Environmental sustainability of absorbent hygiene and personal care products will headline the conference topics for Hygienix 2019 coming this fall to the Hyatt Regency Houston Hotel in Houston, TX, Nov. 11-14.

Experts will address such pressing industry topics as plastics in the environment, the growing movement of reusable femcare products, the nonwoven industry’s new position statement on plastics, the impact of absorbent hygiene products in landfills, and more. Registration is now open on the Hygienix website.

Hygienix will feature three days of program content devoted to the latest in sustainable technologies, emerging markets, converting challenges, product and technical innovations, and market trends in the absorbent hygiene and personal care industry. More than 530 professionals from 24 countries attended last year’s event to address issues and advances affecting the largest global nonwoven and engineered materials sector.

Hygienix attendees will hear from Marcus Eriksen, Ph.D., co-founder & research director/board member of 5 Gyres Institute, a conservation nonprofit that empowers action against the global health crisis of plastic pollution through science, education, and adventure.

In his keynote address, Eriksen will share his thoughts on the persistence of plastics in marine environments and address changes that manufacturers can take to correct the situation. He will also talk about the organization’s B.A.N. List 2.0 that reports on the top 20 plastic products found on shorelines in the U.S.

A second keynoter, Suzanne Shelton, president & CEO, Shelton Group, will detail strategic insights from her recent femcare research of millennials and Gen Z—18 to 24-year old’s and the resultant high-impact ramifications for the category as women move away from disposable femcare products in favor of reusables. 

Among other attention-garnering speakers are Svetlana Uduslivaia, head of Research, Euromonitor International, who will explore megatrends and the global growth of disposable hygiene products marketed as natural or sustainable. Mary Ankeny, Ph.D., vice president, Product Development & Implementation Operations of Cotton Incorporated, will share research on one of today’s most pressing environmental trends, microfiber biodegradability in aquatic environments.

Among the anticipated happenings this year are:

• Awards: The Hygienix Innovation Award will be awarded on Nov. 14 to the company that expands the use of nonwovens through product innovation. Last year’s winner was Calla Lily Personal Care Ltd.’s Tampliners,an organic cotton tampon with a built-in mini-liner. Nominations are open and being accepted until July 15 on the INDA website.
• The INDA 2019 Lifetime Technical Achievement award will also be presented to recognize an individual with a long-established technical career in the industry that has resulted in new products and processes. Ralph Moody, PE, senior director of R&D, Berry Global, Inc. was the 2018 recipient.
• Education: Global Trends: Diapers, Baby Pants, & Adult Underwear – This intense focused short course will be held on Nov. 11 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. to kick off the learning opportunities. Diaper expert Carlos Richer will teach the workshop covering product characteristic benchmarks, new product features, and launches in baby pants and adult underwear around the world with an emphasis on developments from Mercosur, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, India, and Europe.
• Networking: Professionals from across the supply chain will have opportunities throughout Hygienix to meet and connect, including a welcome reception (reservations are required), and during the tabletop display exhibitions over two days.