Various processes and methods are disclosed for incorporating polyvinyl alcohol additives into products. In one embodiment, polyvinyl alcohol particles are dissolved in a solvent without the use of external heat to form a polyvinyl alcohol solution for incorporation into a product. In an alternative embodiment, polyvinyl alcohol particles are directly incorporated into a starch-based adhesive composition. Through the processes of the present disclosure, solid polyvinyl alcohol particles can be delivered directly to a manufacturing facility where the product that incorporates the polyvinyl alcohol additive is being made or formulated. In this manner, since the polyvinyl alcohol particles are not predissolved, the costs associated with shipping and transporting the polyvinyl alcohol product are greatly reduced.