Class Action Lawsuit Claims Dude Wipes Are Falsely Advertised as Plant-Based, Hypoallergenic

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A proposed class action lawsuit claims that Dude Wipes are falsely advertised as plant-based, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free or scented with natural botanicals because the products allegedly contain synthetic ingredients, known contact allergens, and undisclosed fragrance components.

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The 47-page complaint contends that defendant Dude Products runs a large-scale “greenwash[ing]” advertising campaign centered on representations that its flushable wipes are made almost entirely of water and plant-based ingredients, gentle on skin, and suitable for consumers seeking natural personal-care products.

According to the lawsuit, all six Dude Wipes varieties—including five scented versions and one marketed as fragrance-free—contain several ingredients that are not naturally occurring and require substantial chemical processing and refinement. In particular, the case relays that these ingredients include Cocamidopropyl PG-dimonium, sodium benzoate and citric acid.

The suit argues that although certain ingredients may originate from plant sources, they are chemically altered such that they no longer qualify as plant-based ingredients as a consumer would understand the term.

The lawsuit also challenges Dude Wipes’ “hypoallergenic” and “gentle” marketing claims. According to the complaint, all six varieties contain multiple ingredients identified by dermatological institutes as potential contact allergens, including Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, which the filing says has been associated with allergic skin reactions. 

Further, the complaint alleges that many of these ingredients appear higher on the products’ ingredients lists than the botanical extracts highlighted in Dude Wipes’ marketing materials, indicating that the “predominant constituents” of the wipes, after water and glycerin, are not plant-based, but rather synthetic.

Per the suit, fragrance is also listed higher on the ingredients list in four of the scented Dude Wipes varieties than the specific botanicals from which the wipes purportedly derive their scents, allegedly because the products’ scent comes primarily from undisclosed fragrance ingredients and chamomile extract.

“Fragrance serves no functional or therapeutic purpose in a flushable wipe, it is included purely for sensory appeal,” the filing asserts. “Indeed, Defendant itself sells a ‘Fragrance Free’ variant of the Products, demonstrating both that fragrance is unnecessary to the Products’ function and that Defendant is aware fragrance presents an allergen concern.”

However, the complaint alleges that the fragrance-free Dude Wipes are not free from fragrance ingredients that might irritate sensitive skin. The lawsuit claims that fragrance-free wipes contain ingredients classified as fragrance components, while the products’ labeling provides no disclosure regarding the specific chemicals used or whether they are naturally derived.

According to the complaint, consumers are unable to independently verify the true nature, source or allergenic properties of the ingredients contained in the wipes and therefore must rely on representations made by the manufacturer. The case argues that the ingredient lists do not cure the alleged false advertising, as consumers cannot be expected to understand chemical composition, sensitization risks, or other back-label claims associated with listed ingredients.

The Dude Wipes class action lawsuit seeks to represent all individuals in the United States who purchased Dude Wipes flushable wipes for personal use during the maximum period of time permitted by law.

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