#Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2017-10-19

Preemie Diaper and Protective Underwear products are finalists for Hygienix Innovation Award™ 2017

Comfort is a key benefit of the three engineered material products that are finalists for the Hygienix Innovation Award 2017 that will be selected by attendees of the premier absorbent hygiene and personal care event Nov. 6-9 at the Renaissance Austin Hotel in Texas.

Vying for the prestigious prize are Advanced Absorbent Technologies’ Alyne Protective Underwear, Kimberly-Clark’s Huggies Little Snugglers Nano Preemie Diaper and Procter & Gamble’s Pampers Swaddler Preemie Diapers.

Each uses nonwoven/engineered fabrics in a novel, technically sophisticated and uniquely creative and expansive way to make their products more comfortable for infants or adults wearing them.

Selected by technical industry experts and members of INDA who serve on the Technical Advisory Board, the voting will next move to the attendees of Hygienix 2017 who will choose their favorite after seeing the products and hearing presentations o Nov. 7.

The awards presentation will take place on Nov. 9 at 12 p.m. and the event will also feature recognition of the winners of the INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award and the INDA Lifetime Service Award.

Last year’s Hygienix Innovation Award was presented to Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE) for their Go! Pads, a banana fiber-based, low-cost feminine pad that sustainably delivers affordable hygiene for women and girls in Rwanda.

Hygienix Innovation Award Finalists

The finalist products were selected from the applications submitted for their creativity, novelty of approach, uniqueness and technical sophistication. They are:

Advanced Absorbent Technologies’ Alyne Protective Underwear – This new product manages fluid absorption in protective underwear differently by using multiple layers of different superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) that absorb at different rates, from quick absorption to complete absorption without bulkiness. The SAP layers are diamond quilted in a pocketed structure, sandwiched between layers of polypropylene spunbond and then ultrasonically bonded together. This design can provide stability, excellent SAP absorbency management, thinness, dryness for more comfort and discretion that provides the wearer confidence through protection.
Kimberly-Clark’s Huggies Little Snugglers Nano Preemie Diaper – Designed specifically for babies weighing less than two pounds, each diaper is hand inspected to protect these fragile babies. To promote healthy growth and development, the product has gentle, specially-sized fasteners coupled with a narrow and flexible absorbent pad, providing a flexible fit so that baby can be comfortably and appropriately positioned. The soft, smooth liner and gentle leg gathers can keep baby dry without irritating fragile, underdeveloped skin.
Procter & Gamble Company’s Pampers Swaddler Preemie Diapers – The smallest babies can have the proper fit, tailored features and a soft touch with these diapers specially designed for premature infants with NICU nurses around the world. The “right-sized” diapers include customizable features that enable minimal disruption to care. The new micro-preemie P-3 is a size smaller than the P-2 micro-preemie, sized to fit babies less than 800g and includes improvements to the contour fit core, absorbency, fastening and gentle flex cuff.

INDA honors four industry leaders with 2026 Lifetime Service and Technical Achievement Awards

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, has announced the four distinguished recipients of the 2026 INDA Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Award. Tom Daugherty, Pricie Hanna, Carey Hobbs, and CK Wong are being recognized for their exceptional leadership, innovation, and enduring contributions to advancing the nonwovens industry and strengthening the global community it serves.

ANDRITZ sets focus on textile recycling and durable nonwoven production technologies at ITMA Asia 2025

International technology Group ANDRITZ will be presenting its innovative nonwovens production and textile solutions at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025 in Singapore, from October 28 to 31, 2025 (Hall 2, D106). ANDRITZ will showcase its MMCF production plants, textile sorting and recycling, bast fiber processing, needlepunch, airlay, and life-cycle service technologies, with a focus on sustainable solutions. Discover how these innovations can grow your business opportunities and support a greener future.

OUTLOOK™ 2025: Charting a sustainable and innovative future for the Nonwovens Industry

EDANA concluded its flagship event, OUTLOOK™ 2025, last week, marking it as a major success and addressing the biggest questions facing the industry. The three-day conference highlighted the urgent need for a unified approach to sustainability, regulation, and innovation in the absorbent hygiene and wipes sectors.

Global Nonwovens Alliance unveils Inaugural Board, advancing collaboration and growth worldwide

The Global Nonwovens Alliance (GNA), a tax-exempt federation jointly founded by INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, and EDANA, the Voice of Nonwovens, announces the appointment of its founding Board of Directors. This group of leaders represents some of the most influential executives across the nonwovens value chain and reflects GNA’s mission to foster global collaboration, innovation, and growth in the industry.

Fifteen years of Autoneum – From spin off to global technology leader

What started as a strategic carve‑out has since become the success story of a global technology leader in acoustic and thermal management solutions for vehicles. Headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, Autoneum supplies leading automobile manufacturers worldwide with innovative, lightweight and increasingly sustainable solutions.

Kruger, Canada, orders first nonwovens line for sustainable wipes from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from newly established Kruger Nonwovens to deliver a complete WetlaceTM hybrid line for the Wayagamack mill in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. With this investment, pulp and paper producer Kruger is preparing to enter the nonwovens market with a new generation of plastic-free, chemical-free materials for sustainable wipes. The line is the first of its kind in Canada and is scheduled to start production in 2028.

Picanol to present its leading weaving technology at ITM 2026

Picanol is pleased to announce it will be participating in ITM 2026 in Istanbul. This is a key event for industry professionals to engage with the Turkish textile industry as well as the extensive international audience attending the fair. During the event, Picanol will present its latest innovations to the visitors in Hall 8, booth 802.