#Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2022-05-12

INDA announces three finalists for the World of Wipes Innovation Award®

Sustainable products that solve problems are the themes for this year’s finalists for the World of Wipes Innovation Award® that will be presented at the 16th annual World of Wipes® International Conference, June 27-30, at the Marriott Marquis in Chicago, Illinois.

The three products vying for the prestigious award are an all-natural substitute for plastic fibers from Bast Fibre Technologies, a dual-textured 3D cleaning wipe from Fitesa and an environmentally safe flushable wipe from Nice-Pak.

INDA’s Technical Advisory Board selected the finalists from nearly 20 submissions based on their creativity, novelty, uniqueness, technical sophistication within the entire nonwovens wipes value chain and expansion of nonwovens use.

Participants at the 2022 World of Wipes (WOW) International Conference will have the opportunity to help select the winner following presentations by company representatives on June 28. The winner will be announced on June 30 at 11 a.m.

Kimberly-Clark Scott® 24-Hour Sanitizing Wipes was the recipient of the 2021 World of Wipes Innovation Award®.

This year’s in-person WOW International Conference is expected to draw 400-plus senior-level wipes professionals from all wipes segments, repeating last year’s strong live event that welcomed 475 wipes professionals from 14 countries to Atlanta, GA.

Finalists Announced

The three companies vying for the award (in alphabetical order) are:

• Bast Fibre Technologies – Sero® Hemp Fibers

Bast Fibre Technologies’ sero® hemp fibers offer the nonwoven industry an all-natural substitute for plastic fibers. From dedicated European Union (EU) and US-based production facilities, BFT transforms raw bast fibers into premium natural fibers that are ideal for applications ranging from single-use and durable wipes to industrial applications. Suitable for minority or majority blends, sero® hemp combines easily with standard nonwoven fibers to produce fabrics that meet the industry requirements for strength, uniformity, and processing efficiency.

• Fitesa – Dual Textured 3D Wipe

In response to the need for improved composite materials for cleaning surfaces, Fitesa introduced a newly developed 3D embossed, dual textured wiper. This novel nonwoven features exceptional cleaning capability, durability, dirt/debris capture, and fluid pick-up. Several configurations are offered, including MSM (Meltblown SpunBond, Meltblown), MSMSM (Meltblown, SMS, Meltblown), and more. All can be customized with scrubby surfaces and 3D embossed options as well as “Green” options such as polylactic acid. Features include exceptional abrasion resistance for wipe longevity, significantly improved debris capture capacity; and durability of wipe life compared to competitors. The wipe is produced with two different surface polymers to enhance roughness (scrubby-side) and softness (finish side).

• Nice ’N CLEAN® SecureFLUSHTM Technology Flushable Wipes by Nice-Pak

After six years of rigorous testing and development, Nice-Pak introduced SecureFLUSH™ technology flushable wipes, a 100 percent cellulose nonwoven that is strong and durable yet breaks apart five times faster than the leading brand of two-ply toilet paper. A specialty “lock and key” design of plant-based fibers and formula leverages patent-pending technology to make the product strong and durable while breaking apart rapidly when flushed to ensure responsible care of plumbing and wastewater.

WOW 2022 Conference Highlights

This year’s WOW conference sessions focus on: Circular & Sustainable Wipes, Supply Chain Challenges in Wipes, Nonwoven Substrates for More Sustainable Wipes, Trends in the Wipes Market and Among Consumers, Disinfection Concerns and New Technologies, Sustainable Wipe Packaging Trends, and Developments in Flushability Issues.

Registration for WOW 2022 remains open and tabletop display reservations also are available. For additional details, see the conference website.

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.

New study shows low environmental impact by Cotton made in Africa Organic Cotton from Tanzania

Today, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is announcing the results of a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) for cotton produced in Tanzania under the Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic) standard. The study emphasises the small ecological footprint of CmiA Organic verified cotton. This can largely be traced back to the absence of synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and artificial irrigation. Consequently, CmiA Organic cotton can help the textile industry meet regulatory requirements as well as science-based targets. The results also show that the consequences of climate change threaten the livelihoods of these cotton farmers, even though the type of agriculture they practise barely contributes to climate change.

PERFORMANCE DAYS proves its relevance as the industry’s key meeting point

Held on March 18–19, 2026, PERFORMANCE DAYS once again confirmed its position as a leading international platform for functional textiles. A total of 3.366 trade visitors and around 560 exhibitors gathered in Munich, with the event already kicking off successfully on DAY 0, which received highly positive feedback for its interactive format. Despite challenging conditions caused by the public transport strike in Munich, the event saw strong attendance and a consistently high level of activity across both exhibition days.