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31.03.2023

EURATEX at 1 year EU Textile Strategy – Yes, but …

On 30 March 2022, the European Commission presented its vision for the future of the textile industry. The strategy mainly focuses on reducing the environmental footprint and promote sustainability and transparency in the value chain.

EURATEX has welcomed the publication of the strategy, as it recognises the strategic importance of the European textile industry, and its core competitive values of quality and creativity. At the same time, the association has warned that translating that vision into reality is a delicate process, as the industry needs to reconcile sustainability with competitiveness. Making the green (and digital) transition should make companies stronger; the benefits should outweigh the costs.

On 30 March 2022, the European Commission presented its vision for the future of the textile industry. The strategy mainly focuses on reducing the environmental footprint and promote sustainability and transparency in the value chain.

EURATEX has welcomed the publication of the strategy, as it recognises the strategic importance of the European textile industry, and its core competitive values of quality and creativity. At the same time, the association has warned that translating that vision into reality is a delicate process, as the industry needs to reconcile sustainability with competitiveness. Making the green (and digital) transition should make companies stronger; the benefits should outweigh the costs.

This premise had a serious blow by the Russian war in Ukraine, which erupted at almost the same time when the strategy was launched, and has dramatically changed the economic context. Energy prices increased by a factor of 10 (!), putting the European industry at a significant disadvantage with its global competitors, leading to company shutdowns or relocations. Extended lock downs in China and defensive trade policies in the US and elsewhere have further generated uncertainty on the market and disrupted supply chains.

Today, one year after its publication, EURATEX remains carefully optimistic about the implementation of the strategy, but needs to warn against some important pitfalls on the road ahead.

  1. Despite these turbulent times, the Commission is moving ahead “swiftly” in translating their EU Textile Strategy into (draft) legislation. At present, at least 16 pieces of legislation are on the table, which will turn the textile industry into a strictly regulated sector. The quality of this new regulatory framework is critical to the success of the strategy: upcoming rules need to be coherent, technically feasible and enforceable, and have a minimal cost for SMEs. EURATEX calls for a realistic timetable and “competitiveness test” for each piece of legislation before it is adopted.
  2. Textile companies need to be informed and supported to comply with this new framework. This requires substantial funding which should be earmarked exclusively to the sector, covering areas of innovation and digitalisation, skills development, support to start ups and internationalisation, as well as access to affordable energy. In this regard, EURATEX calls on the Commission to translate the current “good intentions” into concrete decisions.
  3. The EU strategy will not work if there is no demand for sustainable textiles, both from individual consumers and public authorities (procurement). Concrete measures need to be taken to offer a competitive advantage to sustainable and high quality textile products, e.g. through a different VAT rate, strict procurement rules, closer cooperation between the brands/retailers, producers and consumers.
  4. The EU strategy could also fail, if the global dimension of the textile industry is ignored. Up to 80% of clothing products are produced outside the EU; these products need to comply with the new framework, but it remains unclear how to ensure that level playing field. Market surveillance needs to be stepped up massively – also targeting on line sales – but this would require significant efforts from member states, which are not available as of today.

Despite these important challenges, EURATEX remains committed to the successful implementation of the EU Textile Strategy. Director General Dirk Vantyghem commented: “We want to be a global leader in sustainable textiles, building on the entrepreneurship, quality and creativity of nearly 150,000 European textile companies. Creating this new framework is an incredible challenge, requiring a close dialogue between the industry and the regulator. But if well designed and carefully implemented, it can set a new era for the European textile industry”.

Source:

Euratex

(c) Euratex
RegioGreenTex - Kickoff meeting
21.02.2023

New European initiative for SMEs: Transform textile waste into value

43 partners of the RegioGreenTex project met in Brussels to kick start a three-year project that should change the way we manage textile recycling.

Regions for Green Textiles – known as RegioGreenTex – is a quadruple-helix partnership initiative aiming at mapping and reducing the difficulties, which currently exist in the implementation of a circular economy model within the textile ecosystem across the EU.

RegioGreenTex will  support tangible solutions at SME level, where textile waste becomes a value. The project will contribute to maintain and develop jobs in the EU textile sector, reshoring the production in Europe and making the EU textile value chain more competitive and resilient. It will contribute to the EU Green Deal objectives of reducing carbon footprint, energy and water consumption.

