Sustainable products that solve problems is the theme for this year’s finalists for the World of Wipes Innovation Award that will be presented at the 16^th annual World of Wipes (WOW) international conference. It is scheduled to be held from June 27-30, at the Marriott Marquis in Chicago, Illinois. Registration for WOW 2022 are now open.

The three products vying for the prestigious award are an all-natural substitute for plastic fibres from Bast Fibre Technologies, a dual-textured 3D cleaning wipe from Fitesa and an environmentally safe flushable wipe from Nice-Pak, INDA said in a press release.

INDA’s technical advisory board selected the finalists from nearly 20 submissions based on their creativity, novelty, uniqueness, technical sophistication within the entire nonwovens wipes value chain and expansion of nonwovens use.

This year’s WOW conference sessions focus on circular and sustainable wipes, supply chain challenges in wipes, nonwoven substrates for more sustainable wipes, trends in the wipes market and among consumers, disinfection concerns and new technologies, sustainable wipe packaging trends, and developments in flushability issues.

Participants at the 2022 WOW international conference will have the opportunity to help select the winner following presentations by company representatives on June 28. The winner will be announced on June 30.

Kimberly-Clark Scott 24-Hour Sanitising Wipes was the recipient of the 2021 World of Wipes Innovation Award^. This year’s in-person WOW international conference is expected to draw 400-plus senior-level wipes professionals from all wipes segments, repeating last year’s strong live event that welcomed 475 wipes professionals from 14 countries to Atlanta, GA.

The three companies vying for the award are Bast Fibre Technologies, Fitesa and Nice-Pak.

Bast Fibre Technologies sero hemp fibres offer the nonwoven industry an all-natural substitute for plastic fibers. From dedicated European Union (EU) and US-based production facilities, BFT transforms raw bast fibres into premium natural fibres that are ideal for applications ranging from single-use and durable wipes to industrial applications. Suitable for minority or majority blends, sero hemp combines easily with standard nonwoven fibers to produce fabrics that meet the industry requirements for strength, uniformity, and processing efficiency.

In response to the need for improved composite materials for cleaning surfaces, Fitesa introduced a newly developed 3D embossed, dual textured wiper. This novel nonwoven features exceptional cleaning capability, durability, dirt/debris capture, and fluid pick-up. Several configurations are offered, including MSM (Meltblown SpunBond, Meltblown), MSMSM (Meltblown, SMS, Meltblown), and more. All can be customised with scrubby surfaces and 3D embossed options as well as 'Green' options such as polylactic acid. Features include exceptional abrasion resistance for wipe longevity, significantly improved debris capture capacity and durability of wipe life compared to competitors. The wipe is produced with two different surface polymers to enhance roughness (scrubby-side) and softness (finish side).

After six years of rigorous testing and development, Nice-Pak introduced SecureFLUSH technology flushable wipes, a 100 per cent cellulose nonwoven that is strong and durable yet breaks apart five times faster than the leading brand of two-ply toilet paper. A specialty 'lock and key' design of plant-based fibers and formula leverages patent-pending technology to make the product strong and durable while breaking apart rapidly when flushed to ensure responsible care of plumbing and wastewater.