Driving Change: New EDANA Forums at the Heart of Innovation and Sustainability in the Nonwovens Industry

Historically, the nonwovens sector has been synonymous with innovation, furnishing society with adaptable materials that benefit our daily routines, spanning healthcare, construction, filtration, household, and civil engineering among other sectors.

At EDANA we believe that convening the nonwovens industry at events is critical for our industry and can facilitate collaborative efforts for progress, while still safeguarding proprietary business data and respecting intellectual property. Open innovation not only breaks barriers but also streamlines costs, saving valuable time and resources by infusing diverse ideas into the innovation process and accelerating groundbreaking solutions. This is why in 2023, we reviewed and strengthened our event offering to introduce the EDANA Innovation and Sustainability Forums.

The first edition of the Sustainability Forum was held in November 2023 and was a resounding success, eliciting strong praise from attendees. Now open for registration, at first glance, the EDANA Innovation Forum - which is sponsored by Gessner - is shaping up to be just as successful, boosting a strong programme split across three sessions covering innovation in nonwovens applications, technology, and material solutions. 

EDANA Innovation Forum Programme Overview

The forum will open with a keynote on Why Innovation Fails: The 7 Keys to Success from Joachim De Vos, Co-chair & Managing Partner of Living Tomorrow – TomorrowLab, as he delves into the complexities of innovation, exploring the fundamental questions that often elude us. Joachim's 7 keys to success are based on lessons learned from companies on how to improve innovation processes. Joachim conducted thousands of interviews with companies over ten years to understand why their innovations failed, and what they could have done better.

Over the remaining days, attendees will hear from over 20 distinguished speakers from companies including Autefa, BASF, PFNonwovens, SABIC, Trützschler Nonwovens, and more. Each speaker will share unique insights into nonwoven innovations spanning materials, technology, and applications.

The first session will address innovations in applications with presentations showcasing innovations in wipes, firefighting garments, and menstrual care. Attendees will learn how a multilayered engineered fabric developed by Glatfelter is revolutionizing the industrial and institutional wipes sector; how a textile from Isomate can maintain structural integrity under extreme conditions making it perfect for fire resistance; and a speaker from Texol-Orma will explain the human skin microbiome and how this relates to hygiene products while enhancing the user experience. 

Session two will cover technological innovations, including spunlace equipment, digitalisation, polymer technology and bio-based nonwovens. Session three will conclude the main conference agenda with presentations on innovation in material solutions which will examine cellulosic nonwovens and plastic additive concepts. The third day will see the EDANA Innovation Forum relocate to the most innovative place in town: The Munich Urban Colab, a place for new forms of cross-sector and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The programme for this third day will include inspirational talks, including an address by the founders of the Urban Colab facility, as well as presentations from keynotes and start-ups. And of course, no EDANA event is complete without networking.

The EDANA Innovation Forum is the perfect place for participants to network, collaborate, and lead the way in today's dynamic nonwovens business landscape. Throughout the Forum, there will be plenty of opportunities to meet and exchange with other attendees be it by engaging in discussions at the tabletops or during the evening reception at the M'Uniqo Rooftop Bar, which has a 360° panoramic view of the stunning city of Munich!

As societal awareness for the footprint we leave behind and the responsibility that we bear towards our planet has increased, innovation has become inextricably linked with sustainability. Industries, worldwide are innovating to find more efficient ways to utilize resources, minimize waste, increase recycling, and reduce our overall environmental impact. 

Take the Stage at the EDANA Sustainability Forum

The EDANA Sustainability Forum will be back for a second edition in Brussels, Belgium from 5-7 November 2024. Building on the achievements of the previous edition, the agenda will cover all relevant sustainability topics for the nonwovens industry including medical nonwoven circularity; good practice on green claims; sustainability reporting (CSRD); corporate sustainability (CSDDD); and circularity in durable nonwoven applications. The call for papers is out now. If you would like to feature in this year’s programme please send your abstracts to giovanna.merola@edana.org by Friday 3 May 2024. Visit the EDANA website for more information.