The Dude Wipes lawsuit most people are searching for is the consumer class action over “flushable” labeling, which ended in a settlement valued at up to $9 million and was given final approval in November 2023. Two other suits sit alongside it: a case brought by wastewater utilities that pushed the company to meet stricter flushability testing, and a “Assembled in USA” labeling case that a federal judge dismissed in October 2025.
The $9 Million Flushable Wipes Settlement
The consumer case, Darnall, et al. v. Dude Products Inc., was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, with a related action captioned Wyant v. Dude Products, Inc. Plaintiffs alleged that Dude Wipes were marketed as “flushable” even though the wipes did not break apart in a reasonable time and could clog sewer lines. Dude Products pointed to packaging language warning that “not all systems can handle” the wipes, but the court let the case move forward on the theory that the prominent “flushable” label could still mislead buyers.1NACWA. Dude Wipes Flushability False Ad Suit Sees Claims Narrowed
An Illinois judge in DuPage County entered final approval of the settlement on November 16, 2023. Dude Products denied wrongdoing and settled to end the litigation.2Mealeys. Illinois Judge Approves Dude Flushable Wipes Settlement Valued at Up to $9M Class counsel was Bursor & Fisher, P.A.3Bursor & Fisher. Declaration of L. Timothy Fisher in Support of Plaintiffs Motion for Attorneys Fees, Costs, and Service Award
Who Qualified and What They Got
The class covered consumers who bought flushable Dude Wipes products between February 5, 2015, and August 8, 2023.4Consumer Action. Dude Products Flushable Wipes Payment was $0.50 per product on one of two tracks, and claimants had to pick one:5Washington Examiner. Class Action Settlement Deadline for Dude Wipes Customers to File Claim in $9 Million Settlement
- Without proof of purchase: up to five claims per household, capped at $2.50.
- With proof of purchase: up to 40 claims per household, capped at $20.
The filing deadline was November 11, 2023, and the claims window has closed.6Denver Gazette. Class Action Settlement Deadline for Dude Wipes Customers to File Claim in $9 Million Settlement New claims can no longer be submitted.
The Charleston Water System Case
A separate lawsuit came from the public utility side. The Commissioners of Public Works of the City of Charleston, operating as Charleston Water System, sued Dude Products and other wipes makers on nuisance, trespass, and products liability theories, arguing that the wipes cause damage inside sewer systems.7ClassAction.org. Charleston v. Costco et al. Settlement Stipulation
In Commissioners of Public Works of the City of Charleston v. Dude Products Inc. (No. 2:24-cv-02935-RMG), the parties filed a proposed settlement on May 10, 2024, that does not pay damages and instead requires product changes. Dude Products would have to ensure its flushable wipes meet an 80% pass-through rate on the IWSFG PAS 3 disintegration test within 18 months, submit to two years of independent testing, and place “Do Not Flush” labeling on non-flushable products on at least two additional packaging panels beyond what state laws require.8ClassAction.org. Charleston Motion for Settlement – Dude Wipes The class consists of sewage treatment plant operators nationwide, and a final approval hearing was scheduled for September 27, 2024.9Parameter1. Long Form Class Notice of Dude Products Settlement Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP and AquaLaw PLC served as class counsel.
The “Assembled in USA” Case (Dismissed)
A third suit, Karter, et al. v. Dude Products Inc. (No. 3:25-cv-00663), was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. The plaintiffs alleged that packaging featuring American flags and “Assembled in USA” labeling misled consumers, given that the wipes contained foreign-sourced components and ingredients such as tea tree oil and shea butter. They brought claims of unjust enrichment, breach of warranty, and violations of California consumer protection law.10Top Class Actions. Dude Wipes Class Action Claims Flushable Wet Wipes Not Actually Made in USA
On October 1, 2025, U.S. District Judge Robert Huie dismissed the case, holding that a reasonable consumer understands “Assembled in USA” does not necessarily mean every component was domestically sourced, and drawing “meaningful distinctions” between “Made in USA,” “Manufactured in USA,” and “Assembled in USA.” The advocacy group Truth in Advertising has tracked roughly 80 similar “Made in America” cases since 2011, and only five have been dismissed.11Barnes & Thornburg. Barnes Thornburg Wins Full Dismissal of “Assembled in USA” Class Action There is no payout tied to this case.
Why Flushable Wipes Keep Drawing Lawsuits
The dispute at the heart of these cases is simple. Wipes labeled “flushable” will clear a toilet, but utilities say they do not break down in sewer pipes the way toilet paper does, and they combine with grease and other debris into blockages known as “fatbergs.” New York City alone spends roughly $18.8 million a year on wipes-related sewer problems, and repairing a single blocked line runs between $10,000 and $15,000.12NYC Department of Environmental Protection. Trash It – Don’t Flush It
Regulators have been circling the industry for years. The FTC reached a consent order with Nice-Pak Products in 2015 that required the company to substantiate its flushability claims, Congress has directed the EPA to study wipes’ effects on sewer systems, and Washington, Oregon, and California have enacted laws requiring “Do Not Flush” labels on non-flushable wipes.13E&E News. Fatberg Fight: Congress Takes Plunge on Flushable Wipes That is the backdrop against which the Dude Products cases were filed, and it explains why utility plaintiffs pushed for testing standards rather than cash.