<PAGE>   1



      AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 6, 2001

                                                    REGISTRATION NO. 333-_______

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                             Registration Statement
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                           KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

             DELAWARE                                       39-0394230
    (State or Other Jurisdiction                        (I.R.S. Employer
  of Incorporation or Organization)                  Identification Number)
         P.O. BOX 619100                                   75261-9100
           DALLAS, TEXAS                                   (Zip Code)
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

            KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION 2001 EQUITY PARTICIPATION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plans)

                               O. GEORGE EVERBACH
               SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT -- LAW AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
                                 P.O. BOX 619100
                            DALLAS, TEXAS 75261-9100
                                 (972) 281-1200
 (Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

=======================================================================================================

                                                       PROPOSED        PROPOSED
                                                        MAXIMUM         MAXIMUM
          TITLE OF SECURITIES        AMOUNT TO BE   OFFERING PRICE     AGGREGATE         AMOUNT OF
           TO BE REGISTERED           REGISTERED       PER UNIT     OFFERING PRICE   REGISTRATION FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                 <C>             <C>            <C>                <C>
    Common Stock, $1.25 par value   30,000,000        $  59.56(1)  $1,786,800,000(1)  $446,700.00
                                    shares

    Preferred Stock Purchase        30,000,000                (2)                (2)             (2)
    Rights.......................   rights
=======================================================================================================

</TABLE>


(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
    required by Section 6(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant
    to Rule 457(c) thereunder, based on $59.56, the average of the high and low
    prices of the common stock on June 1, 2001, as reported in the consolidated
    reporting system.

(2) The preferred stock purchase rights initially are attached to and trade with
    the shares of common stock being registered hereby. Value attributable to
    such rights, if any, is reflected in the market price of the common stock.

================================================================================

<PAGE>   2




                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

    The following documents previously filed by the Registrant with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") are incorporated herein by
reference:

         1. The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
    December 31, 2000;

         2. The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
    March 31, 2001;

         3. The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in the
    Proxy Statement/Prospectus constituting a part of the Registrant's
    Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-94139); and

         4. The description of the Registrant's Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
    contained in Registration Statements on Form 8-A and amendments thereto
    filed by the Registrant with the SEC on June 21, 1988, June 13, 1995 and
    March 17, 1997.

    All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14
or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or
which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the dates of
filing of such reports and documents. Any statement contained in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein, or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or
superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to
constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

    Not applicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

    Certain legal matters have been passed upon for the Registrant by O. George
Everbach, Senior Vice President -- Law and Government Affairs of the Registrant.
As of June 1, 2001, Mr. Everbach owned 69,780 shares of the Registrant's common
stock and held options to acquire 448,586 shares of such common stock (of which
options to acquire 311,586 shares are presently exercisable), and, as of June 1,
2001, 17,567 shares of such common stock were attributable to his account
under the Registrant's Salaried Employees Incentive Investment Plan. Mr.
Everbach also participates in other employee benefit plans of the Registrant.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

    The Registrant's By-laws (the "By-Laws") provide, among other things, that
the Registrant shall (i) indemnify any person who was or is a party or is
threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative
(other than an action by or in the right of the Registrant) by reason of the
fact that he is or was a director or officer of the Registrant, or is or was
serving at the request of the Registrant as a director or officer of another
corporation, or, in the case of a director or officer of the Registrant, is or
was serving as an employee or agent of a partnership, joint venture, trust or
other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines
and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in
a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of
the Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, and (ii) indemnify any
person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the
Registrant to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is
or was a director or officer of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the
request of the Registrant as a director or officer of another corporation, or,
in the case of a director or officer of the Registrant, is or was serving as an
employee or agent of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually


                                       2
<PAGE>   3

and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of
such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Registrant and
except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or
matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
Registrant unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court
in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that,
despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of
the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such
expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Registrant is not required to indemnify any
director or officer of the Registrant in connection with a proceeding (or
portion thereof) initiated by such director or officer against the Registrant or
any directors, officers or employees thereof unless (i) the initiation of such
proceeding (or portion thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of the
Registrant or (ii) notwithstanding the lack of such authorization, the person
seeking indemnification is successful on the merits. The By-Laws further provide
that the indemnification provided therein shall not be deemed exclusive of any
other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled.

    Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
authorizes indemnification by the Registrant of directors and officers under the
circumstances provided in the provisions of the By-Laws described above, and
requires such indemnification for expenses actually and reasonably incurred to
the extent a director or officer is successful in the defense of any action, or
any claim, issue or matter therein.

    The Registrant has purchased insurance which purports to insure the
Registrant against certain costs of indemnification which may be incurred by it
pursuant to the By-Laws and to insure the officers and directors of the
Registrant, and of its subsidiary companies, against certain liabilities
incurred by them in the discharge of their functions as such officers and
directors except for liabilities resulting from their own malfeasance.

ITEM 7. EXEMPTIONS FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

    Not Applicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

    The following is a list of Exhibits included as part of this Registration
Statement. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted
schedule to the SEC upon request. Items marked with an asterisk are filed
herewith.

                  4.1      -- Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
                           Registrant, dated June 12, 1997, is hereby
                           incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 3a to the
                           Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Registrant for the
                           year ended December 31, 1999.

                  4.2      -- By-Laws of the Registrant, as amended November 22,
                           1996, are hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           No. 4.2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of
                           the Registrant filed with the SEC on December 6, 1996
                           (Registration No. 33-17367).

                  4.3      -- Rights Agreement dated as of June 21, 1988, as
                           amended and restated as of June 8, 1995, between the
                           Registrant and The First National Bank of Boston, as
                           Rights Agent, is hereby incorporated by reference to
                           Exhibit No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form
                           8-A/A of the Registrant filed with the SEC on June
                           13, 1995.

                  4.4      -- Certificate of Adjustment, dated March 7, 1997,
                           filed by the Registrant with The First National Bank
                           of Boston, as Rights Agent, is hereby incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit No. 2 to the Registration
                           Statement on Form 8-A/A of the Registrant filed with
                           the SEC on March 17, 1997.

                  4.5*     -- Kimberly-Clark Corporation 2001 Equity
                           Participation Plan.

                  5*       -- Opinion of O. George Everbach.

                  23.1*    -- Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

                  23.2*    -- Consent of O. George Everbach is contained in his
                           opinion filed as Exhibit No. 5.

                  24*      -- Powers of Attorney.



                                       3
<PAGE>   4

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

    (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

        (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
    a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

         (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
    Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act");

        (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
    effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
    post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
    represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
    registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
    decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
    securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
    deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range
    may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
    pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and
    price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
    offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in
    the effective registration statement; and

        (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
    distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any
    material change to such information in the registration statement;

    provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if
    the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the
    information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
    paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
    SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act
    that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

        (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
    Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a
    new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
    the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
    initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
    any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
    termination of the offering.

    (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
    determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
    Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
    Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
    plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
    incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to
    be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein,
    and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
    initial bona fide offering thereof.

    (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
    Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
    Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
    Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such
    indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
    and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
    indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
    Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
    controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any
    action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
    controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the
    Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
    settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
    jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against
    public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the
    final adjudication of such issue.



                                       4
<PAGE>   5





                                   SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Irving, State of Texas, on June 6, 2001.

                                                 KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION

                                                 By: /s/ WAYNE R. SANDERS
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                       Wayne R. Sanders
                                                   Chairman of the Board and
                                                    Chief Executive Officer

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<S>                                        <C>                             <C>
         /s/ WAYNE R. SANDERS              Chairman of the Board and       June 6, 2001
         ---------------------              Chief Executive Officer
         Wayne R. Sanders                   and Director (principal
                                            executive officer)

         /s/ JOHN W. DONEHOWER             Senior Vice President and       June 6, 2001
         ---------------------              Chief Financial Officer
         John W. Donehower                  (principal financial
                                            officer)

         /s/ RANDY J. VEST                 Vice President and              June 6, 2001
         ---------------------              Controller (principal
         Randy J. Vest                      accounting officer)
</TABLE>


                                    DIRECTORS


                      *                                             *
          ---------------------------                  -------------------------
               John F. Bergstrom                          Claudio X. Gonzalez

                      *                                             *
          ---------------------------                  -------------------------
           Pastora San Juan Cafferty                       Linda Johnson Rice

                      *                                             *
          ---------------------------                  -------------------------
                Paul J. Collins                            Wolfgang R. Schmitt

