and wearing. The Pro-fibre technology works to maintain fabric integrity, potentially extending the life of garments. For consumers invested in their wardrobes, this protective benefit adds value beyond mere softness. Comfort Scent Boosters For those seeking maximum fragrance impact, scent boosters provide an additional layer of freshness. These in-wash products can be used alongside regular fabric conditioner for enhanced and longer-lasting fragrance. The Science of Fabric Softening Understanding how fabric conditioners work helps appreciate their value in the laundry routine. During washing, fabrics are subjected to mechanical agitation, water, and detergent chemicals. These processes clean effectively but can leave fibres rough, tangled, and stiff. The natural oils that give new fabrics their soft feel are stripped away, and mineral deposits from water can further contribute to stiffness. Fabric conditioners work by coating fibres with a thin layer of lubricating chemicals. This coating smooths fibre surfaces, reduces friction between fibres, and makes fabrics feel softer against the skin. The lubricating effect also reduces static electricity, preventing clothes from clinging uncomfortably. The fragrances in fabric conditioners bond to fibres during the conditioning process, releasing slowly over time to provide lasting freshness. Advanced technologies like Comfort's Stay Fresh formulation extend this fragrance release for prolonged freshness. Why Use Fabric Conditioner? Beyond the obvious benefit of softer clothes, fabric conditioner provides several advantages that enhance the laundry experience. Softer, More Comfortable Clothes The primary benefit remains the softened feel of conditioned fabrics. Clothes that might feel rough or scratchy without conditioner become pleasant against the skin. This is particularly noticeable with towels, which can become cardboard-like when dried without conditioning. Reduced Static Static electricity builds up in synthetic fabrics during tumble drying, causing clothes to cling to the body and each other. Fabric conditioner significantly reduces static, preventing this uncomfortable clinging and making clothes easier to handle. Easier Ironing Conditioned fabrics iron more smoothly than unconditioned ones. The lubricating effect allows the iron to glide more easily whilst fibres respond better to heat and pressure, resulting in crisper results with less effort. Long-Lasting Freshness Modern fabric conditioners deposit fragrances that release over time, keeping clothes smelling fresh throughout wear. The latest Comfort formulations extend this freshness for up to 100 days, meaning even stored clothes emerge smelling pleasant. Fibre Protection Advanced formulations like Comfort Ultimate Care actively protect fibres during and after washing. This can extend garment life, representing both economic and environmental benefits. Environmental Considerations Like all household products, fabric conditioners face environmental scrutiny. Unilever has addressed these concerns through several initiatives. The 1993 fully biodegradable formulation set an early precedent for environmental responsibility. Modern Comfort products continue this commitment, with formulations designed to break down safely after use. Concentrated formats reduce packaging per wash, meaning less plastic enters the waste stream. Comfort Intense and other concentrated variants provide the same number of washes in smaller bottles. Unilever's broader sustainability commitments inform Comfort's development, with ongoing work to reduce environmental impact whilst maintaining product performance. Using Comfort Effectively Getting the most from Comfort products involves proper usage according to product instructions. Most fabric conditioners are added to the designated dispenser drawer in washing machines. The conditioner releases during the final rinse, allowing it to coat fibres without being washed away by subsequent detergent action. Following dosing recommendations ensures effective conditioning without waste. Over-dosing doesn't improve results and can leave residue on fabrics, whilst under-dosing may not achieve optimal softness. For best results, match the Comfort variant to your needs. Pure for sensitive skin, Creations for fragrance focus, Ultimate Care for fabric protection, and Intense for concentrated convenience. Comparing Comfort Prices Across UK Supermarkets One of the key benefits of shopping for Comfort products through Grocefully is the ability to compare prices across UK supermarkets. Comfort is available virtually everywhere, but prices vary between retailers and promotional periods. Major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, and Waitrose all stock comprehensive Comfort ranges. The brand features frequently in laundry product promotions, making timing purchases to coincide with offers particularly rewarding. Given that fabric conditioner is a regular purchase for most households, finding consistent savings compounds significantly over time. A few pence saved per bottle translates to meaningful annual savings for regular users. Comfort vs Other Fabric Conditioners The fabric conditioner market includes several competing brands, each with their own positioning. Comfort's position as the UK's original fabric conditioner gives it heritage credentials that newer brands cannot claim. Comfort's range breadth provides options for most needs within a single brand – sensitive skin, concentrated, fragrance-focused, and premium variants are all available. This comprehensiveness means households with varied needs can stay within the Comfort family. The Unilever backing ensures continued investment in research and development, meaning Comfort products benefit from ongoing innovation and improvement. The British Laundry Essential Over five decades, Comfort has earned its place as a British laundry essential. Generations have grown up with Comfort-softened clothes, creating brand familiarity that spans family histories. The trust built over 55 years means consumers know what to expect from Comfort products. This reliability, combined with continued innovation, explains the brand's enduring market position. For many British households, Comfort isn't just a fabric conditioner choice – it's simply what fabric conditioner means. Conclusion Comfort's journey from Britain's first fabric conditioner in 1969 to a global brand generating €1.4 billion in annual sales represents a remarkable success story. More importantly for consumers, it represents over five decades of commitment to making clothes softer, fresher, and more pleasant to wear. Whether you prefer the gentle formulation of Comfort Pure, the sophisticated fragrances of Comfort Creations, or the advanced fabric care of Comfort Ultimate Care, the range offers options to suit every household's needs. By comparing Comfort prices across UK supermarkets through Grocefully, you can enjoy this trusted brand whilst ensuring you're getting the best available value. Explore Comfort products on Grocefully today and discover how smart shopping can help you keep your family's clothes soft and fresh without paying more than necessary.