From the Sector

The winners of the 2025 IDEA® Achievement Awards and FiltXPO™ Innovation Awards were announced during special ceremonies held April 29 and 30 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida. Presented at the co-located IDEA®25 and FiltXPO™ 2025 events, the awards celebrate outstanding innovations driving progress in nonwovens and filtration. INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, collaborated with International Filtration News for the FiltXPO™ Awards and Nonwovens Industry magazine for the IDEA® Achievement Awards.

IDEA® Equipment Achievement Award
Dilo Systems GmbH – MicroPunch
The rising energy costs and water shortages have led to a re-evaluation of production methods, with a stronger focus on environmental impact. With MicroPunch, it is possible to reduce energy consumption by approximately 75 percent compared with other consolidation techniques that produce lightweight nonwovens. This technology enhances efficiency and reduces the manufacturing costs and the environmental footprint.

IDEA® Nonwoven Products Achievement Award
Innovatec Microfibre Technology GmbH & Co. KG – InnovaWipe® Water-Soluble Nonwoven
This water-soluble nonwoven is completely biodegradable under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. It offers excellent resistance to oils, greases and chemicals. It does not leave any microplastics behind, breaking down into carbon dioxide, water and biomass. It also has no ecotoxic effects, is safe for the marine environment and does not cause fatbergs or blockages in wastewater systems – flushable and home compostable.

IDEA® Raw Materials Achievement Award
Woolchemy NZ Ltd. – neweFibre
Woolchemy’s neweFibre is the world’s first hygiene-grade wool, engineered for high-performance, sustainable hygiene products. This fully traceable, renewable fiber enhances moisture management, thermal comfort, and odor control. Seamlessly integrating into production, neweFibre powers innovations like neweFlex ADL for exceptional fluid distribution and skin dryness.

IDEA® Short-life Achievement Award
Egal Pads, Inc. – Egal™ Pads on a Roll
At Egal, we believe pads should be as common as toilet paper.  Our vision is that “pads on a roll” will be put in every toilet stall – where they are needed most – to ensure privacy and dignity to all who menstruate.  Egal pads are manufactured in roll form, 40 individually wrapped on each roll, so they can be mounted on existing toilet paper dispensers or in Egal’s custom-designed dispensers.

IDEA® Long-life Achievement Award
Magnera – Sontara® EcoRE Bag
EcoRE bags are produced entirely from cellulosic fibers, presenting a sustainable alternative to traditional synthetic materials. Made with Sontara fabric certified by OK compost HOME, these bags maintain their durability and strength without the need for added binders, addressing a common concern with compostable goods. With plastic bag bans now in place in many states, Sontara offers a timely and eco-friendly solution for the retail and shopping market.

IDEA® Sustainability Advancement Award
KINDCLOTH™ – PURA HEALTH Insect Repellent – Water Dissolvable Wipes
This wet wipe combines water-dissolvable Hydropol™ technology with a natural formula featuring lemongrass and citronella. Designed for eco-conscious consumers, this innovative wipe provides effective insect protection while leaving no waste behind. Certified biodegradable, flushable, and designed not to create harmful microplastics, it safeguards fragile ecosystems and supports sustainability goals.

IDEA® Entrepreneur Award
Dude Products, Inc.
In less than a decade, the Dude Wipes brand has grown from an entrepreneurial concept conceived in a bachelor’s post-college apartment to a more than $200 million global brand. These flushable wipes have flourished in flushable wipes industry, successfully going head to head against multinational consumer product companies Kimberly-Clark, S.C. Johnson, and Procter & Gamble.

FiltXPO Air/Gas Filtration Award
Greentech Environmental LLC – Greentech Filters with ODOGard®
ODOGard® technology deeply integrates odor-neutralizing polymers into nonwoven and nanofiber filters, offering an innovative, non-toxic approach to indoor air quality. ODOGard® significantly enhances filtration durability and performance.

FiltXPO Water/Liquid Filtration Award
Ahlstrom – BioProtect™
Ahlstrom’s sustainable BioProtect™ material offers superior dye-catching performance for laundry applications. Manufactured from 100 percent naturally derived fibers and OC-Biobinder®, BioProtect™ is both biobased and home compostable, combining premium performance with environmental responsibility.

FiltXPO Filtration Equipment Award
Filtration Advice Inc. – FA-TCO Software
This cutting-edge software provides comprehensive Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis and predictive modeling for air filtration systems. FA-TCO enables data-driven decisions, extending filter lifespans, reducing operational costs, and enhancing overall sustainability in filtration management.