                      *                                             *
          ---------------------------                  -------------------------
              Robert W. Decherd                               Marc J. Shapiro

                      *                                             *
          ---------------------------                  -------------------------
                Thomas J. Falk                              Randall L. Tobias

                      *
          ---------------------------
              William O. Fifield

                 June 6, 2001

          *By: /s/ O. GEORGE EVERBACH
          ---------------------------
              O. George Everbach
               Attorney-in-Fact



                                       5
<PAGE>   6




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

    The following is a list of Exhibits included as part of this Registration
Statement. Items marked with an asterisk are filed herewith.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                 EXHIBIT
                 NUMBER                   DESCRIPTION
                 -------                  -----------
<S>                        <C>
                  4.1      -- Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
                           Registrant, dated June 12, 1997, is hereby
                           incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 3a to the
                           Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Registrant for the
                           year ended December 31, 1999.

                  4.2      -- By-Laws of the Registrant, as amended November 22,
                           1996, are hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           No. 4.2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of
                           the Registrant filed with the SEC on December 6, 1996
                           (Registration No. 33-17367).

                  4.3      -- Rights Agreement dated as of June 21, 1988, as
                           amended and restated as of June 8, 1995, between the
                           Registrant and The First National Bank of Boston, as
                           Rights Agent, is hereby incorporated by reference to
                           Exhibit No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form
                           8-A/A of the Registrant filed with the SEC on June
                           13, 1995.

                  4.4      -- Certificate of Adjustment, dated March 7, 1997,
                           filed by the Registrant with The First National Bank
                           of Boston, as Rights Agent, is hereby incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit No. 2 to the Registration
                           Statement on Form 8-A/A of the Registrant filed with
                           the SEC on March 17, 1997.

                  4.5*     -- Kimberly-Clark Corporation 2001 Equity
                           Participation Plan.

                  5*       -- Opinion of O. George Everbach.

                  23.1*    -- Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

                  23.2*    -- Consent of O. George Everbach is contained in his
                           opinion filed as Exhibit No. 5.

                  24*      -- Powers of Attorney.
</TABLE>


                                       6
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "d88056s-8.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 23375}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "KIMBERLY CLARK CORP", "cik": "0000055785", "assigned-sic": "2621", "irs-number": "390394230", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-62358", "film-number": "1654793"}, "business-address": {"street1": "P O BOX 619100", "street2": "DFW AIRPORT STATION", "city": "DALLAS", "state": "TX", "zip": "75261-9100", "phone": "9722811200"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "351 PHELPS DRIVE", "city": "IRVING", "state": "TX", "zip": "75038"}}
1

      AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 6, 2001

                                                    REGISTRATION NO. 333-_______

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                             Registration Statement
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                           KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

             DELAWARE                                       39-0394230
    (State or Other Jurisdiction                        (I.R.S. Employer
  of Incorporation or Organization)                  Identification Number)
         P.O. BOX 619100                                   75261-9100
           DALLAS, TEXAS                                   (Zip Code)
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

            KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION 2001 EQUITY PARTICIPATION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plans)

                               O. GEORGE EVERBACH
               SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT -- LAW AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
                                 P.O. BOX 619100
                            DALLAS, TEXAS 75261-9100
                                 (972) 281-1200
 (Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
=======================================================================================================

                                                       PROPOSED        PROPOSED
                                                        MAXIMUM         MAXIMUM
          TITLE OF SECURITIES        AMOUNT TO BE   OFFERING PRICE     AGGREGATE         AMOUNT OF
           TO BE REGISTERED           REGISTERED       PER UNIT     OFFERING PRICE   REGISTRATION FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, $1.25 par value   30,000,000        $  59.56(1)  $1,786,800,000(1)  $446,700.00
                                    shares

    Preferred Stock Purchase        30,000,000                (2)                (2)             (2)
    Rights.......................   rights
=======================================================================================================
(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
    required by Section 6(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant
    to Rule 457(c) thereunder, based on $59.56, the average of the high and low
    prices of the common stock on June 1, 2001, as reported in the consolidated
    reporting system.

(2) The preferred stock purchase rights initially are attached to and trade with
    the shares of common stock being registered hereby. Value attributable to
    such rights, if any, is reflected in the market price of the common stock.

