From the Sector

INDA and EDANA, the leading trade associations representing nonwovens and related industries, joined forces to implement and support the industry’s first Quality and Audit Program (QAP) in the United States. This joint effort will increase the reach of, and support for, the program in the North American absorbent hygiene products and wet wipes industries.

Much like the harmonization of test methods years ago, this joint program has the potential to reduce complexity for both suppliers and converters of AHP and wipes. This program grew from the inefficiency of facing multiple audits from converter supplier audit programs, often assessing similar requirements, but according to differing standards.

The program went through a rigorous testing and piloting phase before being rolled out in the summer of 2022. Initially only available in Europe, the program is expanding its reach to cover Asia and the Americas.

More information is available on the EDANA website where converters and suppliers can register to take part. The program is based on a harmonized quality and hygiene standard, which facilitates an objective third-party audit. Organizations can also register to follow a training course to familiarize themselves with the standard.

Am 17. und 18. Juli 2023 informierten sich Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer der Veranstaltung „Textil Innovativ – Technologien für Mobilität und Schutz“ über Trends, Herausforderungen und Lösungen für moderne Mobilität sowie Persönliche Schutzausrüstung (PSA) in Verbindung mit Digitalisierung und Recycling. Zudem wurde zur „Datenbasierten Wertschöpfung in der Textilindustrie“ diskutiert.

Mobilität in der Zukunft ist digital, komfortabel und natürlich nachhaltig. Der Schalter für die Sitzheizung ist in die textile Oberfläche der Mittelkonsole integriert. Das Gewebe der Sitzfläche heizt oder kühlt – je nach Bedarf. Der Dachhimmel leuchtet. Die Karosserie ist leicht und stabil, um Sprit zu sparen und trotzdem bei Unfällen zu schützen. Referenten und Aussteller zeigten, wie sie den besonderen Anforderungen an Maschinen, Produktionsprozesse sowie die neuen Materialien selbst gerecht werden.

Auch das Thema Persönliche Schutzausrüstung (PSA) birgt für Unternehmen Herausforderungen. Viele Funktionen, wie beispielsweise Hitzeschutz, erfordern eine spezielle chemische Ausrüstung der Textilien. Diese unterliegt jedoch häufig umweltschutzrechtlichen Einschränkungen und Verboten. Worauf Unternehmen bei der Produktion von PSA achten müssen, wurde ebenfalls erörtert.

Welche Potenziale die Digitalisierung für genau diese Anforderungen bietet, wurde in der Veranstaltung ebenfalls deutlich. Der Digitale Produktpass kommt. Er ist Teil eines EU-weiten Maßnahmenpakets zur Förderung von Ökodesign und Ressourceneffizienz und soll den Verbraucher informieren, wo das Produkt herkommt, woraus es besteht oder wie man es reparieren kann. Die Umsetzung betrifft alle Branchen und Dienstleistungen, mit weitreichenden Auswirkungen auf die unternehmerischen Geschäftsprozesse. Das setzt eine gewaltige Datenmenge voraus. Wie datenbasierte Wertschöpfung in der Textilindustrie funktioniert, war Thema in der abschließenden Diskussionsrunde.  

An welchen Stellen das Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Smarte Kreisläufe kleine und mittlere Unternehmen unterstützen kann, erläuterte die Geschäftsführerin Anja Merker in einem Pitch-Beitrag sowie an einem Informationsstand vor Ort. Das Angebot des Zentrums umfasst nicht nur reine Wissensvermittlung zum Unternehmen der Zukunft in Verbindung mit Digitalisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz. Die Partner geben Orientierung und bilden Ihre Mitarbeiter weiter, entwickeln gemeinsam Ideen in Workshops und erarbeiten mit Ihnen Konzepte, die Sie im Unternehmen umsetzen können.

The EU's planned ban on the entire group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) would endanger many industrial processes, states VDMA Textile Machinery. Textile manufacturing would be affected twice – by missing important chemicals for technical textile production and by the lack of indispensable textile machine components. The latter would affect the whole supply chain from textile machinery manufacturers and its suppliers to the textile industry in the EU.

