It’s Getting Real The Circular Economy Discussed at Hygienix™2023

Returning to vibrant New Orleans, Louisiana, the city plays host for Hygienix™ 2023, November 13-16, 2023, held at the iconic Roosevelt New Orleans Hotel. INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, has once again put together a worthy event, with plenty of tabletop exhibitors and innovative speakers to educate and inspire.

Pre-Show Warmups

The annual conference begins with two pre-conference webinars. Intended to bring the industry together before the live event, the pre-show events are a new place to connect, converse and to gain content. The sessions are:

• Period Products – The New, the Old, and the Old-New, Wednesday, October 25th, 11 a.m. ET, presented by Heidi Beatty, CEO, Crown Abbey, LLC; and

• Global Trends in Diapers, Baby Pants & Adult Underwear , Wednesday, November 8th, 11 a.m. ET, presented by Natalia Richer, COO, and Irene Richer, Market Analyst & Partner, Diaper Testing International SA de CV. Register at www.hygienix.org/preconference-webinars.html. Heidi Beatty’s webinar is complimentary and the Natalia and Irene Richer webinar has a fee of $250 for members and non-members.

At the Show Know Power

Kicking off the event on Monday, November 13 is a training opportunity for those desiring a deeper dive into “Absorption Systems for Absorbent Hygiene Products,” an Essentials Short Course in Nonwovens Workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (additional charge applies and space is limited). This classroom discussion with instructor Jim Robinson, