As this issue went to press, the more technical minded members of the nonwovens industry were gathering for RISE 2022, INDA’s Research, Innovation and Science for Engineered Fabrics conference. As has been the case for most conferences during the last few years, the changing role of plastics in nonwovens was a key topic.

Saying that there is no silver bullet to solve the plastics crisis, Kimberly-Clark’s Bryan Haynes called for a spirit of “Co-opetition” to address the challenges facing the nonwovens industry in today’s climate and he suggested four key strategies—reduce, recycle, biobased and degradable.

“It will take cross industry partnerships to accelerate speed to market,” he told the audience. “We as an industry need to start working together.”

Indeed, K-C has already reported several major initiatives in its efforts to fight the plastic crisis and significantly reduce its use of fossil fuel-based plastics. Its well publicized partnership with RWDC Industries is focused on the development of sustainable solutions that address the environmental challenges of single-use plastics, joining K-C’s experience in nonwoven technologies and resin development with RWDC’s innovative and cost-effective biopolymer solutions.

The challenge facing K-C and other manufacturers of disposable goods, however, is supply. Even as companies like RWDC significantly ramp up production, even just replacing 10% of the materials going into diapers would require a massive amount of capacity. While there is no doubt capacity is growing, surely initiatives like recycling and the use of biodegradable feedstock will also have to play a part in solving this crisis.

We are constantly seeing new initiatives throughout the supply chain. Just last week, Berry Global, the world’s largest nonwovens producer, announced it has created a recycled content “ecosystem” to direct recycled materials toward spunbond and meltblown nonwovens targeting markets like construction and wipes. With this announcement Berry joins a number of other nonwovens producers, like Freudenberg and Suominen, which are examining the use of recycled materials. Meanwhile, diaper companies and manufacturers of other absorbent products continue to look at ways to recycle their products—reducing landfill waste and lessening the use of single-use plastics in the industry.

No matter what the initiative, they all have one thing in common. They are the result of a the work and cooperation of more than one company.

Karen McIntyre
Editor
[email protected]