Solid PFAS parts are widely used in textile machinery production, especially where extreme conditions prevail. Verena Thies, Managing Shareholder Thies GmbH & Co. KG, explains: “Our textile dyeing machines are world leaders and set standards in efficiency and sustainability. They work under pressure at temperatures of up to 140° C using highly acidic, highly basic and/or oxidative or even reductive chemicals. This is precisely why PFAS is needed, for example, in seals and rings, flaps as well as valves for a long-lasting and high-quality machine concept – because there are no alternatives with qualitatively equivalent properties. In addition, PTFE semi-finished products enable a sliding and gentle contact with the textile fabric in ecologically important techniques in the transformation of textile wet finishing."

PTFE and also FKM are fluoropolymers (fluoroplastics and fluoroelastomers), a group within the broad PFAS range of about 10,000 substances which would be banned for production, use and sale in the EU. They are high-tech materials, and as so-called "polymers of low concern" are not a danger to the environment, according to the OECD. Furthermore, these components are installed inside a machine and exchanged or disposed of properly. PFAS such as PTFE and FKM must be exempted from the ban, demands the VDMA in its position paper.

"In this way, the association also supports the approach taken in Great Britain. With the 10,000 substances, everything is lumped together, although the various PFAS groups are very different," warns Dr Sarah Brückner, Head of VDMA Environmental Affairs and Sustainability. "We should take our cue from the UK and look at the substance groups in a differentiated way."
Apart from several types of dyeing machines, PFAS components are indispensable in textile drying machines (e.g., conveyor dryers, tumblers and stenters) and damping machines. They are also used in fully automatic chemical dispensing systems and pressure vessels for thermochemical treatment of textile recycling material, heat recovery systems and wastewater treatment technology. This means that a lot of machines needed for a sustainable textile production would be affected by the PFAS ban.

VDMA Textile Machinery will take part in the ongoing EU public consultation. The association will describe indispensable key functionalities and conditions of use in the textile machinery sector as well as the consequences for the companies and the customers in the EU if the ban is imposed. The consultation ends on September 25, 2023, and VDMA urged its members affected by the planned restriction to participate in the consultation at an early stage. This is the only way to ensure that the broad scope of the mechanical and plant engineering sector is represented.

Increasing energy and resource efficiency in the construction sector will be key to the EU’s ambition of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. By enabling the manufacture of strong, durable and lightweight products, composite materials can help the construction sector improve its environmental sustainability, as well as reduce total lifecycle costs. The latest EPTA industry briefing, Pultruded composites contribute to a more sustainable future for construction, discusses how pultruded composites answer the need for materials offering high performance, faster installation, corrosion resistance and low maintenance.

The report is available to download from the EPTA website.

The future of construction
As one of the largest global users of energy and raw materials, the construction industry is under immense pressure to improve its sustainability. At the same time, it must respond to demands for improved performance and reduced total cost of ownership. New materials will be needed to minimise the use of natural resources, enable a reduction of carbon footprint and facilitate circular economy practices. Choosing the optimum materials required for durability throughout the lifecycle will be increasingly important. A shift to off-site production is also forecast, where factory-controlled environments and automated processes can improve quality control, lower waste, and reduce work on site.

Lightweight pultruded parts can be pre-assembled into modules or complete structures in the factory for faster installation on site. Lightweight profiles lower energy use during transportation and installation, and a longer service life combined with minimal maintenance can deliver a reduced through-life carbon footprint. Pultruded parts such as profiles, gratings, beams, tubes and planks are increasingly found in a range of building, construction and infrastructure applications. Examples include bridge decks, fencing, stairs and handrails, train platforms, cladding, utility poles, modular building concepts, and window frames.

One application offering large growth potential for composites is bridges. Composite bridges are being designed to provide a service life of 100 years and unlike steel bridges do not require regular repainting to protect them from corrosion. Over recent years, pultruded glass fibre composite has become a highly popular choice for pedestrian and cycle bridges. Pre-fabricated ‘easy fit’ bridge decking planks, pre-assembled bridge modules and complete bridge ‘kits’ are now available. Corrosion-resistant composite bridges are ideal for use near water or on the coast, and in remote locations where regular maintenance operations would be difficult. A composite bridge can deliver the same performance as a steel structure with a weight saving of up to 50% or more. This enables more streamlined bridge designs which require less substantial supporting structures and foundations, greatly reducing consumption of materials and energy. Lightweight also results in easier logistics and simplified installation. Pultruded are more easily transported to the construction site, with lower fuel consumption, and easier to move on site, often reducing labour requirements and the capacity of lifting equipment.

