In 2012, Mike Houston’s father, a retired Navy officer stationed in Afghanistan, shared stories of his travels between forward operating bases with the Marines. Among the many anecdotes, one recurring theme was the pervasive stench they endured inside their transport vehicles. Hygiene was a top priority for soldiers, and baby wipes were the go-to solution for a quick clean-up when showers were scarce.
One day, Mike’s father called him at work, asking if he could create something better than a baby wipe. During his dad’s deployments, Mike worked for Johnson & Johnson as a packaging engineer manager for the Neutrogena personal care brand. “His biggest gripe with baby wipes was that he didn’t really feel clean after using them,” he says. “He hated how small they were and was frustrated by the amount of trash he would accumulate. Baby wipes were great if you wanted to spot clean, but if you wanted to clean your entire body, you’re left with using 50+ individual baby wipes.”
If you’ve attended an Overland Expo event, you’ve likely seen Mike posted up at the Shower Pouch booth with his Ram 3500 and Overland Explorer Vehicles Hudson Bay camper, demonstrating the multi-faceted nature of these full-body wipes. I’ve used the Shower Pouch product line (including the Adventure Sanitizer) for many years, while overlanding and on multi-day backpacking trips, but I was curious how the business began. I reached out to Mike, the co-owner of Shower Pouch, to learn more about how the brand was born and built, and if he had any unique hacks for using these wipes to the fullest (hot tip: you want to use them from top to bottom, not the reverse).
How did Shower Pouch begin?
Once my father shared his “problem statement,” I went straight to work. I pondered the idea for a few years until I met my business partner, Omar [Jimenez]. Years later, over beers in Salt Lake City, I told him about my father’s dilemma and how I would love to co-create the best body wipe on the market. I always knew Omar was a talented chemist, and he explained how he could create a formula that was vegan, hypoallergenic, pH-balanced, moisturizing, and extremely refreshing, like a real shower. This is how Shower Pouch was born.
We put our minds together and began engineering every aspect of the product to be a significant improvement to a baby wipe or any other body wipes on the market. For one, we wanted to use a package that wasn’t made from only plastic. We designed our packaging out of food-grade heavy gauge foil lamination film so you can heat it with radiated heat or hot water. Because we put sustainability at the forefront of our product design, we chose a reusable machine washer-safe cloth that can hold a significant amount of formula without dripping everywhere. This was intentional because we wanted the consumer to use only one body wipe that would stay moist from the top of their head to the soles of their feet.
Lastly, the size of the cloth was very important. We wanted to identify the smallest size needed to clean an entire human body. This is how we landed on a 2 x 1-foot cloth. The cloth folds into a pouch smaller than the back pocket of your favorite jeans. This package size was critical since we wanted the product to be easily transportable by the user, like a hiker or a soldier. Once we had everything figured out, and after beta testing with my offroad club for many months, we launched Shower Pouch in 2016. [We were featured in] an article written by Overland Journal a few months later. We’ve been fortunate that the vast majority of our growth has been through word of mouth within the overland community and through Overland Expos. It’s been an incredible journey, fueled by the support of adventurers seeking a better way to stay clean on the go.
How have these products changed the way you recreate outdoors?
With Shower Pouch in your hygiene arsenal, camping and exploring can become more about the adventure and less about hygiene worries. No more fretting over foot funk or crotch discomfort—Shower Pouch has revolutionized our camping experience.
Gone are the days of struggling with hygiene after just a few nights under the stars. Now, we can extend our adventures for weeks without sacrificing freshness.
And let’s talk [about] water conservation. For us overlanders and campers, every drop counts. With Shower Pouch, you can reserve your precious water for drinking and dishwashing.
What challenges have you faced along the way? What successes are you most proud of?
A few years back, we faced a pivotal moment in our journey as we grappled with scaling our operations to meet soaring consumer demand. It was decision time, so we opened a new warehouse and vetted a new contract manufacturer. These are the typical growing pains of any ambitious startup.
One of our proudest achievements came about a year ago when we earned the prestigious Amazon Choice badge. This badge isn’t just a badge; it’s a stamp of validation. It tells potential buyers we’re the real deal, making them more eager to give our product a shot. Moments like these reaffirm our commitment to pushing boundaries and setting new standards in the industry.
Shower Pouch products contain organic ingredients such as aloe, tea tree oil, witch hazel, and willow bark. What are the benefits of these ingredients, and why are they an essential part of your line?
In our quest for the perfect formula, we embarked on an adventurous journey inspired by the principles of Eastern medicine. We choose organic essential oils and aloe to lift the dirt and grime off the skin while using aloe to heal and moisturize sun-baked skin. We made sure our formula doesn’t leave you feeling sticky or weighed down. Instead, you emerge feeling utterly refreshed.
What are some unique ways to use Shower Pouch wipes?
One of the most exhilarating aspects of launching a product is discovering how consumers integrate it into their lives and adapting it to meet their unique needs. We’ve learned that its compact size allows it to fit snugly inside a Jetboil, making it a perfect companion for outdoor enthusiasts. Simply submerge it in water and ignite the Jetboil. Let the heat expand it like a popcorn bag in the microwave. Wiping down with a warm cloth on chilly days is a game-changer. It’s not just about physical cleanliness but the psychological boost you get from feeling refreshed, almost as if you’ve taken a real shower.
On scorching hot days, we’ve been thrilled to discover how some consumers store their Shower Pouches in their Dometic or ARB fridge, pulling them out for a cold, invigorating wipe-down whenever they need it. Our customers’ inventive uses and insights drive innovation and excitement for our product.
People may not know that Shower Pouch wipes are not biodegradable, but they are reusable. What is the best way to reuse them?
As an advocate and subject matter expert in sustainability, my mission is to steer consumers away from the linear economy model, a manufacturing supply chain where products are designed for single use, inevitably leading to waste. Instead, I’m championing the transition to a circular economy, where we empower consumers to reuse their products.
Consider your favorite coffee mug or that $200 Stanley water cup. After you’ve enjoyed your coffee or quenched your thirst, you don’t toss it aside; you wash it and give it a second life. The same principle applies to our Shower Pouch body wipes. They’re engineered to be machine washer safe, allowing you to extend their lifespan beyond a single use. Once clean, they can serve as shop rags and floor cleaners or be transformed into body wipes. It’s all about maximizing utility and minimizing waste.
Are there any exciting new products in the works you can tell us about?
At the heart of our mission lies the ambition to become the number one adventure hygiene brand worldwide. Our commitment to excellence starts with our cornerstone product, our body wipes. Once we’ve ensured our consumers are clean and invigorated, we focus on enhancing their skin health.
Currently, we’re in the process of developing a range of complementary products designed to elevate the consumer experience. This includes an after-sun care moisturizer, an organic insect repellent packaged in the same convenient format as our hand sanitizer, nourishing lip balm, and a revolutionary water-free dry shampoo. But that’s just the beginning—we’re continually exploring innovations to further revolutionize the adventure hygiene industry.
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