INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry serving the nonwovens/engineered fabrics industry in global commerce, has announced the names of the finalists of the 2018 World of Wipes (WOW) Innovation Award. The winner will be selected by the attendees of WOW 2018, which will be held from June 5 to 8, 2018, at the Sheraton Grand in Chicago, US.

The three companies vying for the prestigious award are Diamond Wipes International’s Hero Wipes, National Wiper Alliance’s Rhino Wipe Tote System, and Solugen, Inc.’s Ode to Clean Wipes.

Hero Wipes are specially formulated to remove toxic, cancer-causing carcinogens from firefighters’ skin after they exit a fire. These wipes are used on-site to decontaminate and clean the vulnerable skin of firefighters. A patent-pending balanced blend of ingredients isolates harmful chemical compounds and traps them in the tough and strong wipe. Third-party testing shows that Hero Wipes remove 98 per cent of the toxic flame retardant TCEP and 83 per cent of the carcinogen Benzopyrene, a component found in soot.

Rhino Wipe Tote System features a carry handle and built-in adjustable straps to attach the water repellent container to surfaces (such as the back of a car headrest) for easy dispensing of Rhino wipes. The reusable wipes can be rinsed and reused multiple times and are binder, silicone and solvent free. The patented packaging system offers portability for on-the-go uses and convenience.

Ode to Clean Wipes are the first wipes in which the substrate and the cleaning solution (Bioperoxide) are made entirely from plant starch. The young start-up company has developed an enzymatic process that is a less expensive and more efficient way to convert plant sugars into high purity hydrogen peroxide for use in various industries starting with these green cleaning wipes. (gk)