A lifecycle approach
As the construction industry looks to the future, the environmental and economic benefits of composite materials linked to easier logistics and installation, durability and low maintenance are becoming increasingly valued. More projects are demonstrating the benefits of composite materials and standards covering the design, fabrication and installation of pultruded profiles are making it easier for the construction industry to use them. With ongoing development and collaboration, pultrusion has the potential to contribute to a more sustainable future for construction and many other industries. EPTA will continue to promote the advancement of pultrusion technology and its applications and foster sustainable practices within the industry.

• The A+A Expert Talks head into their third round

On 20 June 2023 between 10.00 am and 11.30 am experts from the fields of sustainability, circular economy, environmental protection as well as corporate fashion and product management will be presenting lectures and discussing the topics of sustainability in supply chains, standardisation and quality seals as well as the associated challenges and solutions in cooperation with German Fashion. They will thereby provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience and innovative approaches.

The focus on sustainability and the circular economy reflects the growing relevance of these topics in the world of work. More and more companies recognise the need to make their business practices more sustainable and optimise the use of resources.

This Expert Talk will be presented by Irina Olm, In-House Lawyer & Counsel of GermanFashion Modeverband Deutschland e.V. and Expert for Circular Economy and CSR, who will contribute her know-how on the European level.  

Benjamin Helfritz, Head of Quality in Digital and Green Transformation, DIN – German Institute for Standardisation, will introduce participants to the new standards for the Green Transition.  
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is needed for both the green and digital transition. However, it will only achieve its full added value if interoperability is ensured between existing and emerging systems. The use of the DPP promotes more sustainability and digital progress.

Henk Vanhoutte, Secretary General, European Safety Federation (ESF) and Lucia Mendori, Regulatory Affairs Associate / Chair ESF Working Group Sustainability will present practical examples and concrete application factors for sustainable PPE as well as solutions for sustainable jobwear. They will provide an overview of survey results from their members regarding various sustainability aspects – pointing to how the industry is treating this important topic but also flagging up the limits to the sustainability of PPE.

Lena Bay Høyland, Product Director of the Swedish workwear manufacturer Fristads Kansas will share the sustainability strategy of her company which has committed to minimise its environmental impact by targets and effective measures. The progress made by Fristads Kansas was measured using concrete figures and audits. This is a use case highlighting the innovations and challenges associated with sustainable jobwear.

By organising the Expert Talks the leading international trade fair A+A jointly with its strategic partners from the German Federal Association for Occupational Safety and Health (Basi), Fraunhofer IPA, German Fashion (Modeverband Deutschland e.V.), DGUV (Germany Statutory Accident Insurance), BAuA (Federal Agency for Occupational Safety and Health), BMAS (Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs), IVPS Interessenverbund Persönliche Schutzausrüstung e.V. (PPE Stakeholder Association) as well as IFA (Institute for Occupational Safety) will provide its community with a networking and information platform.

On the occasion of EURATEX’ General Assembly held in Milan on 7 June, the European textile industry  discussed the relationship between innovation, sustainability and people in the industry of tomorrow. EURATEX members welcomed the Textiles Transition Pathway, released on 6 June by the Commission, as a valuable roadmap to ensure a successful green and digital transition. The meeting in Milan was also the occasion to strengthen links with textile machine manufacturers, gathering at ITMA 2023.

Hosted by Sistema Moda Italia (SMI), EURATEX meetings addressed the crucial issue of how to develop new competitive business models for the future, following the Industry 5.0 concept. In 2021, the European Commission launched “Industry 5.0”, which puts the wellbeing of the worker at the centre of the production process and the use of new technologies to provide prosperity beyond jobs and growth, while respecting the production limits of the planet.

The keynote speakers, Francesco Pinto (Chairman, Yamamay) and Claudio Cavacini (Director of Retail Industry Solutions & Strategy, Salesforce), presented how the digital transformation is affecting companies in the retail industry and how they should adapt to maintain their competitive edge. A panel session of textile machinery manufacturers debated how their companies can help delivering this transformation through state of the art machineries. They all agreed that it requires common efforts by all actors and stakeholders along the textile value chain and public support to make the necessary investments. According to Enzo Maurer, ITMA President, ITMA 2023 in Milan will exactly showcase excellence in innovation and new available technologies to make a leap forward in sustainability.