More information:
Euratex SMEs textile waste EISMEA
Source:

Euratex

BVMed
10.01.2023

BVMed-Infoblätter zum Umweltrecht

Der Bundesverband Medizintechnologie (BVMed) gibt Medizinprodukte-Unternehmen mit einer Reihe von Infoblättern eine Übersicht zu den immer komplexer werdenden umweltrechtlichen Vorgaben. Der kostenfreie BVMed-Service unter www.bvmed.de/umweltrecht vermittelt einen Überblick zu den Anwendungsbereichen und entstehenden Pflichten aus der Umweltgesetzgebung.

Mit der aktuellen Umsetzung des „Green Deal“ der Europäischen Union soll Europa der erste klimaneutrale Kontinent werden. „Hierfür sind rund 80 Initiativen geplant, viele davon betreffen direkt oder indirekt die Medizintechnik-Branche“, so die BVMed-Nachhaltigkeitsexpertinnen Dr. Christina Ziegenberg und Clara Allonge. Themen wie Klimaneutralität und ressourcenschonende Produktionsprozesse werden immer stärker in den Fokus rücken und die Verbandsarbeit neu ausrichten. Als Unterstützung für die Einordnung des umfassenden Umweltrechts bietet der BVMed in Zusammenarbeit mit der Produktkanzlei eine Übersicht zu den umweltrechtlichen Vorgaben an.

Die ersten sechs Infoblätter geben eine Übersicht zu folgenden Gesetzen und Themen:

Der Bundesverband Medizintechnologie (BVMed) gibt Medizinprodukte-Unternehmen mit einer Reihe von Infoblättern eine Übersicht zu den immer komplexer werdenden umweltrechtlichen Vorgaben. Der kostenfreie BVMed-Service unter www.bvmed.de/umweltrecht vermittelt einen Überblick zu den Anwendungsbereichen und entstehenden Pflichten aus der Umweltgesetzgebung.

Mit der aktuellen Umsetzung des „Green Deal“ der Europäischen Union soll Europa der erste klimaneutrale Kontinent werden. „Hierfür sind rund 80 Initiativen geplant, viele davon betreffen direkt oder indirekt die Medizintechnik-Branche“, so die BVMed-Nachhaltigkeitsexpertinnen Dr. Christina Ziegenberg und Clara Allonge. Themen wie Klimaneutralität und ressourcenschonende Produktionsprozesse werden immer stärker in den Fokus rücken und die Verbandsarbeit neu ausrichten. Als Unterstützung für die Einordnung des umfassenden Umweltrechts bietet der BVMed in Zusammenarbeit mit der Produktkanzlei eine Übersicht zu den umweltrechtlichen Vorgaben an.

Die ersten sechs Infoblätter geben eine Übersicht zu folgenden Gesetzen und Themen:

  • Abfallverbringungsverordnung: Aktuell liegt ein Vorschlag für eine komplette Neufassung der AbfallverbringungsVO vor.
  • CLP-Verordnung über die Einstufung, Kennzeichnung und Verpackung von Stoffen und Gemischen: Aktuell wird auf EU-Ebene die Revision der CLP-VO vorangetrieben.
  • „Green Claims“: Enthält relevante rechtliche Themen im Bereich der Werbung mit Aussagen aus dem Bereich ESG („environmental, social, governance“).
  • Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz: Vor dem Hintergrund des „Green Deal“ und des darunter verabschiedeten „Circular Economy Action Plan“ der EU sind gegenwärtig alle abfallrechtlichen Regelungsbereiche Gegenstand von Evaluierungs- und Überarbeitungsprozessen.
  • Ökodesign-Regulierung: In Deutschland setzen das Energieverbrauchsrelevante-Produkte-Gesetz (EVPG) und die EVPG-Verordnung (EVPGV) die Ökodesign-Richtlinie in nationales Recht um.
  • Verpackungsgesetz: Gegenwärtig läuft auf EU-Ebene eine Initiative zur Überarbeitung der Richtlinie. Am 30. November 2022 wurde der Vorschlag für eine Verordnung über Verpackungen und Verpackungsabfälle von der EU-Kommission veröffentlicht.