================================================================================
2

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

    The following documents previously filed by the Registrant with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") are incorporated herein by
reference:

         1. The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
    December 31, 2000;

         2. The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
    March 31, 2001;

         3. The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in the
    Proxy Statement/Prospectus constituting a part of the Registrant's
    Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-94139); and

         4. The description of the Registrant's Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
    contained in Registration Statements on Form 8-A and amendments thereto
    filed by the Registrant with the SEC on June 21, 1988, June 13, 1995 and
    March 17, 1997.

    All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14
or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or
which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the dates of
filing of such reports and documents. Any statement contained in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein, or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or
superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to
constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

    Not applicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

    Certain legal matters have been passed upon for the Registrant by O. George
Everbach, Senior Vice President -- Law and Government Affairs of the Registrant.
As of June 1, 2001, Mr. Everbach owned 69,780 shares of the Registrant's common
stock and held options to acquire 448,586 shares of such common stock (of which
options to acquire 311,586 shares are presently exercisable), and, as of June 1,
2001, 17,567 shares of such common stock were attributable to his account
under the Registrant's Salaried Employees Incentive Investment Plan. Mr.
Everbach also participates in other employee benefit plans of the Registrant.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

    The Registrant's By-laws (the "By-Laws") provide, among other things, that
the Registrant shall (i) indemnify any person who was or is a party or is
threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative
(other than an action by or in the right of the Registrant) by reason of the
fact that he is or was a director or officer of the Registrant, or is or was
serving at the request of the Registrant as a director or officer of another
corporation, or, in the case of a director or officer of the Registrant, is or
was serving as an employee or agent of a partnership, joint venture, trust or
other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines
and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in
a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of
the Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, and (ii) indemnify any
person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the
Registrant to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is
or was a director or officer of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the
request of the Registrant as a director or officer of another corporation, or,
in the case of a director or officer of the Registrant, is or was serving as an
employee or agent of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually

                                       2
3

and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of
such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Registrant and
except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or
matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
Registrant unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court
in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that,
despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of
the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such
expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Registrant is not required to indemnify any
director or officer of the Registrant in connection with a proceeding (or
portion thereof) initiated by such director or officer against the Registrant or
any directors, officers or employees thereof unless (i) the initiation of such
proceeding (or portion thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of the
Registrant or (ii) notwithstanding the lack of such authorization, the person
seeking indemnification is successful on the merits. The By-Laws further provide
that the indemnification provided therein shall not be deemed exclusive of any
other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled.

    Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
authorizes indemnification by the Registrant of directors and officers under the
circumstances provided in the provisions of the By-Laws described above, and
requires such indemnification for expenses actually and reasonably incurred to
the extent a director or officer is successful in the defense of any action, or
any claim, issue or matter therein.

    The Registrant has purchased insurance which purports to insure the
Registrant against certain costs of indemnification which may be incurred by it
pursuant to the By-Laws and to insure the officers and directors of the
Registrant, and of its subsidiary companies, against certain liabilities
incurred by them in the discharge of their functions as such officers and
directors except for liabilities resulting from their own malfeasance.

ITEM 7. EXEMPTIONS FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

    Not Applicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

    The following is a list of Exhibits included as part of this Registration
Statement. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted
schedule to the SEC upon request. Items marked with an asterisk are filed
herewith.

                  4.1      -- Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
                           Registrant, dated June 12, 1997, is hereby
                           incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 3a to the
                           Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Registrant for the
                           year ended December 31, 1999.

                  4.2      -- By-Laws of the Registrant, as amended November 22,
                           1996, are hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           No. 4.2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of
                           the Registrant filed with the SEC on December 6, 1996
                           (Registration No. 33-17367).

                  4.3      -- Rights Agreement dated as of June 21, 1988, as
                           amended and restated as of June 8, 1995, between the
                           Registrant and The First National Bank of Boston, as
                           Rights Agent, is hereby incorporated by reference to
                           Exhibit No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form
                           8-A/A of the Registrant filed with the SEC on June
                           13, 1995.

                  4.4      -- Certificate of Adjustment, dated March 7, 1997,
                           filed by the Registrant with The First National Bank
                           of Boston, as Rights Agent, is hereby incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit No. 2 to the Registration
                           Statement on Form 8-A/A of the Registrant filed with
                           the SEC on March 17, 1997.

