TECH

Notes

Mewalii’s Hemp-Based Period Pads

Danish Femcare company Mewalii has introduced the period pads crafted from Sero™ regenerative hemp fibers without the use of cotton. The January 2024 launch marks a significant milestone for the founders after more than four years of dedicated effort and passion of development.

“We had an amazing launch, and it was so soothing to be able to say that from this day you be able to buy Mewaliis hemp pads – it was unbelievable amazing,” said Frederikke Dahl, Co-Founder of Mewalii.

Mewalii’s journey began in 2019, inspired by a university entrepreneurship program, envisioned developing fully biodegradable sanitary pads. During the founders’ research, they investigated the use of different types of natural fibers and found hemp used less water than other materials and could be grown without the use of pesticides.

Mewalii pads are made from around 75 percent of Sero™ natural hemp fibre – the core is made entirely from hemp, while the topsheet is a blend of hemp and viscose for added softness. www.mewalii.com

Fiberpartner ApS and Stein Fibers, LLC Announce Strategic Cooperation

Fiberpartner ApS, a leading global supplier of responsible and innovative fiber solutions, is entering a strategic partnership with Stein Fibers, LLC, a renowned distributor of special fibers and materials. This partnership is designed to make new and innovative fiber solutions widely available and accessible, contributing to a more responsible future. The goal is to support the transition towards a non-petroleum-based development of fibers and an environmentally friendly tomorrow.

The collaboration offers several advantages, such as:

• Enhanced Availability: Increased availability for fiber solutions, providing customers with easier access to these responsible materials for seamless integration into their products – this is gained through Stein Fibers’ leading distribution network across the USA, enabling them to meet their sustainability goals and reduce their environmental impact.

• Sustainable collaboration: Fiberpartner ApS and Stein Fibers, LLC share a commitment to driving innovation in sustainability. Their collective efforts will be strengthened, promoting the delivery of environmentally friendly solutions to the market.

• Expertise and Assistance: Customers will gain valuable insights and support from both companies, guaranteeing a seamless transition to these more sustainable fiber alternatives.

“We are excited about our partnership with Stein Fibers, LLC,” said Thomas Wittrup, CEO of Fiberpartner ApS. “Together, we are better equipped to meet the growing demand for better and less harmful fiber solutions. We are committed to making our solutions more readily available to businesses worldwide. Stein Fibers is a market leader in the distribution of textile fibers for the fiberfill, nonwovens, and spinning industries. Together we can provide our global customers world class supply chain solutions.”

“We are pleased about this collaboration with Fiberpartner ApS in promoting our supply chain solutions in conjunction with their innovative fiber solutions,” said Jaren Edwards, President at Stein Fibers, LLC. “This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to provide cutting-edge fiber materials with a lower footprint to our customers. We believe that these innovative fibers will play a vital role in reducing the environmental impact of the industries we serve.” www.fiberpartner.com

The Nonwovens Institute Expands ISO-Accredited Filtration Testing Lab

The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) announced its expanded Filtration Testing Lab, featuring services for facemasks and respirators, along with filter media for automotive, HEPA and HVAC applications. Importantly, NWI’s Filtration Testing Lab is A2LA Accredited for ISO 17025*, enabling it to meet NIOSH requirements for testing materials used in respirators, and it is outfitted with equipment to perform ASTM F2299 testing for the measurement of Particle Filtration Efficiency (PFE) at 0.1 microns. In addition to NWI’s Filtration Testing Lab, NWI offers a fully equipped Analytical and Physical Testing Lab with more than 60 tests available for nonwoven materials.

