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INDA has awarded the 2015 RISE® Durable Product Award to Fitesa Simpsonville Inc., a global nonwoven supplier for the hygiene, medical and industrial markets, for a new nonwoven material made from plant-based materials. Fitesa 100 Percent Biobased Spunbond was based on votes from attendees and other INDA members at INDA’s Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics Conference (RISE®) & N3M Conference.
The winning entry is intended for the hygiene and personal care markets. The fabric’s sheath/core bicomponent configuration contains two biobased polymers and features extreme softness and robust strength. This spunbond material offers a sustainable alternative to customers in such diverse applications as agriculture and landscaping, industrial wipes and disposable soft goods.
The companies were motivated to launch the product by increased consumer interest in green and sustainable product options, growing demand for products produced with renewable resources, sustainability initiatives by large consumer product companies and pricing volatility of petrochemical-based polymers.
INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, serves member companies in the nonwovens/engineered fabrics industry in global commerce. The award is presented to a durable nonwoven product chosen for its innovative use of nonwoven fabric and/or technology that is commercially sold and used in the consumer or industrial marketplace.