The 11th edition of RISE (Research, Innovation, & Science for Engineered Fabrics (RISE) forum was recently held virtually. Co-organized by INDA, the Nonwovens Institute, and the North Carolina State University, it focused on sustainable solutions for nonwovens and engineered materials. Based in the US, INDA is the Association of Nonwoven Fabrics Industry.

Around 45 professionals in product development, material science, and new technologies took part in the program. It focused on nonwoven material science developments, sustainability, increasing circularity, promising innovations, process innovations, material innovations, government/NGO challenges to single-use plastics, machine-assisted-learning development of biopolymers, and market intelligence and economic insights, according to INDA.

Participants praised the high-quality programme content, in-depth round table discussions, networking and Q&A’s where participants ask expert speakers questions pertaining to their focused presentations.

Canopy Respirator was announced as the winner of this year’s RISE Innovation Award winner. The annual award recognises innovation in areas within and on the periphery of the nonwovens industry which use advanced science and engineering principles to develop unique or intricate solutions to problems and advance the usage of nonwovens.

The RISE innovation award was presented to Canopy for their Canopy Respirator. The product is an innovative respirator that is fully mechanical, non-electrostatic, with a filter designed for superior breathability while offering the wearer facial transparency. The breakthrough respirator features 5.5mm water column resistance at 85 litres (3 cubic feet) per minute, two-way filtration, and a pleated filter that contains over 500 square centimetres of surface area. The patented Canopy respirator resists fluids, and eliminates fogging of eyeglasses.

“I think more than any other year, RISE 2021 has given me insights into the next generation of fibres. My mind is full of ideas of how we can use these new innovations in nonwoven products for our clients, that are going to improve both consumers’ quality of life as well as be more thoughtful to the environment. RISE has become one of our most important conferences in the nonwoven calendar,” Heidi Beatty, consultant at Crown Abbey said.

“I’ve enjoyed virtual RISE this year and especially getting the wide range of current insights and discussion on the important topic of sustainability – from biopolymers to regulation to machine learning.  We all as an industry need to work together to find the solutions that are needed, and this was a great way to get some cross-pollination of practical ideas,” Diane Toonen, global strategic marketing director, global nonwovens business unit at Bostik said.