NWI also offers lab- and pilot-scale capabilities for Fiber Spinning, Meltblown, Spunbond and Hydroentangling, Staple/Carded Nonwovens, among others. www.thenonwovensinstitute.com

PFNonwovens Launches Product Portfolio Based on 100% Renewable and Compostable Materials

Benchtop Minitype Spunmelt Nonwoven Lab Equipment from KMD

Global nonwoven fabric manufacturer PFNonwovens, a leading innovator in the nonwovens industry, announced the launch of its newest sustainable nonwoven product portfolio based on 100% renewable resin, leveraging the latest Reicofil 5 technology. The portfolio is highlighted by a number of breakthrough materials made entirely from polylactic acid (PLA) resins. These products are setting new standards for eco-friendly spunmelt nonwovens and reinforce PFNonwovens’ commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

The commercial launch of the new bio-based nonwoven products, produced from 100% PLA and enabled by the Reicofil 5 technology, is the most recent step in the company’s drive to address environmental challenges. These innovative materials set new standards for eco-friendly spunmelt nonwovens, while delivering the performance and quality levels expected in applications such as advanced hygiene products, filtration, medical and many others. These new products composed entirely of PLA (from NatureWorks LLC) are industrially compostable and include both spunbond and SMS structures. Developing products that met the goal was a challenge and was enabled by the state-of-the-art Reicofil 5 technology. www.pfnonwovens.com

KMD Plastifizierungstechnik GmbH officially launched the first benchtop Minitype Spunmelt nonwoven equipment in April of 2023, and it has since attracted extensive attention from the industry. KMD continues to upgrade and improve the configuration scheme, optimize the product series, and systematically launch the latest integrated model configuration, which optimizes the mini design of Spunmelt nonwoven equipment & fiber spinning equipment.

KMD Mini type benchtop equipment includes three main categories: Benchtop Spunbond & Melt-blown machines, Benchtop POY/FDY spinning machines, and benchtop extruders. Based on the function of the conventional equipment, the upgraded configuration complies with following design principles:

• Compact design, small size, easy and fast installation;

• Single hole/fewer holes spinneret designs are optional;

• Mono- and Bi-component are optional;

• Very little raw material consumption;

• Integrated & intelligent control, easy to operate;

• Fast test speed, greatly shorten the complex and lengthy R&D cycle;

• Ultra-low energy consumption, friendly to the environment;

• Components and configuration can be customized;

• Economical price, easy to invest.

To enable more customers to get convenient services and provide a variety of choices, KMD has authorized Triumph Equipment Manufacturing (Yantai) Co., Ltd. to produce benchtop spinning machines & Spunmelt nonwoven lab machines in Asia. www.kmd-industrie.de

Freudenberg Adds Eco-Friendly Options for Carpet Backings

Freudenberg Performance Materials is extending its ECO range of sustainable nonwoven carpet backings: Lutradur ECO-R and Colback ECO-R backings contain high percentages of recycled raw materials. With its ECO portfolio Freudenberg supports carpet manufacturers in their transition towards an increasingly sustainable product offering.

Freudenberg’s spunbond nonwoven primary and secondary carpet backings contribute to manufacturers’ easy and efficient production processes as well as to high-performance end products. The company is now extending its ECO range in Europe with Colback ECO-R and Lutradur ECO-R backings that contain a recycled content of between 51 and 90%. Replacing virgin raw materials with recycled polyester saves on natural resources and improves the carbon footprint of end products. The ECO-R backings are specifically suitable for carpet tiles, broadloom, dust control mats and automotive option mats.

The company launched its ECO range for sustainable primary backings in early 2023 with the introduction of the ECO-RE resourceefficient backings that use less raw materials and support end product recyclability. To achieve this, Freudenberg R&D teams further developed the company’s proprietary yarn production technology allowing for extremely thin filaments.

“With the extended ECO range, Freudenberg now offers a variety of different solutions supporting carpet manufacturers in making sustainable choices to suit their ambitions and processes,” said Albert Hammerschmied, Director for EMEA carpet business with responsibility for New Business Development and Sustainability. “Freudenberg is a long-term supplier to the industry with a strong history of developing tailored solutions for and with our industry partners. The continuous development of backings with recycled content is one result of these efforts.” www.freudenberg-pm.com