RISE delivers on new nonwoven technologies virtually
October 05, 2020 - United States Of America
The tenth edition of RISE (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics) conference, which was held virtually from September 29-October 1, 2020, hosted over 150 professionals in product development, materials science, and new technologies. The event was co-organised by INDA, The Nonwovens Institute, and the North Carolina State University.
Participants praised the programme content which focused on societal issues affecting the nonwovens industry, bio-sourced polymers and fibres, COVID-19 responses, sustainability: material science developments, and dynamic markets and future smart machines, INDA said in a press release.
Highlights of the event included presentations on The Future of Sustainable Plastic Alternatives and the Impact of the SUPD on Innovation, by Bryan Haynes, senior technical director, Global Nonwovens, Kimberly-Clark; COVID & the global fibre market, by Jon Devine, senior economist, Cotton Incorporated; sustainability from the perspective of a nonwoven supplier to disposable care products, by Thomas Broch, regulatory & scientific affairs manager, and Mette Due, QA & sustainability director, Fibertex Personal Care A/S; driving production efficiency and performance in N95 face masks, by Robert Green, vice president of performance polymers, NatureWorks; surgical mask particle filtration efficiency: time for change, by Behnam Pourdeyhimi, William A. Klopman distinguished professor, North Carolina State University, executive director, The Nonwovens Institute; sustainable materials and their processing for the future nonwovens industry, by Orlando Rojas, professor, University of British Columbia; and sustainable polymers and fibers for nonwovens: current status and future, by Gajanan Bhat, textiles, merchandising, and interiors, The University of Georgia.
The programme included the presentation of the
RISE Innovation Award winner and multiple virtual networking options, including a session where participants ask-the-expert speakers questions pertaining to their focused presentations, along with trivia breaks, coffee breaks and a cocktail hour.
The RISE innovation award was presented to The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University for their spunbond high efficiency filter media. The product is a completely new approach to creating filtration media with the right efficiency at low pressure drop at a throughput of 350 kg per metre per hour. The pressure drop with The Nonwovens Institute’s new filter is unmatched by any melt-blown structure and doesn’t require electrostatic charging. Other nominees for the award included FemTech at MAS Holdings for their leak-proof absorbent nursing pads and sustainable solutions incorporated for their BlueCON Nonwovens.