#Nonwovens

2026-04-02

INDA announces legislative champion and industry advocate awards

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced the winners of its inaugural Legislative Champion and Industry Advocate of the Year Awards, recognizing policymakers and industry members for their support of the nonwovens industry’s advocacy agenda.

Legislative champion award winners were Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-MI), recognized for their support of the WIPPES Act, which would enact national Do Not Flush labeling standards for non-flushable wipes. Senator Merkley accepted his award in person at INDA’s third annual Washington D.C. Fly-In and Advocacy Summit, held in conjunction with ISSA, the Worldwide Cleaning Association’s Clean Advocacy Summit.

Senator Merkley was able to share the news with the group that the WIPPES Act, S. 1092, had been passed by the United States Senate the day prior with unanimous consent.

Industry Advocate of the Year awards were given to Martyn Davis, President of Sellars Nonwovens, and Sam Nebel, co-founder of Goodwipes, in recognition for their support of the nonwoven industry and INDA’s wipes advocacy.

“INDA would like to extend a heartfelt thanks and congratulations to all awardees,” noted INDA government affairs director Wes Fisher, “It was a great moment for Senator Merkley to join us in person to share the news of the Senate passage of the WIPPES Act, he and Representative McClain have been instrumental in moving this key legislation. Additionally, we would like to thank and recognize Sam and Martyn for their steadfast support of the nonwovens industry’s advocacy agenda.”

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.

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.

Modernizing Needling – DiloGroup at Techtextil & INDEX 2026

With the theme “Modernizing Needling”, the DiloGroup presents a comprehensively enhanced portfolio for needling technology. The objective is to further increase the performance and application range of needlefelt production lines in terms of productivity, flexibility, and the development of new products, thereby meeting the growing demands of modern technical textiles.

LineONE – Smart performance, smart investment at Techtextil 2026

At Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt (April 21–24, Hall 12, Booth C79), AUTEFA Solutions will present its LineONE concepts for cost-efficient nonwoven production. As a full-line supplier for nonwoven production lines, AUTEFA Solutions covers the entire process chain – from fibre opening through to web bonding. With its LineONE line concepts, the company combines proven technologies into well-balanced, cost-efficient turnkey solutions. These concepts are designed for capacity expansions, modernisation projects and new production lines, offering robust design and high flexibility for applications such as filtration, geotextiles and automotive.

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.