Die Info-/Themenblätter decken folgende Inhalte ab:

  • Name und Verkündungsstand des Rechtsaktes
  • Hintergrundinformationen (beispielsweise die Umsetzung des europäischen Rechts durch nationale Rechtsakte)
  • Beschreibung von Anwendungsbereich und Ausnahmen
  • Beschreibung von Betroffenheit/Rollen
  • Stichpunkte zu den Pflichten
  • aktuelle Entwicklungen (beispielsweise laufende Gesetzgebungsverfahren oder Ankündigungen in Arbeitsprogrammen)

In Zusammenarbeit mit der Produktkanzlei wird der BVMed in den nächsten Monaten weitere Infoblätter erarbeiten.

More information:
BVMed Green Deal Umweltrecht
Source:

BVMed

04.10.2022

EURATEX response to the latest EU Energy Council decision

  • More ambition and joint European efforts needed

On Friday 30 September, the EU Energy ministers approved a Council Regulation proposal to address high energy prices. The Regulation focusses on the electricity prices and electricity demand reduction, on a solidarity levy from the fossil fuel sector and a retail levy for SMEs. While these initiatives are driven by goodwill, they miss the point of bringing gas prices down – the one measure that would bring the biggest impact on European industry.

EURATEX – as the voice of the European apparel and textiles manufacturers – regrets this lack of ambition: the Regulation does not foresee any meaningful action to directly support the European industry. This can accelerate the de-industrialisation of Europe and loss of industrial capacity to secure the European standard of living and implementing the Green Deal.

  • More ambition and joint European efforts needed

On Friday 30 September, the EU Energy ministers approved a Council Regulation proposal to address high energy prices. The Regulation focusses on the electricity prices and electricity demand reduction, on a solidarity levy from the fossil fuel sector and a retail levy for SMEs. While these initiatives are driven by goodwill, they miss the point of bringing gas prices down – the one measure that would bring the biggest impact on European industry.

EURATEX – as the voice of the European apparel and textiles manufacturers – regrets this lack of ambition: the Regulation does not foresee any meaningful action to directly support the European industry. This can accelerate the de-industrialisation of Europe and loss of industrial capacity to secure the European standard of living and implementing the Green Deal.

“We call on the EU and Member States to pursue our common European interests. The hesitation to adopt a European price cap on natural gas, accompanied by massive national spending programs to subsidise domestic gas consumption, is a dereliction of duty”, said Director General Dirk Vantyghem.

Triggering competition among Member States rather than promoting cooperation in bringing gas prices down for all European companies will also prove ineffective: indeed, the industrial structure in the European Union is fully integrated. Once a segment of the value chain perishes because of the crisis in one country, all companies based in the EU will suffer its negative effect, driving prices up in the supply chain and adding further strain to our operations. The European industry will be saved as a unified industry, or it will not be saved at all. Fragmenting the internal market will not protect any Member State’s domestic manufacturing.

In addition to a EU-wide price cap on gas, EURATEX calls on the European Commission to swiftly amend the Temporary Crisis Framework, making sure the criteria and thresholds applied do not exclude vulnerable companies from possible support (e.g. in textile finishing and services). Euratex also encourages the European Commission to revise the ETS Indirect Carbon Leakage mechanism and include the man-made fibres, non-wovens, spinning and weaving sectors.

It is high time now for the European Union, said the association – in particular for Member States and the Commission – to step up their ambition and adopt a European vision: a chaotic and fragmented approach will not mitigate the crisis but accelerate it.

Source:

Euratex

07.07.2022

Successful SMCCreate design conference in Antwerp

With over 60 participants from Europe and Turkey, the first SMCCreate Design Conference took place in Antwerp from 28-29 June. The conference was jointly organised by AVK – Federation of Reinforced Plastics and the European Allicance for SMC BMC. The topics covered the wide spectrum of SMC and BMC manufacturing, from design to sustainability solutions. 16 speakers from different European countries showed what is important in component manufacturing and design, and which solutions the companies offer in regard to materials, performance and much more.

After an overview of the general market developments and how the economic requirements affect component manufacturing, the focus was on the possibilities to enable sustainable design with SMC/BMC. In the second conference section „part design“, the topics of design and modelling, design with structural analysis and flow simulation, standards, and best class solutions as well as surface modification were presented.

