Germany’s Kelheim Fibres together with Sumo, a diaper brand, have developed absorbent pad that uses no fossil materials. Sumo is a fitted cloth diaper consisting of a waterproof cover and absorbent inserts. The cover has a pocket to hold the absorbent pad and prevent it from slipping. To enhance its performance, Sumo has partnered with Kelheim Fibres.

The basis for the innovative design form Kelheim’s functionalised specialty viscose fibres with adapted cross-sections. Needle-punched / thermobonded nonwovens with a blend of specialty viscose and PLA bicomponent fibres were chosen to ensure the product’s washability, the company said in a media release.

In the distribution layer (ADL), the trilobal cross-section of the galaxy fibre forms capillary channels that enable efficient and optimised liquid distribution and thus optimum use of the capacity of the absorbent core, offering the lowest rewet values.

In the absorbent core, the segmented hollow fibre bramante stores liquid not only between but also inside the fibre. The liquid remains there even when pressure is applied to the construction, providing excellent rewet values. Bramante can absorb up to 260 per cent of its own weight in liquid (cotton only achieves values of around 50 per cent here).

The innovative nonwoven construction with the speciality fibres from Kelheim performs better in tests in terms of air permeability, liquid absorption, and rewetting than commercially available solutions made of synthetic fibres or cotton in knitted structures and has earned Sumo diapers a place among the finalists for the IDEA long-life product achievement award, the release added.

“Kelheim Fibres specialty fibres are a perfect fit for us. Like all the fabrics we have developed for Sumo diapers, the fibres in the insert developed with Kelheim are based on cellulose and are biodegradable. They are as good to baby’s skin as they are to the environment, and – thanks to their targeted functionalisation – they outperform other cellulosic fibres, as well as synthetic fibres,” Sumo designer Luisa Kahlfeldt, stated.

“Working with Sumo is inspiring and professional in equal measure. We share a passion for driving the transformation to a bio-based society with innovative solutions. The entire Kelheim Fibres project team, led by innovation manager Ilka Kaczmarek and project manager Dominik Mayer, is very proud that our fibres are now part of the Sumo diaper, offering young parents a sustainable product that meets their need for a comfortable, reliable and skin-friendly diaper solution for their babies,” Dr. Marina Crnoja-Cosic, director new business development at Kelheim Fibres, said.