The 14th RISE® conference brought new innovations to light, conferred awards and highlighted student research.
TW Special Report
The Cary, N.C.-based Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) recently held the 14th iteration of its RISE® — Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics — conference at a new location on the NC State cam-pus — the James B. Hunt Jr. Library on Centennial Campus, Raleigh, N.C. The two-day event was co-organized by INDA and The Nonwo-vens Institute (NWI).
RISE focuses on emerging technologies and ideas with the aim of connecting innovations with real-world applications for professionals in the nonwoven/engineered fabrics industry.
Speakers included experienced industry, government and academic personnel. Topics covered sustainability and biobased materials, plastic regulation, circular economy strategies, and process technologies and product design, among other topics.
“Two highlights really stood out at this year’s RISE conference,” said Matt O’Sickey, director of Education & Technical Affairs. “The program brought together presenters that shared varied but surprisingly complementary views on end-of-life considerations for fabrics. They emphasized that there is no ‘silver bullet’ solution for all end-of-life questions and that some combination of mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, advanced recycling, up-cycling, biodegradation and compostability will be necessary to most advantageously address and utilize the end-of-life input streams.”
Award Winners
Hempitecture Inc. was the winner of the 2024 RISE Innovation Award for its PlantPanel™ insulation material made using 100-percent biobased and recycled material. INDA also conferred its Lifetime Technical Achievement Award to Arnold Wilkie, president and owner of Hills Inc., Melbourne, Fla. Wilkie has more than 40 patents and applications relating to yarns, fibers, filaments, nonwovens and polymer processing innovations.
Event Highlights
Other RISE related events included a golf tournament, tour of The Nonwovens Institute to view the analytical labs and pilot lines, and an evening reception featuring graduate student posters. The students — who came from a variety of nonwoven, textile and fiber programs — had the opportunity to share their work and engage in attendees about their research.
“An exciting addition to RISE was inclusion of more than 30 posters from students & faculty from multiple leading universities,” O’Sickey said. “RISE is unique in sharing both immediately actionable innovation as well as fundamental enabling research.”
“While environmental responsibility is frequently highlighted in marketing materials, RISE provided direct access to the scientists and thought leaders — from innovative startups and emerging companies to established Fortune 500 firms — who are driving meaningful change from a technical perspective,” said Rishi Gurnani, director of Software Engineering & Algorithms, Atlanta-based Matmerize; first time RISE attendee and speaker. “The conference offered invaluable learning and networking opportunities. I believe Artificial Intelligence will play a significant role in addressing the ongoing challenges in the nonwovens sector, particularly in advancing sustainable solutions.”
“I was honored to be an invited speaker at the INDA RISE conference,” said Aaron Hall, founder and CEO, Intropic Materials Corp., Oakland, Calif. “At Intropic Materials, we are developing enzyme-based additives enabling plastics and fibers to self-degrade at end of life without producing microplastics — unlocking high performance and more sustainable products. The crowd at RISE was engaged, motivated, and so many wonderful innovations were show-cased. It was my first time attending, and I’m excited for continued collaboration with INDA, the Nonwovens Institute, and companies in the space.”
RISE will return to NC State University for the 15th edition of the event October 14-15, 2025.
2024 Quarterly Issue IV
