From the Sector

INDA brought together hundreds of industry leaders to explore advancements in the absorbent hygiene and personal care markets during the 10th annual Hygienix™ event, held Nov. 18-21 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

Themed Driving Absorbent Hygiene Product Innovation: Consumer Desires, Market Dynamics & Sustainability Solutions, key sessions included pricing strategies, global trade impacts, FemTech, adult care, period poverty, emerging pet care and wound care markets, environmental regulations on plastics and PFAS, and the impact of aging societies.

An event highlight was the presentation of the 2024 Hygienix Innovation Award® to: HIRO Technologies, Inc.’s World’s First MycoDigestable Diapers, diapers featuring plastic-eating mushrooms that combine excellent absorbency with natural materials.

The other finalists were:

• Harper HYGIENICS S.A.’s Cleanic Naturals Hemp Sanitary Pads (Day & Night) and Pantyliners, an innovative femcare line made with regenerative hemp fibers from Bast Fibre Technologies.
• Hello Hazel, Inc.’s High & Dry Briefs, the first and only disposable briefs for leaks designed to look, fit, and feel like real underwear.

Hygienix Highlights
Attendees gained insights and knowledge during three hands-on training sessions on Nov. 18, focused on fundamentals of absorption systems and opportunities in adult incontinence, innovations in menstrual care, and baby and infant care market dynamics.

Hygienix kicked off with a welcome reception that fostered networking. Attendees explored emerging trends and product innovations through Lightning Talks, connected with successful hygiene start-ups during Lunch Around sessions, and discovered the latest offerings at tabletop exhibits.

“Hygienix exemplifies INDA’s commitment to empowering companies in the absorbent hygiene and personal care markets to advance their businesses,” said INDA President Tony Fragnito. “The insights and connections made at this year’s event will drive growth and enable participants to meet evolving demands and market challenges.”    

INDA announced Hygienix 2025 will be held Nov. 17-20 at Omni Amelia Island Resort, Fernandina Beach, Florida.

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced the conference program for Hygienix™ 2023, November 13-16 to be held at The Roosevelt New Orleans Hotel, New Orleans, LA.

The program details can be found on the Hygienix website.

The keynote speaker is Courtney Scharf, Chief Client Officer, Trend Hunter. Trend Hunter leverages big data, human researchers, and AI to identify consumer insights, and deep dive opportunities for the world’s most innovative companies, such as Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive, Georgia-Pacific, Kroger, Johnson & Johnson, Reckitt Benckiser, Samsung, and Bacardi. Trend Hunter utilizes Artificial Intelligence and research to identify and curate top insights and trends to advise brands and businesses in their pursuit of innovation.

The Hygienix program will feature thought leaders in consumer-centric innovations, the circular economy, raw material advancements in sustainability, opportunities for advanced recycling in absorbent hygiene, optimizing the packaging footprint, new approaches for odor control, and market trends and drivers.

Experts presenting at Hygienix include:

• Aquapak Polymers Ltd. – “Creating Sustainable Nonwovens for Hygiene Applications with Thermally Processable Polyvinyl Alcohol; A Water Soluble, Environmentally Friendly and High-Performance Polymer”
• Asahi Kasei Advance Corporation – “Continuous-Filament Cellulose Nonwovens”
• Confitex Technology – “Reusables Production: It’s Not All Green”
• Egal Pads, Inc. – “Closing the Circularity Gap One Used Pad at a Time”
• Essity – “Diaper Collection & Recycling in Australia”
• ExxonMobil Chemical Company – “Innovate New Levels of Strong Comfort with Hygiene Solutions”
• Henkel Corporation – “Reducing the Packaging Waste from Personal Hygiene Products”
• INNOVATEGRN – “Accelerating Innovation / Embracing a Consumer-Centric Approach”
• Kuraray Europe GmbH – “Safe and Eco-friendly Elastics for Absorbent Hygiene Products”
• Nexus Circular – “Increasing Plastics Circularity for the Hygiene Segment Through Advanced Recycling”
• W. Pelz GmbH –“Disposable Pads Meet Reusable Underwear”
• Price Hanna Consultants – “Squaring the Circle: Why Demonstration Projects = Good Sustainability Strategy” and “Wellness and Natural Materials”
• Rem Brands, Inc. – “Effective Reduction of Material Odors, In-use Odors, and Post-use Odors”
• Sequel – “Spiraling into Business: How a Dramatic Innovation to the Tampon Met the World’s Largest Manufacturer of Feminine Hygiene”
• Sparkle Innovations Inc. – Sustainability and Circularity in the Absorbent Hygiene Products Industry”

The Hygienix program will offer a hands-on workshop as well as two pre-conference webinars. Jim Robinson, Principal, Absorbent Hygiene Insights, LLC, will lead the in-person workshop on AHP Absorbent Hygiene Systems, Monday afternoon, November 13th. This workshop evaluates SAP absorption for different SAPs and participants have the opportunity to deconstruct and examine several hygiene products including infant, adult, and period care products to increase the understanding of these systems.

Founded in 1952, Svegea of Sweden – a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association – has over 60 years of experience in exclusively designing, manufacturing and installing high quality collarette band cutting machines worldwide.

These are used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as waistbands, cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements, such as Triteks Trejd.

Founded in 1994, this family-owned business employs over 280 people at its plant in Prilep, North Macedonia, where high quality cotton fabrics are expertly converted into the products of the Tritex Underwear brand.

The Prilep operation encompasses the processing of fabrics, design, cutting, sewing, quality control and packing in a fully integrated workflow.

With around 200 sewing machinists, the Tritex product range encompasses briefs, boxers, slips, t-shirts, pyjamas and body slips which are primarily sold to countries within the European Union, as well as the domestic market.

The company has also just completed the digitalisation of its full production via the in-house DPC-SYS system, installing around 200 industrial PCs linking each of its workstations and departments.

Triteks Trejd currently operates three of the latest Svegea collarette cutting machines and is highly satisfied with their performance, as well as the service provided by the Swedish company.