The Quality and Audit Programme – a voluntary initiative for the hygiene product industry – is now available in the U.S. thanks to a joint effort of INDA and EDANA, the leading trade associations representing nonwovens and related industries. Together, the trade associations joined forces to implement and support the industry’s first Quality and Audit Programme (QAP) in the U.S. to increase the reach of, and support for, the program in the North American absorbent hygiene products and wet wipes industries.

Much like the harmonization of test methods years ago, this joint programme has the potential to reduce complexity for both suppliers and converters of AHP and wipes. This programme grew from the inefficiency of facing multiple audits from converter supplier audit programmes, often assessing similar requirements, but according to differing standards.

The programme went through a rigorous testing and piloting phase before being rolled out in the summer of 2022. Initially only available in Europe, the programme is expanding its reach to cover Asia and the Americas.

“INDA is pleased to partner with EDANA to promote this programme for the benefit and efficiency of the industry,” says Tony Fragnito, INDA President. “With this partnership, we believe QAP will become the global quality standard in the hygiene industry, thus ensuring that consumer products across the industry are of the highest quality.”

“Answering the needs of many of our members and based on the first results since its implementation in Europe just over a year ago, we are strongly convinced that QAP is a meaningful step forward for the industry. While it will still require a kind of paradigm shift, we are sure that more and more industry players from across the world will adopt the programme,” says Murat Dogru, EDANA’s General Manager. “I look forward to partnering with INDA to bring QAP to the North American market.”

More information is available on the EDANA website where converters and suppliers can register to take part. The programme is based on a harmonized quality and hygiene standard, which facilitates an objective third-party audit. Organizations can also register to follow a training course to familiarize themselves with the standard.