INDA Announces the 2022 RISE® Innovation Award Finalists: Innovations in Recycling and Sustainability

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced the three finalists that will present their innovative material science solutions as they compete for the prestigious RISE® Innovation Award during the 12th edition of the Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics Conference (RISE®) September 27-28, 2022 at North Carolina State University. The award recognizes novel innovations within and on the periphery of the nonwovens industry that creatively use next-level science and engineering principles to solve material challenges and expand the usage of nonwovens and engineered fabrics.

Finalists for the 2022 RISE® Innovation Award:

Cat Litter Made from Recycled Nappies – DiaperRecycle

DiaperRecycle has developed technology to recycle used diapers into cat litter. The cat litter product is made by DiaperRecycle from the super absorbent fiber of diapers; it’s highly absorbent and flushable.

Biodegradable Diaper Components – Gottlieb Binder GmbH & Co. KG

Together, Avgol and Binder take on the challenge of disposable absorbent articles for the good of future generations and came up with sustainable diaper components.

sero® hemp fibers – Bast Fibre Technologies, Inc.

Bast Fibre Technologies’ sero® hemp fibers offer the nonwoven industry an all-natural substitute for plastic fibers. Suitable for minority or majority blends, sero® hemp combines easily with standard nonwoven fibers to produce fabrics that meet the industry requirements for strength, uniformity, and processing efficiency.

In 2021, the RISE® Innovation Award was presented to Canopy for their Canopy Respirator.

“The RISE Conference recognizes and promotes innovation across the nonwoven and engineered material industry. Technology leaders will share invaluable information on innovative new approaches and concepts to resolve material science challenges. For any technical leader, technology scout or new product innovator, RISE is an event not to be missed,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA’s President.

The conference program will cover relevant and timely topics including: Creating a Circular Industry, Advancements in Sustainable Inputs in PLA, Developments in Natural Fibers I and II, Sustainable Inputs in Fibers and Biofibers, Sustainable Inputs from Waste Products, and Economic Insights and Market Intelligence.

The full program can be viewed at: https://www.riseconf.net/conference.php.

For registration details, visit https://www.riseconf.net/. 

2024 Events

October 28-31 | All In Print China, Shanghai New International Expo Center, (https://www.allinprint.com/en/)

November 3-6 | Pack Expo, Chicago, IL (https://www.packexpointernational.com/)

November 18-20 | Shanghai World of Packaging, Shanghai New International Expo Centre (www.swop-online.com)

2025 Events

February 12-13 | Packaging Innovations & Empack, NEC, Birmingham (https://www.packagingbirmingham.com/)

February 16-19 | SPE International Polyolefins Conference, Galveston, Texas (www.PolyolefinsConference.org)

February 19 | Converters Expo South, Greenville, South Carolina (https://www.packagingstrategies.com/converters-expo-south)

February 23-25 | 26th Annual Flexographic Pre-Press Platemakers Conference, Tuscon, Arizona (https://flexoplatemakers.com/event/2025-annual-conference/)

March 10-12 | Print UV, Las Vegas, Nevada (https://www.printuv.com/)

April 1-3 |  Label Expo Mexico, Guadalajara, Mexico (https://www.labelexpo-mexico.com/)

April 22-25 | Hybrid Fusion, Amsterdam (www.hybridsoftware.com/hybrid-fusion-conference)

April 23-25, 2024 | ARC Summit, Golden, CO (https://www.rolltoroll.org/2024-arc-summit-main)

April 29-May 1 |  Fit Expo, Miami Beach, FLA (https://www.filtxpo.com/)

May 4-7 | FORUM & INFOFLEX 2025, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (https://forum.flexography.org/)

May 13-14 | Print & Digital Convention, Dusseldorf, Germany (https://www.printdigitalconvention.de/en)

May 20-21 | Converters Expo, Green Bay, Wisconsin (https://www.packagingstrategies.com/converters-expo)

June 2-4 | ICEC, Palermo, Sicily (https://www.icec2025.com/)

June 18-20 | Global Pouch Forum, Clearwater, Florida (https://www.packagingstrategies.com/global-pouch-forum)

June 24-26 | Adhesives & Bonding Expo, Novi, Michigan (https://www.adhesivesandbondingexpo.com/)

July 21-24 | World of Wipes International Conference, Columbus, Ohio (https://worldofwipes.org/)

September 16-19 | Label Expo Europe, Barcelona, Spain (https://www.labelexpo-europe.com/)

September 29-October 1 | Pack Expo Las Vegas, NV (https://www.packexpolasvegas.com/)

October 1-2, 2024 | RISE® (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics), Raleigh, NC (riseconf.net)

October 6-9 | The Battery Show North America, Detroit, Michigan (https://www.thebatteryshow.com/en/home.html)

Oct 8-15 | K 2025, Messe Düsseldorf (www.k-online.com)

October 22–24 | Printing United, Orlando, Florida (https://www.printingunited.com/)

November 12-14 | R2R Europe, Milan, Italy (https://www.rolltoroll.org/)

2026 Events

April 10-13 | TAPPI FlexPack PLACE Conference, Austin, Texas (https://www.tappi.org)

April 13-16 | Modex 2026, Atlanta, Georgia (https://www.modexshow.com/)

April 15-16 | Pulp & Beyond, Helsinki, Finland (www.pulpandbeyond.com)

May 7-13 | Interpack, Dusseldorf, Germany (https://www.interpack.com)

2028 Events

May 9-17 | drupa, Düsseldorf, Germany (www.drupa.com)

October 8-12 | Super Corr Expo, Orlando, Florida (https://www.supercorrexpo.org)

Exhibitors’ Sneak Peek

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