With over 60 participants from Europe and Turkey, the first SMCCreate Design Conference took place in Antwerp from 28-29 June. The conference was jointly organised by AVK – Federation of Reinforced Plastics and the European Allicance for SMC BMC. The topics covered the wide spectrum of SMC and BMC manufacturing, from design to sustainability solutions. 16 speakers from different European countries showed what is important in component manufacturing and design, and which solutions the companies offer in regard to materials, performance and much more.

After an overview of the general market developments and how the economic requirements affect component manufacturing, the focus was on the possibilities to enable sustainable design with SMC/BMC. In the second conference section „part design“, the topics of design and modelling, design with structural analysis and flow simulation, standards, and best class solutions as well as surface modification were presented.

A rather newer field was highlighted on Day 2 with Carbon SMC, discussing mobility and automotive applications. These included the integration of multiple material technologies, not forgetting the possibility of implementing green deal strategies here too. The advantages of SMC in automotive components for electrification were explained in more detail. The conference concluded with a sporty presentation on the development of a carbon SMC rear frame for a downhill mountain bike.

Source:

AVK - Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e. V.

Euratex
24.06.2022

EURATEX’s ReHubs initiative: Fiber-to-fiber recycling

The ReHubs initiative brings together key European and world players to solve the European textile waste problem by transforming “waste” into a resource, and to boost textile circular business model at large scale.

This collaboration is set to turn the societal textile waste issue into a business opportunity and to fulfil the EU ambitions of the Green Deal, of the mandatory texile waste collection by end 2024 and the transition into Circular Economy.

In 2020 EURATEX launched the ReHubs initiative to promote collaboration across the extended textile value chain and considering all perspectives on chemicals, fibers making, textiles making, garments production, retail and distribution, textiles waste collection, sorting and recycling.

In June 2022 ReHubs completes a Techno Economic master Study (TES) which researches critical information on the feedstock (textile waste) data, on technology, organizational and financial needs to recycle 2.5 million tons of textile waste by 2030 and to effectively launch the ReHubs.

The ReHubs initiative brings together key European and world players to solve the European textile waste problem by transforming “waste” into a resource, and to boost textile circular business model at large scale.

This collaboration is set to turn the societal textile waste issue into a business opportunity and to fulfil the EU ambitions of the Green Deal, of the mandatory texile waste collection by end 2024 and the transition into Circular Economy.

In 2020 EURATEX launched the ReHubs initiative to promote collaboration across the extended textile value chain and considering all perspectives on chemicals, fibers making, textiles making, garments production, retail and distribution, textiles waste collection, sorting and recycling.

In June 2022 ReHubs completes a Techno Economic master Study (TES) which researches critical information on the feedstock (textile waste) data, on technology, organizational and financial needs to recycle 2.5 million tons of textile waste by 2030 and to effectively launch the ReHubs.

EURATEX’s ReHubs initiative plans to pursue fiber-to-fiber recycling for 2.5 million tons of textile waste by 2030
According ReHubs Techno Economic Master Study (TES), the textile recycling industry could generate in Europe around 15,000 direct new jobs by 2030, and increase need for nearshoring and reshoring of textile manufacturing.

The textile recycling industry in Europe could reach economic, social and environmental benefits for €3.5 billion to €4.5 billion by 2030
“Transform Waste into Feedstock” announced as first project supported by the ReHubs, and aiming at building up a first 50,000 tons capacity facility by 2024.

Europe has a 7-7.5 million tons textile waste problem, of which only 30-35% is collected today.  

Based on the ambitious European Waste law, all EU Member States must separately collect the textile waste in 2 years and half. While some countries are designing schemes to face the waste collection challenge, currently no large-scale plan exist to process the waste.

The largest source of textile waste (85%) comes from private households and approximately 99% of the textile waste was made using virgin fibers.

Euratex  assesses that to reach a fiber-to-fiber recycling rate of around 18 to 26 percent by 2030, a capital expenditure investment in the range of 6 billion € to 7 billion € will be needed, particularly to scale up sufficient sorting and processing infrastructure. The economic, social, and environmental value which could be realized, potentially total an annual impact of €3.5-4.5 billion by 2030.

Once matured and scaled, the textile recycling industry could become a profitable industry with a total market size of 6-8 billion € and around 15,000 direct new jobs by 2030.