                  4.5*     -- Kimberly-Clark Corporation 2001 Equity
                           Participation Plan.

                  5*       -- Opinion of O. George Everbach.

                  23.1*    -- Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

                  23.2*    -- Consent of O. George Everbach is contained in his
                           opinion filed as Exhibit No. 5.

                  24*      -- Powers of Attorney.

                                       3
4

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

    (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

        (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
    a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

         (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
    Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act");

        (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
    effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
    post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
    represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
    registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
    decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
    securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
    deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range
    may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
    pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and
    price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
    offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in
    the effective registration statement; and

        (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
    distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any
    material change to such information in the registration statement;

    provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if
    the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the
    information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
    paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
    SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act
    that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

        (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
    Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a
    new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
    the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
    initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
    any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
    termination of the offering.

    (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
    determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
    Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
    Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
    plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
    incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to
    be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein,
    and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
    initial bona fide offering thereof.

    (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
    Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
    Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
    Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such
    indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
    and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
    indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
    Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
    controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any
    action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
    controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the
    Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
    settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
    jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against
    public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the
    final adjudication of such issue.

                                       4
5

                                   SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Irving, State of Texas, on June 6, 2001.

                                                 KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION

                                                 By: /s/ WAYNE R. SANDERS
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                       Wayne R. Sanders
                                                   Chairman of the Board and
                                                    Chief Executive Officer

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
/s/ WAYNE R. SANDERS              Chairman of the Board and       June 6, 2001
         ---------------------              Chief Executive Officer
         Wayne R. Sanders                   and Director (principal
                                            executive officer)

         /s/ JOHN W. DONEHOWER             Senior Vice President and       June 6, 2001
         ---------------------              Chief Financial Officer
         John W. Donehower                  (principal financial
                                            officer)

         /s/ RANDY J. VEST                 Vice President and              June 6, 2001
         ---------------------              Controller (principal
         Randy J. Vest                      accounting officer)
DIRECTORS

                      *                                             *
          ---------------------------                  -------------------------
               John F. Bergstrom                          Claudio X. Gonzalez

                      *                                             *
          ---------------------------                  -------------------------
           Pastora San Juan Cafferty                       Linda Johnson Rice

                      *                                             *
          ---------------------------                  -------------------------
                Paul J. Collins                            Wolfgang R. Schmitt

                      *                                             *
          ---------------------------                  -------------------------
              Robert W. Decherd                               Marc J. Shapiro

                      *                                             *
          ---------------------------                  -------------------------
                Thomas J. Falk                              Randall L. Tobias

                      *
          ---------------------------
              William O. Fifield

                 June 6, 2001

          *By: /s/ O. GEORGE EVERBACH
          ---------------------------
              O. George Everbach
               Attorney-in-Fact

                                       5
6

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

    The following is a list of Exhibits included as part of this Registration
Statement. Items marked with an asterisk are filed herewith.
EXHIBIT
                 NUMBER                   DESCRIPTION
                 -------                  -----------
4.1      -- Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
                           Registrant, dated June 12, 1997, is hereby
                           incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 3a to the
                           Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Registrant for the
                           year ended December 31, 1999.

                  4.2      -- By-Laws of the Registrant, as amended November 22,
                           1996, are hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           No. 4.2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of
                           the Registrant filed with the SEC on December 6, 1996
                           (Registration No. 33-17367).

                  4.3      -- Rights Agreement dated as of June 21, 1988, as
                           amended and restated as of June 8, 1995, between the
                           Registrant and The First National Bank of Boston, as
                           Rights Agent, is hereby incorporated by reference to
                           Exhibit No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form
                           8-A/A of the Registrant filed with the SEC on June
                           13, 1995.

                  4.4      -- Certificate of Adjustment, dated March 7, 1997,
                           filed by the Registrant with The First National Bank
                           of Boston, as Rights Agent, is hereby incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit No. 2 to the Registration
                           Statement on Form 8-A/A of the Registrant filed with
                           the SEC on March 17, 1997.

                  4.5*     -- Kimberly-Clark Corporation 2001 Equity
                           Participation Plan.

                  5*       -- Opinion of O. George Everbach.

                  23.1*    -- Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

                  23.2*    -- Consent of O. George Everbach is contained in his
                           opinion filed as Exhibit No. 5.

                  24*      -- Powers of Attorney.
6