#Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2025-01-09

INDA opens registration for IDEA®25: Conference & exhibition to focus on advancing sustainability in nonwovens

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, today announced that registration is open for the IDEA®25 International Conference and Exhibition on April 29-May 1, 2025, at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Florida.

For the first time at IDEA, the two-day conference will be dedicated exclusively to sustainability, recognizing its critical importance to the nonwovens industry. The conference will bring together C-suite leaders, business development professionals, sustainability managers, product developers, regulatory teams, sales, and marketing to advance “Nonwovens for a Healthier Planet.”

The regional market overviews and company presentations that have previously been part of the conference program will be moved to the exhibition portion of IDEA, which will spotlight product innovations and solutions from leading companies across the industry.

“Industry leaders will convene at IDEA25 to share knowledge and insights that will propel the sustainability movement within the nonwovens sector,” said Matt O’Sickey, Ph.D., INDA’s Director of Education & Technical Affairs. “We are excited to provide a collaborative platform where innovation meets environmental responsibility, ensuring the health of our planet and the future of our industry.”

Among the topics industry experts will explore in presentations and panel discussions at IDEA25 are:

+ Regulations: Upcoming regulations in the U.S., European Union (EU), and the United Nations impacting sustainability efforts

+ Product and Process Innovations: Sourcing sustainable materials featuring natural fibers, advances in biodegradability and compostability, and fiber-to-nonwoven recycling and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives

+ Circular Economy and Bio-Materials: Responsible sourcing, innovations in sustainability, and end-of-life solutions that reduce waste and lower energy consumption, leading to significant cost and resource savings

Details regarding the presenters and abstracts for the conference will be announced in the coming weeks.

IDEA25 highlights

The IDEA® Achievement Awards, in partnership with Nonwovens Industry magazine, will be presented based on the results of online voting in six categories, including sustainability achievement.

The event will kick off on April 28th with training courses covering the essentials of nonwovens and market-focused areas, including a Nonwovens 101 short course on manufacturing nonwovens and advanced sessions on technical design and performance in baby and adult care absorbent systems, wet wipes, period products, and filter media training.

In conjunction with IDEA25, INDA also announced registration has opened for FiltXPO™ 2025, the International Filtration Conference and Exhibition, on April 29-May 1, 2025, at the Miami Beach Convention Center. For updates on both events, visit the INDA website.

ATCO Hygienics, Uzbekistan, orders baby diaper production line from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from ATCO Hygienics to supply a new baby diaper production line for its plant in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The order is included in ANDRITZ’s order intake for the first quarter of 2026. Commissioning of the production line is scheduled for the end of 2026.

Nico Pedretti appointed as Managing Director Graf Group

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

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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.

TM WEFT, 270" – More width, more design freedom for the fashion world

KARL MAYER is expanding its successful TM WEFT series with an innovative model that opens up new possibilities, particularly in the fashion & apparel sectors. With a working width of 270", this new machine with weft-insertion not only offers significantly higher output than its narrower counterparts but is also specifically tailored to the demands of dynamic clothing market – particularly in China and Türkiye. A well-thought-out upgrade also ensures even greater design versatility.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.