Nominations Open for the 2027 IDEA® Achievement Awards

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, in collaboration with Nonwovens Industry Magazine, is now accepting nominations for the 2027 IDEA® Achievement Awards. 

The IDEA Achievement Awards recognize outstanding innovations, technical advancements, and leadership across the nonwovens and engineered materials industry. Industry professionals are invited to submit their company’s most innovative products, materials, equipment, and sustainability advancements—or nominate innovations on behalf of their clients—for consideration. 

Presented every three years in conjunction with IDEA®, the IDEA Achievement Awards honor breakthrough developments introduced since IDEA®25. Winners will be announced during IDEA®27, taking place March 23-25, 2027, at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Award categories include: 

• Raw Materials – Best new raw materials introduction 
• Nonwoven Product – Best new nonwoven fabric introduction 
• Short-Life – Best new short-life product introduction 
• Long-Life – Best new durable product introduction  
• Equipment – Best new equipment introduction 
• Sustainability Advancement – Recognizing sustainability and/or circularity advancements in raw materials, nonwoven fabrics, processes and equipment, and end-use products 

Entries must be submitted by November 8, 2026. Finalists in each category will be selected by INDA’s Technical Advisory Board, with the top three entries in each category advancing to the final round. Industry professionals will then vote for the winners through the Nonwovens Industry website. The recipient of the Entrepreneur Award will be selected exclusively by Nonwovens Industry Magazine. 

The 2025 IDEA Achievement Award winners were: 

• Equipment: Dilo Systems GmbH – MicroPunch 
• Raw Materials: Woolchemy NZ Ltd. – neweFibre 
• Short-Life Product: Egal Pads, Inc. – Pads on a Roll 
• Long-Life Product: Magnera – Sontara EcoRE Bag 
• Sustainability Advancement: Kindcloth – KINDCLOTH™ PURA HEALTH Insect Repellent – Water Dissolvable Wipes 
• Nonwoven Product: Innovatec Microfibre Technology GmbH & Co. KG – InnovaWipe® Water Soluble Nonwoven 
• Entrepreneur: Dude Products 

IDEA27 will feature hundreds of exhibitors showcasing the latest innovations in nonwoven and fiber technologies. The RISE® Conference will be held in conjunction with IDEA27 and will feature scalable, demonstrated solutions designed to address complex technical challenges and pressing societal needs, from sustainability and circularity to healthcare, energy, and advanced manufacturing. IDEA27 attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in expert-led nonwoven short courses designed to expand industry knowledge and technical expertise.