H.B. Fuller has launched Full-Care 5885 to meet industry’s growing demand for natural-based hygiene articles.

Around the world, while consumers of disposable hygiene products are seeking more environmentally-friendly products, H.B. Fuller advanced technologies and expertise are ready to help manufacturers operate in a more sustainable way.

“One good example is our new high wet strength, low odor and light color Full Care 5885 adhesive solution, which offers great value by combining high-performance 100% cotton bonding at low cost in use,” explains H.B. Fuller’s Dr. Stefan Eller, EIMEA technical service manager.

Cotton-based articles are in high-demand and it’s a trend set to continue apace. Euromonitor has reported on how products with a natural and sustainable positioning have gained ground in the past few years – and how the industry’s players will need to further differentiate their natural products and enhance their positioning with further innovation.

A recent webinar poll ran with Nonwovens Industry (NWI) and H.B. Fuller strongly suggests that sustainability is the number one driver behind this trend, revealing that “over 99% of the 140 respondents are focused on sustainable product development at this time.” 

These results demonstrate that sustainability remains a key influence on strategy and product development for the industry’s major players – an influence no doubt driven by growing customer demand for going natural while using cotton.

Cotton, with its soft, breathable properties, is already the world’s most widely used natural fiber. It’s therefore no surprise that cotton is increasingly regarded by multiple markets as the natural choice for sustainable hygiene products, particularly baby diapers and feminine care.  

Other common natural-based or renewable substrate choices are viscose, typically made from cellulosic fibers and polylactic acid (PLA) or the substrate can be a blend of both.

Given the growth of the baby care market – projected to increase 36% over five years to $70.1 billion dollars in sales in 2023  – and parents’ increasing reliance on purchasing diapers with safe, healthy brands, cotton and even organic cotton look likely to become the natural, sustainable material of choice.

Likewise, the femcare market is poised to grow by $5.43 billion during 2020-2024 – progressing at CAGR of almost 6% during the forecast period – with a “surge in popularity of organic products instrumental in driving the growth of the market.” 

As the global baby care market continues to grow, so do parents’ demand for natural, safe and earth-friendly products for their babies. So, when it comes to choosing diapers and wipes, parents are turning to brands they can rely on. Cotton is a brand parents recognize as reliable, trustworthy, and sustainable, which means the market for
cotton is positioned to keep growing to meet the needs of parents today—and parents tomorrow.

Cotton and viscose swell when wet, making them more challenging to bond. In response, H.B Fuller’s experts around the globe have utilized extensive technical know-how to develop Full-Care 5885, a high wet-strength adhesive that allows manufacturers to confidently switch to natural substrates like 100% cotton and viscose without having to significantly increase coat weight.

This new adhesive solution enables hygiene producers to meet demands for a more sustainable world. It not only provides high-performance cotton bonding at low cost in use, but has an optimized viscosity profile, allowing application at lower temperatures, ease of use for application set up and optimal line efficiency.

In the current times of consumers demanding more ingredient transparency, Full-Care 5885 offers extra assurance as it meets the certification requirement of the Eco Passport by OEKOTEX. This is an independent certification system now being increasingly used by the hygiene industry to show ecological responsibility. 

Dr. Eller concludes: “Full-Care 5885 is suitable for all standard machines and application types – including slot, spiral and spray – while combining optimized rheological profile for clean and consistent application. It’s an innovative hot melt adhesive that provides robust solutions for our customers and the next generation of sustainable goods.”