Cov phuam so tes yog ib yam khoom siv pov tseg tshwj xeeb tsim los ziab tes; lawv kuj raug hu ua tes- ntawv ziab khaub ncaws, ntawv ua noj, lossis roj- daim ntawv nqus. Feem ntau yog tsim los ntawm cov khoom siv raw xws li cov ntoo nkauj xwb los yog xyoob ntoo, cov khoom no tau ua tiav los tsim cov ntawv nrog cov ntawv tuab thiab muaj zog tensile siab. Lawv muaj nyob rau hauv ob daim ntawv tseem ceeb: yob thiab daim ntawv tais diav (dispenser-style). Cov yam ntxwv tseem ceeb ntawm cov phuam so tes yog lawv qhov muaj zog absorbency thiab tsis kam rau tearing lossis shedding lint; lawv tuaj yeem nqus dej sai sai los ntawm txhais tes, tawm hauv tsis muaj fiber ntau residue tom qab siv.
Cov phuam ntxuav tes feem ntau yog siv rau hauv qhov chaw xws li tsev, tsev so, khw malls, thiab cov tsev ua haujlwm, qhov chaw lawv feem ntau muab tso rau ntawm cov ntxhua khaub ncaws ua cov khoom siv rau ziab tes tom qab ntxuav. Cov kev sib txawv tseem ceeb ntawm cov phuam so tes thiab daim ntawv tso zis tso quav muaj xws li: 'Lub Hom Phiaj'- cov phuam so tes yog tsim tshwj xeeb rau kev ziab tes, uas muaj cov nqus dej kom sai sai tshem tawm cov dej noo tom qab ntxuav, whereas daim ntawv tso quav tso zis yog tsim los rau tom qab- chav dej huv thiab tseem ceeb tshaj qhov muag muag thiab biodegradability; 'Cov Khoom Siv thiab Kev Ua Haujlwm'- txhais tes phuam feem ntau yog tuab dua thiab ruaj khov dua, tiv thaiv tearing thiab lint- shedding, thiab muaj qhov nqus dej ntau dua li cov ntawv tso quav tso quav, thaum daim ntawv tso quav yog softer thiab fluffier, tsim kom tawg yooj yim thaum sib cuag nrog dej los tiv thaiv cov kav dej; thiab 'Siv Ib puag ncig'- cov phuam so tes feem ntau yog nyob ib sab ntawm cov ntxhua khaub ncaws hauv chav dej, chav ua noj, thiab cov chaw pej xeem, thaum daim ntawv tso quav tso rau ntawm cov chav dej siv thaum mus xyuas chav dej.
