The new natureFIT suite of fabric solutions from Avgol has been developed to reduce material impact for product designers, with a range of additional qualities that can be integrated into the material, including reducing resin use,  the source and application of resin alternatives and natural additive technologies.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic still dominating headlines around the world, and Avgol’s beneFITT Control and beneFIT Defense being designed to respond to the antimicrobial needs, the global environmental effort has been relegated from the top of the agenda for many,” says Nick Carter, director of market business intelligence and intellectual property at Avgol. “But as the whole world adjusts to this new paradigm, we are continuing to develop products that meet the growing, market-led demand for sustainable fabrics in hygiene applications, while driving even greater value through the supply chain.”

Carter says  that one new product from the natureFIT range, natureFIT Gentle, reduces the use of resin in production by as much as 40%.

“Our advanced technology affords product designers a significant reduction in polymer consumption by harnessing naturally occurring minerals, while simultaneously enhancing softness and conformability,” said Nick. “Importantly for our brand customers, despite significantly reducing the amount of resin we can now use in this type of product, we have maintained all the performance characteristics of our traditional fabrics.”

natureFIT Gentle enables more effective value-driven product development across the hygiene sector, while reducing the environmental impact in terms of resources and waste in line with the company’s sustainable product strategy.

“At Avgol, we thrive on developing creative nonwoven solutions that meet the evolving needs of the market,” he says. “Over the last few months, we have seen people’s attitudes shift and their attention focus on more immediate concerns, but the environment and sustainability issues have simply not gone away.”

“Now, as we begin to slowly move towards re-establishing a sense of normalcy, it is important that we do not revert to old ways where concerns over environmental issues are set aside to be addressed in the future,” says Carter. “Instead, we need to act now, and that’s why we are committed to reducing the amount of resin we use in our products and therefore the amount of plastic that ultimately finds its way into the waste stream.”

Brands’ sustainability credentials will be increasingly important in the coming weeks and months, as consumers begin to focus on making choices influenced by their own values as opposed to purely by necessity.

“Globally, consumers are going to re-engage with eco-friendly products and processes, and the hygiene market is no exception,” he says. “Our new suite of solutions adds another string to the bow of brands and product developers, turning what was previously a ‘nice-to-have’ into an effective and marketable competitive advantage.

“Enhancing the eco-friendly credentials of contemporary non-woven product design should be top of the priority list for every brand in the market, and the natureFIT™ platform puts natural qualities front and center, which consumers truly value.”

natureFIT™ is the latest part of the Avgol Forward Innovative Thinking (‘FIT’) strategy, designed to imbue Avgol non-woven fabrics with additional qualities and benefits that anticipate the shifting demands of the consumer-led retail space.