Wet wipes innovation focuses on sustainability
According to the Smithers report “SpunlaceNonwovens by 2026 By far the largest end use for spunlace nonwovens is wipes, and the pandemic-related surge in disinfectant wipes has even exacerbated this, according to Phil Mango, author of The Future of Spunlaced Nonwovens. In 2021, wet wipes accounted for 64.7% (in tons) of all spunlace nonwovens consumption. By 2021, the global movement to reduce/eliminate the use of plastic in wet wipes has given rise to several new variants of spunlace nonwovens; by 2026, spunlace nonwovens will remain the main raw material for wet wipes, with wet wipes in The share of spunlace nonwovens consumption will increase to 65.6%.
One of the most important drivers of the past decade, he added One is the need to reduce/eliminate plastic in wipes and other nonwoven products. While the EU plastic restriction order was the catalyst, the reduction of plastic in nonwovens has become a global driving force, especially spunlace nonwovens.
In addition to government regulations, consumer preferences and retailers’ The requirements are also prompting wipe manufacturers – and by extension their spunlaced nonwovens suppliers – to re-examine their raw material usage. Some UK retailers have banned the sale of plastic-containing wipes from their stores and asked their suppliers to reformulate their products to remove the plastic.
Marco Fano, chief marketing officer of equipment supplier Autefa Solutions, said, The need for sustainable nonwovens is clear and is a major topic in most discussions with customers across all spunlace nonwoven applications, from wipes to geotextiles and apparel. Compared with existing traditional spunlace technology, the latest technology can reduce energy consumption by up to 30%. Fano added that this is opening up new markets, even for high fashion products such as artificial leather and other sustainable products based on natural leather waste.
As a global leader in spunlace nonwovens and other wiping substrates Market leader, Suominen leads the way in sustainability. “Sustainability is increasingly important to our customers and other stakeholders,” said Lynda Kelly, senior vice president, “We do this by providing customers with products made from renewable, recyclable, compostable and plastic-free raw materials. products to help them achieve their environmental goals.” These new products include Biolace Pure, a 100% plant-based product with superior cleaning power, and Biolace Bamboo, A bamboo-based substrate. Both products offer clear advantages in terms of reducing their CO2 footprint and lowering their environmental impact.
As a business strategy focusing on sustainable development launched last year As part of this, Suominen aims to increase sales of sustainable products by 50% by 2025 and launch more than 10 sustainable products every year.
Sandler’s chief commercial officer Ulrich Hornfeck said Sandler recognized that Sustainability is increasingly important to end consumers as well as manufacturers. “We consider the sustainability of our products and the impact their use may have on consumers or the environment from the earliest development stages,” he said. “Today, Sandler already uses approximately 30% of renewable and recycled raw materials, where the raw materials come from renewable sources, such as Gogus said: “We see Demand is down for wipes, especially disinfectant wipes, which have boomed during the pandemic but are still higher than before the pandemic. “We have also observed demand growth from industrial end-uses such as automobiles, but production capacity is growing much faster than demand, and excess capacity will take time to digest. ”
Mogul’s Metatex high-performance spunlace range offers a range of High-end fabrics meet the market demand for lightweight materials such as warm clothing and rubber reinforced materials for firefighting equipment.
“From protective clothing to automotive hoses and filtration systems, the possibilities are very wide,” adds Gogus. The product provides a longer service life. ”
Norafin’s spunlace technology is also suitable for higher performance application, thanks to the TurboCard system, which integrates an “air knife” into the carding system to blow the fibers apart after the initial carding step and place them in a random pattern on the line. The materials produced on these lines Ideal for performance-driven areas such as filtration and high temperature applications. In the wipes space, Norafin has chosen to focus on higher performance categories beyond wet wipes and baby wipes.
“Spunlace materials offer many advantages, primarily the dimensional stability and uniformity we see from our carding systems Basis weight distribution,” said Will Matthews, senior sales manager. “While we may not produce materials for the wet wipes/baby wipes market, we are producing multiple value-added materials for many wipe markets. This is mainly due to our flexible production capabilities, which allow us to process colored fibers in our systems. ”
”We remain committed to further development in many high-performance markets develop. Matthews added: “While our expertise comes from everything we have done with aramid fibers in thermal lining applications, we are now working on several new applications. For example, we have started researching different cut-resistant materials, as well as using oxidized fibers to block fire-resistant applications in diets. ”
Other areas of interest are oxidized fibers for filtration applications Alternative blending options, and the development of biodegradable hemp fibers, which may be ideal for wet wipes and cosmetic applications.
Sandler’s spunlace business also focuses on diversified markets beyond wet wipes and hygiene products, allowing it to succeed amid fierce global competition.
”In such a dynamic and versatile market as nonwovens, Growth is driven by product differentiation and new developments,” said Hornfeck. “The combination of spunlace nonwovens with other materials creates new material properties and opens up new application areas. The growing importance of sustainability has also led to high levels of innovation, as manufacturers look for new raw materials or combinations to deliver more environmentally friendly products. ”
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