Ontex Group NV, a leading international developer and producer of personal care products, announces that it has completed the divestment of its Brazilian business activities to Softys S.A., a personal hygiene company with operations across Latin America and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Empresas CMPC S.A., headquartered in Chile.

The transaction includes Ontex’s business in Brazil and its manufacturing facility in Senador Canedo in the State of Goiás. The business develops, manufactures, commercializes and distributes diapers and pants for the baby care market under the PomPom, Cremer, Sapeka and Turma da Mônica brands, as well as for the adult care market under the Bigfral brand. It employs approximately 1,400 employees.

Gustavo Calvo Paz, CEO of Ontex, said: “Reaching this milestone allows us to focus further on our retailer brands and healthcare in Europe and North America, where we have significant growth drivers for the future. Moreover, the proceeds from the sale will further reduce our indebtedness, putting us in an even stronger position to further execute our transformation. I am convinced that Softys is well placed to take the business forward, enabled by the talent and expertise of our teams.“

Aggregate net cash proceeds received at closing, net of cash/debt disposed, are €81 million, after the impact of tax-related and transaction costs, hedging expenses, as well as provisional balance sheet adjustments. On top of this amount, €18 million* will be put in escrow at closing.  The divestment proceeds will be used to reduce Ontex’s outstanding gross financial debt further.

Beaulieu Fibres International is exhibiting its next-generation sustainable fibre solutions for high performance nonwovens in various industries at IDEA25 in Miami Beach end of April.

“IDEA25 is at the intersection of nonwoven materials and sustainability, with a focus on innovation and research to address environmental challenges and new opportunities. With our Sustainable Fibres Program, we offer low carbon, recyclable and circular solutions where performance and sustainability go hand in hand, bringing value in co-design and TCO performance,” said Maria Teresa Tomaselli, General Manager, Beaulieu Fibres International.

Self-reinforced PP fibres for fully recyclable automotive composites
The company will be presenting its comprehensive range of polypropylene (PP) bonding fibres designed for thermoplastic lightweight composites and automotive interior fabrics. These fibres assist car manufacturers and OEMs in meeting stringent performance, cost-efficiency, and sustainability standards. Beaulieu’s PP fibres are engineered to enhance the mechanical, thermal, and functional properties of composites while reducing vehicle weight.

Fibres for high performance liquid and air filtration
Beaulieu has set new performance standards for the fast-growing air and liquid filtration industry rolling out its full range of MONO and BICO fine-medium count fibres, as an outcome of its investment into R&D efforts to promote staple fibres in the field of high efficiency filtration.

In addition to its existing portfolio of PP fibres for liquid filtration, compliant with FDA and European food contact regulations, Beaulieu is launching a new bicomponent fibre range in PET/PE, PP/PE for high loft filtration media and fine count mono PP fibres for tribo-electric charged air filter media.

The fine count mono fibres are customized according to the line specifics of the nonwoven producer and guarantee up to 20% higher filtration efficiencies for nonwovens in combination with state-of-the-art acrylic counter fibre compared to standard PP fibres used in this application. Typical applications are air handling units in larger buildings and residential furnaces.

Premium outdoor PP fibres for resilient, weather-resistant crop protection solutions
Engineered for superior mechanical strength and resistance to environmental stress factors, these fibres enhance durability in needle-punched fabrics, ensuring long-lasting protection in the field. Their advanced UV stabilization prevents degradation from prolonged sun exposure, extending the lifespan of crop covers, while their hydrophobic properties repel water, reducing moisture-related damage and maintaining breathability.

Ultrabond, design for recycling
Discover UltraBond innovative bonding staple fibres that replace the need for chemical binders. They open a path to create 100% polypropylene (PP) needlepunched fabrics which meet the same performance requirements as traditional constructions, while reducing end-of-life environmental impact.

The 100% polyolefin-based needlepunched fabrics are fully recyclable, reducing waste generation and creating high value PP recycled products as new materials. Furthermore, the sustainable fabrics are produced with an improved Total Cost of Ownership and with a significant ecological footprint reduction.

Beaulieu strengthening its position in the hygiene market
With a full portfolio already serving the hygiene sector, Beaulieu is focusing on next-generation speciality bicomponent solutions designed to enhance softness, processability, and sustainability in absorbent hygiene products.

Hypersoft fibres are specifically engineered for topsheet applications in direct contact with the skin: 25% improvement in softness compared to standard reference fibres while maintaining optimal processability has been achieved.

