Excerpt:
Although the start of the synthetic detergent industry is not shrouded in the veils of history as were the beginnings of the soap industry, it is nevertheless not easy to pinpoint exactly when the detergent industry, as such, came into being. The primary problem is to decide exactly what is being referred to as a synthetic detergent. The term itself leads to confusion. In the USA the words surfactant or syndet are being used, whilst in Europe the term 'tenside' (for tensio-active material) is coming into fashion.