Next steps of the ReHubs initiative

  • A European textile recycling roadmap proposing Objectives and Key Results to recycle fiber-to-fiber 2.5 million of textile waste by 2030
  • A leading collaboration hub with large players and SMEs from across an extended European textile recycling value chain
  • A first concrete portfolio of 4 launching projects:
    - Transform textile waste into feedstock
    - Increase the adoption of mechanically recycled fibers in the value chain
    - Expand capacity by solving technical challenges for thermo-mechanical textiles recycling
    - Create capsule collection with post-consumer recycled products

The 1st project addresses current sorting technologies which have limits to identify materials with sufficient accuracy for the subsequent circular recycling processes. The “Transform Waste into Feedstock” project will focus on further developing and scaling such sorting technologies. The project group led by Texaid AG aims on building up a first 50,000 tons facility by the end 2024.

Source:

Euratex

Alberto Paccanelli Photo: Euratex
Alberto Paccanelli
17.06.2022

Alberto Paccanelli re-elected as President of EURATEX

Italian textile entrepreneur, Alberto Paccanelli, has been re-elected as President of EURATEX during its General Assembly on 17 June; he will thus extend his mandate with 2 more years, until June 2024. Paccanelli is CEO of the Martinelli Ginetto Group, active in the high-end home textiles. He is also a Board member of Sistema Moda Italia and Confindustria Bergamo.

Italian textile entrepreneur, Alberto Paccanelli, has been re-elected as President of EURATEX during its General Assembly on 17 June; he will thus extend his mandate with 2 more years, until June 2024. Paccanelli is CEO of the Martinelli Ginetto Group, active in the high-end home textiles. He is also a Board member of Sistema Moda Italia and Confindustria Bergamo.

On the occasion of his re-election, Paccanelli presented his vision on the future of the European textiles industry: “With the adoption of the EU Textile Strategy on 30 March, the European Commission  has launched a very ambitious journey that will change the nature of our industry: more focus on sustainability and durability, more transparency within the supply chain, more communication with the consumer, but also a better level playing field for our European companies, and more investment in innovation, digitalisation and skills development. That is a very ambitious agenda, which needs to result in a more resilient European textile industry. The coming 2 years will be critical to translate that vision into specific legislation and concrete programmes. This requires a strong EURATEX, to actively contribute to that process. I am honoured to continue leading the organisation and fulfil this challenging task.”

EURATEX GA also elected 4 other members of the Presidency Team: Bodo Bölzle (Amann, Germany), Jean François Gribomont (Utexbel, Belgium), Grégory Marchant (UTT, France) and Ismail Kolunsag (Cross Tekstil, Turkey). During the Assembly, EURATEX also welcomed new memberships from Ukrlegprom (Ukraine) and Astrico (Romania), and a partnership with Inditex (Spain).

Source:

Eurtaex

DNFI: Microplastic pollution is a global challenge Photo: pixabay
10.12.2021

DNFI: Microplastic pollution is a global challenge

Microplastic pollution is a global challenge across many industries and sectors – one of critical importance being textiles.

A 2021 study by the California Ocean Science Trust and a group of interdisciplinary scientists acknowledges that microfibres from textiles are among the most common microplastic materials found in the marine environment. Every time synthetic clothes are manufactured, worn, washed, or disposed of, they release microplastics into terrestrial and marine environments, including human food chains. Synthetic fibres represent over two-thirds (69%) of all materials used in textiles, a proportion that is expected to rise to 73% by 2030. The production of synthetic fibres has fuelled a 40-year trend of increased per capita clothing consumption.

Global textile consumption has become:

Microplastic pollution is a global challenge across many industries and sectors – one of critical importance being textiles.

A 2021 study by the California Ocean Science Trust and a group of interdisciplinary scientists acknowledges that microfibres from textiles are among the most common microplastic materials found in the marine environment. Every time synthetic clothes are manufactured, worn, washed, or disposed of, they release microplastics into terrestrial and marine environments, including human food chains. Synthetic fibres represent over two-thirds (69%) of all materials used in textiles, a proportion that is expected to rise to 73% by 2030. The production of synthetic fibres has fuelled a 40-year trend of increased per capita clothing consumption.

Global textile consumption has become:

  • more reliant on non-renewable resources,
  • less biodegradable, and
  • increasingly prone to releasing microplastics.

