Slideshows

IDEA Award Finalists Announced

This year's largest nonwovens event will honor innovation across five categories

McAirlaid's Xtop: Short Life Converted Product

This product is a superabsorbent leak-proof pouch for drips, dribbles, and the light steady stream common after prostate surgery, or symptomatic of obesity, diabetes, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It features a pouch design with an absorbent core and breathable outer cover, providing reliable and discreet all-round protection and security.

WipeMeWorld Flushable Wipe On A Roll: Short Life Converted Product

WipeMe® is a flushable moist toilet paper on a roll within a sealed wrapper. The main characteristics of WipeMe® is that it doesn't require changing any of the consumers behavior or habits, WipeMe® aligns with the market demand, it is simple to use, looks and feels the same as traditional toilet paper but by using flushable wet wipes, WipeMe® increases by 80% the consumers’ hygiene level. WipeMe® is eco-friendly, fully recyclable, reduces dramatically the amount of cutting trees, as one WipeMe® roll compares to 6-8 traditional toilet paper rolls. The development of the product took 3 years and it is fully protected by patents.

Chicopee Duradry: Short Life Converted Product

DuraDry is a multi-use, hygienic microfiber wipe certified for Food Contact Clearance and manufactured from 100% splittable microfibers. The product combines antibacterial properties with 99.998% microbe removal. Durable and re-usable, DuraDry® can be washed more than 365 times.

Freudenberg Performance Materials Evolon Duradray: Roll Goods

Evolon, Freudenberg's microfilament fabric, is traditionally known for its very distinctive qualities of being smooth, soft and uniform. Thanks to a specific process integrated into the Evolon production line, water jets - already used to bind the material and generate the microfilaments – model the fabric's structure on standard designs or on designs adapted to the specific needs of certain clients. Evolon 3D preserves the high performance of original Evolon, while increasing its bulkiness and volume and by taking on a feel and a look that are even more like fabric. Like the original Evolon, Evolon 3D can be washed again and again without losing its structure. It can be used white or dyed in colors of the client's choice. Transfer printing multiplies the possibilities for design and personalization and also produces very good results on Evolon 3D.

ITW Dynatec, UltraStrand Coating System: Machinery and Equipment

ITW Dynatec's latest and revolutionary strand applicator can provide customers in the disposable hygiene market with the highest line efficiencies. The new technology has a patent pending design and the highest efficiency adhesive coating on strands ever designed to provide the best product performance and less product issues. The new Ultra SCS features the next level high-speed technology (up to 1400 pads per minute – 700 MPM) as well as Rapid Change-Over (RCO) design for quick maintenance solutions, among many other beneficial features.

Andritz Flushable Patterning Technology: Machinery & Equipment

Andritz has developed a new patterning process to apply special and unique artwork onto flushable wipes. This unique patterning process will allow wipes producer to cleverly differentiate their product and even support disposal correctness by consumers by branding their product in ways that will resonate with consumers. The key value proposition: This process adds a pattern without increasing fiber bonding, thus facilitating wet-strength release when flushed.

Suzano EucaFluff fluff pulp: Raw Material

Eucafluff is the world's first commercially available ECF fully bleached Eucalyptus Kraft fluff pulp designed for absorbent products, nonwovens, personal hygiene, disposable, and specialty applications. Eucafluff is made of 100% highly sustainable Eucalyptus planted and harvested in Brazil that delivers excellent fiberization, absorbency, and improved softness from an alternative fiber source.

Impossible Objects, CBAM 3D Printed Pieces: LongLife Converted Products

Impossible Objects has developed a new, industrial 3D printing (aka “additive manufacturing”) technology that uses nonwoven fabrics – such as carbon, glass and aramid – to make strong yet lightweight fiber-reinforced composite parts. Our technology is called CBAM, which stands for Composite-Based Additive Manufacturing. Our CBAM technology makes parts that are up to ten times stronger than plastic parts made from other 3D printing technologies. This is because CBAM uses strong nonwovens such as carbon fiber fabric. In addition to being stronger, CBAM is faster. It has the potential to rival injection molding production speeds – up to 100x faster than other 3D printing technologies.

2016 IDEA Achievement Awards Announced

The nonwovens industry will decide which five companies will take home awards at this year's largest nonwovens event in Boston. Voting is ongoing at www.nonwovens-industry.com/idea16-achievement-awards.#sthash.2gatd1Am.dpuf