Five consumer products from both large and small consumer products companies have been nominated as finalists for the prestigious 2009 Visionary Award.

Now in its eighth year, the Award—which is given annually to a new consumer product that utilizes nonwoven fabrics in its final form—will be presented at the Vision 2009 Consumer Products Conference, January 26-29, 2009 in New Orleans, LA. The finalists will make presentations during  Vision 2009 and conference attendees will vote on the recipient of the 2009 Visionary Award.

“The vital role nonwovens continues to play in a host of consumer products is clear in the quality of these five finalists, which were selected from almost two dozen nominations from around the world,” said Visionary Award Chair Michael Jacobsen, of INDA. “They represent the most significant advances in incorporating nonwovens technology into consumer products and they are being recognized not only for their technical attributes, but for their novel use of nonwoven fabrics as well.”

The five finalists are:

• Ahlstrom Disruptor nanoalumina fiber, nonwoven water filter media
Disruptor is a nonwoven, wet laid filter media that is based on nanoalumina fiber technology. Disruptor offers many benefits for consumer product water purification products, including refrigerators, tap filters, shower filters, counter top filters, under sink filters, prefilters to home reverse osmosis (RO) filters, water pitchers, water coolers and spa filters.

• Back Enterprises, Germy Wormy Sanitary Sleeve
The Germy Wormy Sanitary Sleeve is a kid-friendly, easy-to-use disposable product that captures germs by teaching children to cough and sneeze into their elbow in a fun way. The product is comprised of a nonwoven laminate containing multiple elastic filaments for the cuffs, an inner layer of breathable film and an outer layer of spunbond polypropylene.

• Kimberly-Clark, GoodNites Sleep Boxer for Boys and Sleep Shorts for Girls GoodNites give children comfortable protection that looks and feels like everyday sleepwear. They are designed to help protect, with customized protection zones for girls and for boys.

• Rotano International, Nooby’s Booties Disposable Dog Booties
These disposable dog booties are made from spunbond polypropylene and polyethylene and are marketed to fill a gap in the market as a disposable dog bootie. It comes in two versions – a Disposable Dog Bootie for Wet Conditions and one for Dry Conditions.

• WearOnce.com/Tredegar Consumer Designs, Inc., Once Single-Use Panty Created for the modern woman and introduced in late 2007, the once single-use panty with a breathable, soft, stretchy and stylish fit feels like any other panty, but with one big advantage – it is worn once and then discarded. It is made from a breathable, soft, and stretchy nonwoven with comfortable leg and waistbands and a cotton gusset.

Last February at VISION 2008 in San Antonio, TX, Kimberly-Clark’s Spa Sensials personal care treatment received the 2008 Visionary Award over five other finalists. Other previous recipients include Tyco Healthcare Retail Group’s Swim Pants (2008); Chicopee’s Disaster Relief Blanket (2006); Fiberweb’s Resolution Print Media (2005); Church & Dwight’s Brillo Scrub ‘n’ Toss (2004); FMJ ChemBio’s Civilian Quick Escape Mask (2003); and Procter & Gamble’s Swiffer (2002).