According to Sergio Tamborini, "we are particularly honored to host this event organized by Euratex, the association which is the voice of the European textile industry and its demands, especially those concerning the circular economy. Sistema Moda Italia wants to play its part and there are priorities, from legislation on extended producer responsibility (EPR) in Italy to eco-design, where textiles and clothing will act as a testing ground. SMI's goal will be to continue to encourage the debate on circularity  promoting it in all institutional settings aiming to a growing sustainable  supply chain.”

Alberto Paccanelli, EURATEX President added: “Today’s discussions showed that we are ready to take up new challenges. Nevertheless, this  transition towards a textiles 5.0 can only happen with the support of all actors, from policy makers to retailers. Today’s meeting was also the occasion to review the EU transition pathway for the textiles ecosystem, published yesterday by the European Commission. The pathway is the perfect example of a co-creation process between the European institutions and the stakeholders. We hope that other EU initiatives or legislative proposals will follow the same co-creative process.”

NDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced four recipients for the Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Awards. Jan O’Regan, Seshadri Ramkumar, Jim Robinson, and Ed Thomas are being recognized for their key contributions to the growth of the nonwovens industry and INDA.

Jan O’Regan: INDA Lifetime Service Award
Jan O’Regan was the Director, Strategic Initiatives and Nonwovens Marketing, for Cotton Incorporated and retired in 2022. In this capacity, she uncovered new opportunities for cotton to bring value into the nonwovens industry. Her work included leading efforts in strategic planning, technical and market project management, and sharing new ideas and results with the global supply chain.
O’Regan spent over four decades in the nonwovens industry in various roles, including sales, marketing, strategic planning and business management. Market responsibilities included consumer and industrial markets on regional, national, and global teams. Over the most recent years, she applied these broad experiences to new markets for cotton in nontraditional applications.
Serving and volunteering with INDA for decades, O’Regan most recently chaired the World of Wipes® committee, which she efficiently organized to produce innovative conferences for the wipes industry.  She was a frequent speaker at INDA, INSIGHT, EDANA, and other events, and for nearly two decades was a go to source of information for cotton fibers in nonwovens and hygiene. O’Regan earned a BS in Textiles and Business, summa cum laude, from Penn State University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Seshadri Ramkumar: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Seshadri Ramkumar has over twenty-five years of experience within the technical nonwovens space, conducting industry leading research and educating nonwovens professionals at Texas Tech University (TTU).  At TTU, he established the Nonwovens Laboratory. Many of Ramkumar’s students have gone on to become technical leaders within their organizations and the nonwovens industry.
Ramkumar has numerous patent and invention disclosures, including Fibertect® toxic chemical decontamination wipes which have been recognized by the American Chemical Society as a notable success of federally supported innovation, endorsed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and adopted by multiple branches of the military.
In addition to many peer-reviewed publications, articles, and columns collectively over 500, including one on nanofibers that has been cited over 2,100 times, Ramkumar has contributed his expertise on the editorial boards of multiple fiber, nonwoven, and textile journals. Ramkumar has also organized conferences for nonwovens and textiles and actively promoted INDA and its technical training offerings for over 20 years.
He is a longtime member of the INDA Technical Advisory Board, been recognized by TAPPI, Society of Dyers and Colorists (UK), the Textile Institute (UK), and the Textile Association (INDIA), and received numerous awards from TTU.
Ramkumar holds a Bachelors of Technology (Textiles), Graduated with Distinction, and a Masters of Technology (Textiles), University First Rank in the Discipline, Anna University, and a Ph.D. (Textile Materials) from the University of Leeds, UK.

Jim Robinson: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Jim Robinson has 33 years in the absorbent hygiene industry, including 28 years as a Technical Service Manager at BASF. He led technical teams that focused on the application of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in hygiene products. Robinson has extensive knowledge of SAP applications, absorbent core formation, and hygiene article design, performance and testing. While with BASF, Robinson led efforts with multiple external companies to provide co-supplier solutions to hygiene converters.
Robinson’s extensive understanding of test methods and test method development led to his coordinating the establishment of fitness for use standards of adult incontinent products with the National Association for Continence and involvement in development and review of absorbent product test methods with INDA/EDANA. He is also an active contributor to INDA’s Technical Advisory Board and Hygienix organizing committee and was a contributing developer in establishing the INDA Absorbent Hygiene Training Course. Robinson has provided numerous presentations at INSIGHT, Hygienix, and RISE on performance and interactions of absorbent system components.
Recently, Robinson has been consulting and contributing to the success of multiple start-ups including those having been nominated for INDA product awards. Robinson has a BS in Chemistry from Hampden-Sydney College and an MS in Chemistry from Duke University.

