Soane Materials, a leading regenerative materials innovation and IP licensing company, presented new research on flushable nonwoven design at the 2026 World of Wipes^® (WOW) International Conference. Elizabeth Huth-Helriegel, Business Development Director at Soane Materials will present the session, titled “Strong When It Matters, Gone When It Counts: Advances in Flushable Nonwoven Design.”

Flushable wet wipes remain one of the most closely watched categories in the nonwovens industry, as manufacturers work to balance consumer demand for strong, reliable performance with growing concern over the impact these products can have on sewer and water treatment infrastructure. Historically, improving a wipe’s strength has often come at the cost of its ability to disperse quickly and safely after flushing — and vice versa.

Soane Materials’ presentation detailed a proprietary formulation built on a blend of redispersible microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), natural fibers and binders. According to the company, the resulting nonwoven materials are designed to deliver superior strength compared to conventional flushable products on the market today, while still meeting flushability standards set by both EDANA and IWSFG — dispersing and disintegrating at a rate equal to or faster than existing benchmarks.

Notably, the formulation is designed as a near drop-in solution for the current wetlaid manufacturing process, allowing producers to adopt the technology without significant retooling.

During the session, Elizabeth walked attendees through:

* The material and process variables that drive the tradeoff between strength and disintegration in flushable nonwovens
* How a tunable formulation approach can be adapted across a range of nonwoven applications
* Practical considerations for integrating the technology into existing manufacturing lines without compromising performance or output