Meralux is a bicomponent trilobal fibre that improves nonwoven materials by providing better opacity, comfort, and absorption. It also promotes sustainability by saving raw materials and reducing carbon emissions by up to 60%.

The Cleanzone, the trade fair for cleanroom and purity technology, hygiene and contamination control, took place in Frankfurt am Main on September 25 and 26, 2024. The Cleanzone Award is presented at the trade fair to recognize groundbreaking advances in innovation, automation, sustainability and efficiency in the field of cleanroom technology. This year, the award went to the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) and the Dastex Group GmbH for the development of a test method for cleanroom garments - the ReBa².

With the Realistic Bacterial Barrier (ReBa²) test method, the DITF offer a new biological method for determining the bacterial penetration for cleanroom garment textiles. Particularly in the manufacturing of sterile pharmaceuticals, bacteria, skin flakes and fiber particles that can originate from persons and their clothing pose a risk to the products manufactured in the cleanroom. Special cleanroom garments have the task of minimizing this risk. To assess the barrier function, the “bacterial penetration” is determined, among other properties. This provides information on how many bacteria from the human skin flora pass through the cleanroom garments to the outside when worn.

The ReBa² test method largely reproduces the situation when wearing cleanroom garments and thus enables a meaningful determination of the bacterial penetration. It is also possible to consider numerous test scenarios. In addition to the influence of intermediate garments worn under the cleanroom garments, the sweating process or the pre-wetting of the cleanroom garments by liquid splashes in the manufacturing process or by disinfectants can also be tested. The method was developed at the DITF in collaboration with the Dastex Group GmbH.

For the second year running, Global Standard is taking consumers #BehindTheSeams this September, highlighting the sustainable and social qualities of GOTS-certified products – from runway fashion to hygiene products and so much more in between. Building on the success of last year, #BehindTheSeams 2024 has expanded to take over the entire month, Sept. 2-30, with more education on the people and practices making sustainable textiles, plus giveaways planned each day.

Throughout September, Global Standard introduces daily giveaways on Instagram, featuring partnerships with GOTS-certified brands such as Frugi, FC St. Pauli, LangerChen, Natracare, Mandala, Dedicated, and more. Additionally, a giveaway will be hosted on behindtheseams.eco, where visitors can learn about sustainability by answering daily questions while earning entries. The grand prize is a sustainable trip to Paris. This includes train travel, a two-night stay at the eco-friendly Eden Lodge Paris and a private fitting for a custom GOTS-certified jacket by John Preston, the only brand offering made-to-measure GOTS-certified fashion.

#BehindTheSeams is also spotlighting "organic in-conversion" farming and urging brands to support farmers during the critical transition period from conventional to organic. In this campaign, GOTS has partnered with the Organic Cotton Accelerator, an organisation dedicated to supporting farmers throughout the cotton supply chain as they make the shift to and sustain organic practices. Together, GOTS and OCA want to send a message that brands can bolster the organic cotton supply by investing in and buying organic in-conversion cotton.

Devan Chemicals announces that its BI-OME® NTL MG technology has received the Allergy UK Seal of Approval. This recognition underscores the effectiveness of BI-OME® NTL MG in providing protection against dust mites.

Allergy UK, a leading charity dedicated to supporting people with allergies in the United Kingdom, has granted this accreditation following rigorous independent testing. The BI-OME® NTL MG technology, has been proven to be beneficial for those with allergic sensitivities to house dust mites. This has also been confirmed by an external lab according to French standard NF G 39-011.

BI-OME® NTL MG is a biobased, non-harmful anti-dust mite and antibacterial technology which guarantees optimal freshness and hygiene for all kinds of textiles, such as mattresses, mattress protectors, pillows and quilts.
It features a blend of linseed oil and margosa oil. Derived from flax seeds, linseed oil acts as an antibacterial agent, promoting sustainable freshness, while margosa oil is known for its anti-dust mite properties.

Devan’s customers will now have an opportunity to make use of the Allergy UK logo on their products that incorporate BI-OME® NTL MG technology after signing a license agreement with Allergy UK. This allows manufacturers to provide an added value to consumers seeking products that support allergy management.

Archroma will introduce its new Super Systems+ concept and highlight product innovations at Techtextil 2024, being held in Frankfurt, Germany from April 23 to 26.

A highlight of Archroma’s participation in Techtextil, Super Systems+ are powerful end-to-end systems that combine fiber-specific processing solutions and intelligent effects. The Super Systems+ suite encompasses wet processing solutions that deliver measurable environmental impact from sizing to finishing; durable colors and functional effects that add value and longevity to the end product; and cleaner chemistries that eliminate harmful or regulated substances.