Ed Thomas: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Ed Thomas retired after 39 years, with 32 years in the nonwovens industry, and has remained active teaching the Intermediate Nonwovens Training Course for INDA and The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University, as well as providing consulting services to the industry.
Thomas’ experience includes Process Engineering Manager and Plant Management, DuPont; Technical Director, Reemay; VP of Research and Operations, VP of Operations and Technology, and Global VP of Research and Development for Fiberweb/BBA Nonwovens; and Head of Research and Product Development, First Quality Nonwovens.
Thomas holds 10 U.S. nonwoven patents and he and his teams have been awarded more than 250 patents for numerous and diverse innovations that have played significant roles in the success of the nonwovens industry. These include applications for the global hygiene market, industrial nonwovens, and filtration media.
During his career, Thomas has presented several keynote addresses and papers to industry conferences, participated in North Carolina State University’s Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC) prior to it becoming The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), INDA’s Technical Advisory Board, INDA’s Sustainability Committee, and was Vice Chair of NWI’s Industrial Advisory Board prior to retirement and remains an Emeritus member.
Thomas received his mechanical engineering degree from SUNY Buffalo.

100 days before ITMA 2023 in Milan, VDMA Textile Machinery launched its “Way2ITMA” webinar series. “Transforming the World of Textiles: efficient – digital – circular”. Under this heading, VDMA technology providers will present their solutions along the value chain.

Speakers of the virtual event were Dr. Janpeter Horn, Chairman of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association and Managing Director of August Herzog Maschinenfabrik, Dirk Vantyghem, Director General, EURATEX, Francis Elias Junker, Area Sales Manager, Andritz Laroche and Tanja Karila, Chief Marketing Officer, Infinited Fiber Company.

With regard to the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles, Dr. Horn said: “This topic concerns all of us, consumers and producers. We as machinery builders position ourselves as enablers. We want to be part of the solution of this ambitious project”.

Dirk Vantyghem introduced the core issues of the EU textile strategy launched in 2022, which is the most ambitious plan ever, to push the textile sector towards sustainability and transparency, and promote a new circular business model. If wrongly designed, that new framework may collapse the European textile value chain. But if done rightly, the changes ahead could bring a paradigm shift in the sector, where competitiveness is no longer based on price only, but also on sustainability and innovation, explained Vantyghem.

Francis Elias Junker showed high level of expertise for mechanical textile recycling for both spinning and nonwovens industries that Andritz has. The company has a diversity of solutions to offer and several cooperation partners, covering the value chain from recovery of fiber to the chemical modification and preparation for the production of yarn.

Tanja Karila gave an overview of how Infinited Fiber is turning textile waste into new fibers. Patented technology turns post-consumer textile waste into brand new premium quality fibers for the textile industry. The textile-to-textile recycling technology captures the value in waste that would otherwise be landfilled or burned.

• Potential loss of competitiveness, caused by the EU’s inaction of the energy crisis, and Chinese and US subsidies to domestic industry

Following yesterday’s European Council summit and its conclusions on the measures to tackle the energy crisis, the European textiles industry is extremely concerned about the fast loss of competitiveness of Europe and demands urgent action to save the industry.

The chain of factors determining this sharp decline in competitiveness is twofold. First, the energy cost in Europe is more than 6 times higher than in the US, China, and neighbouring countries. This factor alone has almost erased the business case for producing in the EU. At present, many textiles and clothing companies are producing at net loss or have shut down production. The industrial conditions have worsened in such a way that there is no business case to invest in Europe or buy products produced or processed in the EU. It is only the sense of responsibility of the entrepreneurs towards the European society that is keeping the plants and production running.

Secondly, while the EU is passive and extremely slow in articulating a credible and effective response to the energy crisis, the main international competitors and trade partners (China, India and the US respectively) have developed comprehensive state-aid frameworks for their domestic industry despite not being affected by this crisis at all. The latest example is the 369-billion-dollar scheme of the Inflation Reduction Act rolled out by the Biden administration.

Recent trade data  already indicate a loss of global competitiveness: imports to the EU have grown tremendously in 2022 (+35% year-to-date). It is also evident that the surge in imports goes in parallel with the surge of natural gas price. It is expected that energy prices will remain high and volatile, opening the door for imports to gain substantial market shares in the EU.