The increased consumption is also discretionary, driven by consumer desire and remains unchecked. Thus, the long-term trend in the textile industry parallels the intentional addition of microplastics to products such as cosmetics. The contrast is that the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has recommended such intentional additions be restricted, whereas the over-consumption of synthetic fibres continues unchecked. One way for the EU to account for and mitigate microplastic pollution is through an EU-backed methodology measuring and reporting microplastic emissions, so that consumers and procurement officers have the information needed to minimise microplastic pollution resulting from their purchasing decisions.

There is a critical opportunity to address microplastic pollution in the fashion textile industry through the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology. To meet the environmental objectives of the Circular Economy Action Plan, the EU is proposing that companies substantiate their products’ environmental credentials using this harmonised methodology. However, microplastic pollution is not accounted for in the PEF methodology. This omission has the effect of assigning a zero score to microplastic pollution and would undermine the efforts of the European Green Deal, which aim “to address the unintentional release of microplastics in the environment.”

The incorporation of microplastic pollution as an indicator would increase the legitimacy of the PEF method as well as better inform consumer purchasing decisions, especially as the European Green Deal seeks to “further develop and harmonise methods for measuring unintentionally released microplastics, especially from tyres and textiles, and delivering harmonised data on microplastics concentrations in seawater.”

Whilst we continue to learn about the damage of microplastics and there is new knowledge emerging on the toxic impacts along the food chain, there is sufficient information on the rate of microplastic leakage into the environment to implement a basic, inventory level indicator in the PEF now. This is consistent with the recommendations of a review of microplastic pollution originating from the life cycle of apparel and home textiles. There are precedents in PEF for basic level (e.g., ‘resource use, fossils’) and largely untested (e.g. land occupation and toxicity indicators) indicators, and therefore an opportunity for the EU to promote research and development in the measurement and modelling of microplastic pollution by including such emissions in the PEF methodology. For such an indicator, the long and complex supply chains of the apparel and footwear industry would be a test case with high-impact and a global reach.

Source:

DNFI / IWTO – 2021

28.10.2021

The Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) celebrates its first anniversary

After its launch on 20 September 2020, the RCI is proud to celebrate its first anniversary this fall. The balance sheet of the first year is impressive: starting from 11 founding members, that number increased to 30 member companies within 12 months. Numerous webinars, press releases, background information, a glossary and a comic allowed to convey the “Renewable Carbon” concept to the public. The RCI is actively working on labelling and policy analysis, and more activities will follow in the next year.

After its launch on 20 September 2020, the RCI is proud to celebrate its first anniversary this fall. The balance sheet of the first year is impressive: starting from 11 founding members, that number increased to 30 member companies within 12 months. Numerous webinars, press releases, background information, a glossary and a comic allowed to convey the “Renewable Carbon” concept to the public. The RCI is actively working on labelling and policy analysis, and more activities will follow in the next year.

Key for this success: the topic of renewable carbon in chemicals and materials is increasingly becoming a focus of politics and industry. Larger companies will have to report their GHG emissions and also the footprint of their products as part of legislative changes surrounding the European Green Deal. In this context, indirect emissions and the carbon sources of materials will play a much more crucial role. The RCI is actively working on solutions for companies to shift from fossil to renewable carbon, which consists of the use of bio-based feedstock, CO2-based resources and recycling. In the future, reporting on GHG emissions will also include Scope 3 emissions, which are all indirect emissions that occur along the company’s value and supply chain and where the used raw materials account for a large proportion of the footprint. Here is where the carbon source of chemicals and plastics comes into play as an important contributor to the carbon footprint. Without a shift from fossil to renewable carbon feedstocks (combining bio-based, CO2-based and recycled), a sustainable future and the Paris climate targets will be almost impossible to master.

To discuss, promote and realise the shift, 30 innovative companies have already joined forces to support the transition to renewable carbon, considering both technological and economical approaches – and helping to shape the political framework accordingly.

For the second year, RCI plans to focus on a comprehensive understanding of the expected political framework conditions in Europe and across the globe, since they will determine the future of chemistry and materials more than ever. Building on this knowledge, the topic of renewable carbon could then to be systematically integrated into new political directives, which has so far not been effectively managed.