For textile partners to the automotive industry, Archroma is introducing DOROSPERS® KHF, a new range of high-lightfast disperse dyes that provide optimum build up on polyester microfiber, including artificial suede for car interiors.

For nonwoven applications in fields such as healthcare, hygiene and filtration, Archroma recommends APPRETAN® FFX6750, a new addition to its range of high-performance zero-formaldehyde acrylic copolymers, and APPRETAN® FFX1540.

APPRETAN® FFX1540 is a new APEO free and formaldehyde free self-crosslinking polymer, medium soft with very low tackiness, and strongly hydrophobic, developed for the chemical bonding of nonwovens and for the coating of technical textiles, where low water absorption and high-water tightness are required, combined with high durability in severe environment.

For workwear and uniforms that protect people under adverse conditions, Archroma solutions include HELIZARIN® ULTRA-FAST, for printing with pigment dispersions and metallic pigments, and the new ALBAFIX® ECO Plus wet fastness improver. Archroma’s PFC-free PHOBOTEX® R-ACE durable water repellent delivers excellent water repellence while preserving fabric quality and ensuring sustainability. Archroma has also expanded the revolutionary AVITERA® SE GENERATION NEXT range of resource-saving dyes with new colors.

Further solutions for active wear and workwear include the newly launched bio-based PHOBOTEX® NTR-50 durable water repellent product, which is PFAS free, formaldehyde free and crosslinker free, as well NYLOFIXAN® HFS, a new fixing agent for polyamide and blends that is fully compliant with the latest restrictions on bisphenol compounds.

Archroma is also launching ARKOPHOB® NTR-40 at Techtextil 2024. The company’s first crosslinker with an improved sustainability profile, its monomers are partially derived from renewably sourced, plant-based raw materials. Another new innovation is biocide-free OX20, an odor-neutralizing technology launched by Archroma in partnership with SANITIZED AG.

For home textiles, mills and brands can select ARKOFIX® NZW formaldehyde-free* resin for high whiteness and extraordinary product stability, with no yellowing during storage at elevated temperatures, even over a prolonged period of time. For a super-soft handle, the SILIGEN® EH1 is a vegan silicone macro-emulsion softener with 35% plant-based active content.

To expand its support for high-end and luxurious automotive interiors, B.I.G. Yarns has completed its first industrial production runs of virgin polyester BCF yarns for automotive carpet to complement its line of polyamide PA6 superior yarns.

There is a growing market in PET for automotive interior applications, with polyester allowing automotive OEMs and Tier 1 to develop products that, from the outset, consider eco-design by building MONO-polymer carpets and flooring that are 100% recyclable at End of Life (EOL ). These materials are helping to ensure improved and more sustainable EOL recycling of electric vehicles that are driving the future of the car industry.

The new PET BCF Yarns offer high-performance for automotive carpets, including abrasion and stain resistance, and durability, passing all stringent automotive tests including the Taber test for abrasion performance, compressibility and recovery ability test, light fastness in automotive (DIN EN ISO 105-B06) and VOC (fogging) according the VDA 278 test on VOC and FOG emission. The yarns can be color solution dyed, have a dTex between 1300 – 1500, 81 filaments and are ideally for mats with a composition of 400 to 800 gram per m², while the yarns for molded carpets have a dTex of 1200, 144 filaments for 380 gram per m².

With the addition of PET BCF yarns, B.I.G. Yarns is now a one-stop-shop for 3 types of Solution Dyed BCF carpet yarns for the automotive industry: nylon (PA6), polypropylene (PP) and polyester (PET), and the Eqo-range of PA6 yarns – the sustainability focused EqoBalance, EqoCycle and EqoYarn.

The automotive carpet market is expected to grow strongly in the coming decade with the increased demand for vehicle customization and personalization driven by owners looking to upgrade and enhance interiors, including the flooring area.
A growing awareness around car hygiene is also boosting the market as consumers become more conscious of maintaining cleanliness in their vehicles, including the floors. Automotive carpets provide an effective solution by trapping dirt and preventing it from spreading to other areas.

Tampon for Men by Finnish hygiene product brand Vuokkoset aims to alleviate the distress transgender men feel related to menstruation. The creative partner behind the idea is TBWA\Helsinki. The product was launched during the international Transgender Awareness Week and sparked a discussion in Scandinavia of the inclusivity of the health and wellness industry.

