CARY, N.C. — March 3, 2015 — INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, has awarded the 2015 RISE® Durable Product Award to Fitesa Simpsonville, Inc. for a new nonwoven material made entirely from plant-based materials for the hygiene and personal care markets.
Fitesa 100 Percent Biobased Spunbond was selected for the prestigious award from three other finalists based on votes from attendees and other INDA members at INDA’s Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics Conference (RISE®) & N3M Conference Feb. 9-12 in Miami, Florida.
The RISE Durable Product Award is presented to a durable nonwoven product chosen for their innovative use of nonwoven fabric and/or technology that is commercially sold and used in the consumer or industrial marketplace.
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, as well as disposable soft goods.
“We are pleased to be recognized by INDA for our collaboration with Braskem and NatureWorks to develop a product that highlights and supports Fitesa’s commitment to performance and sustainability by replacing traditional petrochemical based materials with renewable products made from plants,” said Ray Dunleavy, Fitesa Marketing, Strategy, and Business Development Director.
The production of both the Braskem’s I’m green™100 percent biobased polyethylene and NatureWorks naturally advanced 100 percent biobased Ingeo polylactide used to make the new fabric provide significant carbon footprint reductions by removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
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.
The other finalists for the 2015 RISE® Durable Product Award were: Conversion Technologies International’s CT melt blown filter cartridges, Louis P. Batson Company’s elliptical needle loom Ellittica, and Polymer Group, Inc.’s highly breathable AAMI 4 Laminate.
Posted March 10, 2015
Source: INDA