In reality, the political focus lies on the strategy of decarbonising the energy sector, a very central and Herculean task. However, it cannot be applied to the chemical and material world because carbon is usually the central building block that cannot be dispensed with. On the contrary, the demand for carbon in the chemical and materials sectors is expected to more than double by 2050. In order to meet this demand in a sustainable manner, we must move towards quitting fossil carbon. For the first time in industrial history, it is possible to decouple chemistry and materials from petrochemicals and completely cover the demand through the utilisation of biomass, CO2 and recycling.

Source:

Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI)

INDA: World of Wipes® Conference attracts Professionals Live and In-Person (c) INDA
19.07.2021

INDA: World of Wipes® Conference attracts Professionals Live and In-Person

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, wrapped up its 15th annual World of Wipes® International Conference, July 12-15, with a presentation of the World of Wipes Innovation Award® to Kimberly-Clark Corporation and the highest attendance record in six years.

This year’s WOW conference welcomed 475 enthusiastic professionals from 14 countries to its in-person World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference to advance their wipes business. Held in Atlanta, GA, the conference was notable as the first in-person conference in the nonwovens and engineered fabrics industry in 500 days due to the pandemic.

Industry professionals from 33 global companies delivered presentations and answered questions in sessions that included Wipes and the Growing Plastics Debate, Regulatory Requirements for Disinfecting and Sanitizing Wipes, Trends in the Wipes Markets and Among Consumers, Wet Wipe Preservative Innovations, Covid-19 Impacts on Wipes Consumption and Cleaning Habits, Sustainable Wipes Packaging and Dispensing, Nonwoven Substrates for More Sustainable Wipes, and Flushable Wipes: Loved by Consumers, Wrongly Accused by Utilities.

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, wrapped up its 15th annual World of Wipes® International Conference, July 12-15, with a presentation of the World of Wipes Innovation Award® to Kimberly-Clark Corporation and the highest attendance record in six years.

This year’s WOW conference welcomed 475 enthusiastic professionals from 14 countries to its in-person World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference to advance their wipes business. Held in Atlanta, GA, the conference was notable as the first in-person conference in the nonwovens and engineered fabrics industry in 500 days due to the pandemic.

Industry professionals from 33 global companies delivered presentations and answered questions in sessions that included Wipes and the Growing Plastics Debate, Regulatory Requirements for Disinfecting and Sanitizing Wipes, Trends in the Wipes Markets and Among Consumers, Wet Wipe Preservative Innovations, Covid-19 Impacts on Wipes Consumption and Cleaning Habits, Sustainable Wipes Packaging and Dispensing, Nonwoven Substrates for More Sustainable Wipes, and Flushable Wipes: Loved by Consumers, Wrongly Accused by Utilities.

Highlights included the announcement of Kimberly-Clark Scott® 24-Hour Sanitizing Wipes as the winner of this year’s World of Wipes Innovation Award®. The annual award recognizes the product that most expands the use of nonwovens and demonstrates creativity, novelty, uniqueness, and technical sophistication within the entire nonwovens wipes value chain.

Other highlights included the presentation of the 2021 INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award to John Poccia. The annual award is nominated by INDA’s Technical Advisory Board and presented to an individual whose technical achievements over a long-standing career have significantly contributed to the technical advancement, success, and growth of the nonwovens industry.

Other presentation highlights included:

  • Recent Developments Under the EU Green Deal and Plastics Strategy – Pandemic Update – Gyongyi David, Attorney at Law, V V G B Advocaten-Avocats, Director- EHS Regulatory, Steptoe & Johnson LLP
  • FDA & EPA Framework of Regulations: Dry Wipes Claims – Tony Herber, Principal Regulatory Consultant/Assistant Federal Team Manager, Scientific & Regulatory Consultants, Inc. (SRC. Inc.)
  • Consumer Wipes Usage During Covid-19 and Future Use – Chris Dresselhuys, Business Director-North American Retail Wipes, Rockline Industries
  • Sustainable Solutions for Wipes – Vishal Bansai, Vice President, Innovation, and Silke Brand-Kirsch, VP, Marketing and Business Development, Glatfelter Gernsbach GmbH
  • Sustainability Impacts Across the Value Chain of Wipes Packaging – Vicky Chang, Marketing Manager, Consumer & Industrial Products, Amcor Flexibles
  • Unveiling Wet Wipes Preservation: New Findings on Microbial Risks and Preservative Solution – Paul Salama, Ph.D., CTO& Head of Innovation, Sharon Laboratories