The chart indicates the development of the Title Transfer Facility (TTF) until September 2022 since Eurostat data for Q4 2022 has not been published yet. Euratex is aware that the market situation has eased somewhat since in the past months, but the crisis remains because gas prices are still extremely high in comparison to last year. This suggests that the current loss of competitiveness of the EU manufacturing will not be recovered even with lower energy prices, unless measures are taken to correct the unlevel playing field on which the EU industry has to operate in the international markets. Only with an ambitious and comprehensive relaunch plan at EU level, Europe will be able to restore its credibility as a global manufacturing powerhouse and investments.

If the status quo is maintained, not only the EU will not be able to recover its competitive position on the global business stage, but it will also fail its plans to reach zero-net emissions and achieve circularity. It is evident that these ambitions - that the industry is passionately supporting - need massive capital investments. However, in the current scenario an investments diversion can only be expected to markets where governments are actively supporting those investments and energy costs are much lower – regardless of their fossil- or non-fossil origin.

The European textiles industry – the whole value chain, from fibres, nonwoven, to fabrics, clothing manufacturers - are facing unprecedented pressure deriving from the current geopolitical situation, the new macroeconomic conditions and unfair competition from third states. The situation is going to worsen if no emergency action is taken, especially because a recession is expected in the coming months.

The main structural component of the EU manufacturing are SMEs: these are economic actors that are particularly exposed to the current crisis as they do not have the financial leverage to absorb the impact of energy prices for much longer. Urgent EU action is needed to ensure their survival.

EURATEX calls on the EU political leaders in the Commission, in the European Council and in the national capitals to:

1. Raise the ambition and adopt a comprehensive approach at EU level: energy, state-aid and trade policy must be brought together in a single strategy with concrete emergency solutions and with a clear SME dimension;
    
2. Let all hesitations aside and adopt a meaningful price cap on natural gas wholesales, that should be ideally no higher than 80 euro/MWh. In parallel, it should also be ensured that electricity prices are brought to a sustainable price level;
    
3. Change the European posture on state-aid, even temporarily. An ambitious plan of investments and state-aid in green technologies to support the industrial transition should be rolled out.

Such a plan, however, should not be conceived as a retaliation against our most necessary and like-minded trade partners. Access to finance and markets must be safeguarded for all those actors who are capable and willing to invest in Europe, on the basis of reciprocity. In   these challenging times for geopolitical stability, ensuring strong trade ties with our traditional allies and partners is of utmost importance. The roll-out of an investment and state aid plan should not interfere, but rather support, the dialogue with the US (and other partners) and the deepening of our trade and investment partnership. Such a dialogue should be accelerated in the context of the TTC as well as at WTO level.

INDA’s 17th annual World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference is accepting abstracts through December 2, 2022, on innovative, inspiring, and informative wipe products, markets and technologies to be presented in Atlanta, GA, July 17-20, 2023.

Experts in the areas of dry and wet wipes, sustainability, end-use markets, substrate formation, raw materials and fibers, liquid ingredients, packaging, machinery, and market trends and data are encouraged to submit a brief abstract of one or two paragraphs detailing the relationship of their presentation to wipes or wipe manufacturing. Along with a brief abstract summary, professionals should also submit a speaker’s photo, and biography. Information may be submitted online via the WOW website before December 2nd.

Over 450 wipes business leaders are expected to convene at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel July 17-20, 2023 to hear premium content in market research, product innovations, sustainability issues, new materials and substrates for all wiping products and their components.

The last WOW event held in Chicago connected more than 450 participants from 18 countries representing the entire wipes supply chain to explore issues and advancements in the growing multibillion-dollar wipes sector. WOW is targeted exclusively for wipes brand owners, converters, manufacturers, and their entire supply chain.

The WOW Committee is developing content for a timely and relevant program that targets such areas as energy consumption, digitalization, global supply chain challenges, the plastics issue, ingredient transparencies, market intelligence, substrate developments, converting systems, material science, packaging, and circularity advances in personal and industrial wipes.

Training at the WOW 2023 Conference
The WIPES Academy, the industry’s first and only comprehensive wipes training for the entire supply chain, will occur prior to the conference start, July 17-18. Participants will gain a strong foundation of fundamental wipes knowledge, covering the basics of wipes design, manufacturing and applications, market trends, and opportunities in new product areas. At least two years of basic nonwoven fabrics knowledge or completion of the INDA Elementary Nonwovens Course are the recommended prerequisites.