Research has shown that 93% of transgender men have experienced gender dysphoria related to menstruation. With a tampon designed for men, Vuokkoset sparked a vivid conversation in Finland during the International transgender awareness week (Nov 13 to 19, 2023) with an aim to change perceptions of menstruation and reduce the distress it causes to transgender men.

“Marketing has a huge role in shaping the world around us. As Finland’s leading creative agency and the leading global agency collective, we have an immense responsibility in actively making the world more inclusive. Vuokkoset is a brand that shares this value base and was brave enough to put the campaign together with us in just four short weeks” says Heidi Taina, creative director from TBWA\Helsinki.

Trans men and non-binary individuals may still have menstrual cycles, regardless of hormone therapy choices. This highlights the diversity in experiences related to menstruation among different gender identities.

"When I was young, menstruation felt not only strange but somehow wrong. Our culture does not really acknowledge the diversity of menstruating individuals" says DEI consultant and face of the campaign Dakota Robin, who has been through the gender affirming process himself.

The Tampon for Men will be available as a limited edition in Finland and wider distribution will begin in early 2024. Total sales proceeds are donated to Trasek ry, an organization focused on gender diversity and sexual health. A fully gender-neutral tampon product by Vuokkoset is also being considered.

"Menstrual products - from visuality, advertising to store location - are strongly feminine. It’s time to acknowledge the diversity of menstruating individuals" says Sanna Karhu, CEO of Delipap Oy, the company that manufactures Vuokkoset products.

"This is definitely a step in the right direction. By changing attitudes and broadening perspectives, we can also remove discrimination against gender minorities," concludes Dakota Robin.

• Revenue of EUR 1.87 bn and EBITDA of EUR 219.1 mn in the first three quarters of 2023
• Positive free cash flow of EUR 27.3 mn in the third quarter
• Implementation of performance program focusing on positive free cash flow, strengthened sales and margin growth and sustainable cost excellence
• Modernization and conversion of Indonesian site successfully completed – EU Ecolabel received

The anticipated recovery in markets relevant for the Lenzing Group has to date failed to materialize. The continued sharp increase in raw material and energy costs on the one hand and very subdued demand on the other had a negative impact on Lenzing’s business trends as well as on industry as a whole during the reporting period.

Revenue in the first three quarters of 2023 decreased by 5.3 percent year-on-year to EUR 1.87 bn. This reduction was primarily due to lower fiber revenues, while pulp revenues were up. The earnings trend was mainly influenced by the market environment. As a consequence, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) in the reporting period decreased by 16.7 percent year-on-year to EUR 219.1 mn. The net result after tax amounted to minus EUR 96.7 mn (compared with EUR 74.9 mn in the first three quarters of 2022), while earnings per share amounted to minus EUR 4.90 (compared with EUR 2.16 in the first three quarters of 2022).

Outlook
According to the IMF, a full return of the global economy to pre-pandemic growth rates appears increasingly out of reach in the coming quarters. In addition to the consequences of the pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, growth is also being influenced by restrictive monetary policy and extreme weather events. The consequences of the renewed military confrontation in the Middle East are not yet foreseeable. Overall, the IMF warns of greater risks to global financial stability, and expects the growth rate to decrease to 3 percent this year and to 2.9 percent next year.

The currency environment is expected to remain volatile in the regions of relevance to Lenzing.

The general market environment is continuing to weigh on the consumer climate and on sentiment in the industries relevant to Lenzing.

In the trend-setting market for cotton, the current 2023/24 crop season is emerging as a further 1.7 mn tonnes of inventory build-up, following 1.8 mn tonnes of inventory build-up in the previous season.

Earnings visibility remains severely limited overall.

Lenzing is fully on track with the implementation of the reorganization and cost reduction program and on this basis is implementing a comprehensive performance program focused on positive free cash flow, strengthened sales and margin growth as well as sustainable cost excellence. The overarching goal is to position Lenzing even more strongly and to further increase its crisis resilience.

In structural terms, Lenzing continues to anticipate growth in demand for environmentally responsible fibers for the textile and clothing industry as well as the hygiene and medical sectors. As a consequence, Lenzing is very well positioned with its “Better Growth” strategy and plans to continue driving growth with specialty fibers as well as its sustainability goals, including the trans-formation from a linear to a circular economy model.

The successful implementation of the key projects in Thailand and Brazil as well as the investment projects in China and Indonesia will further strengthen Lenzing’s positioning in this respect.

Taking the aforementioned factors into consideration, the Lenzing Group continues to expect that EBITDA for the 2023 financial year will lie in a range between EUR 270 mn and EUR 330 mn.