The vibrant green matcha latte, a staple of trendy cafes and Instagram feeds, has been crowned an unlikely villain in the laundry room. New research from consumer goods giant Unilever reveals that the Japanese powdered tea is the most troublesome emerging stain for Generation Z, proving so stubborn it is forcing detergent companies to change their formulas.
The New Stain Champions of a Generation
Unilever's newly launched 'stains index', designed to track the evolving marks of modern life, shows a clear cultural shift. It moves away from the traditional nemeses of coffee and red wine towards a new roster of spills driven by contemporary consumption habits. The index ranks stains based on how many people reported experiencing 'more' of a particular type in the last 12 months.
A significant 39% of Gen Z adults – those born between 1997 and 2012 – said they have had more issues with matcha stains than ever before. This bright green residue has now been officially designated the 'Stain of the Year' for 2026, guiding Unilever's product development at its Port Sunlight Laboratories, where brands like Persil and Surf are made.
'Stains provide an interesting reflection on our lifestyles and routines,' said Donna Macnab, Unilever Laundry R&D Director. 'As we see new pigments and residues emerge as a result of modern-day living, we test new formulas and adapt our products, so they remain at the cutting-edge of stain removal.'
From Aperol to Fake Tan: A Gen Z Stain Portfolio
The survey of 2,000 UK adults paints a vivid picture of generational differences. While older generations grappled with mud and grass, Gen Z's wardrobe woes are dominated by food, drink, and beauty products tied to social media and urban living.
The top emerging stains for Gen Z, after matcha, include:
- Aperol Spritz and cocktails (38%)
- Lipstick and bronzer (37%)
- Protein shakes and sports drinks (35%)
- Bubble tea (35%)
- Sriracha hot sauce (34%)
Fast food grease, curry sauce, and fake tan also rank highly among their concerns. Interestingly, 32% reported more stains from pollution and dust, a marker of city life. The data reveals a stark frequency contrast: 70% of Gen Z stain their clothes weekly, compared to just 47% of Baby Boomers.
The Social Media Spill and a Throwaway Culture
The research uncovers a direct link between social media trends and laundry headaches. Over half (51%) of Gen Z admit to choosing menu items purely because they looked good online, even when risking a spill, and 79% worry about staining clothes when selecting food or drink.
This cycle of consumption and staining has consequences. A staggering 91% of Gen Z respondents confessed they have thrown away clothing because it had marks they couldn't remove. Tati Lindenberg, Head of Fabric Cleaning at Unilever, stated: 'The Stains Index not only reveals Gen Z's biggest wardrobe woes but provides us with important insights into urban living, and crucially, tells us how we need to continue to innovate.'
Unilever plans to update the index annually, using it as a crucial tool to monitor the evolving stain landscape for UK consumers and inform the future of laundry care, starting with the formidable green challenge of matcha.
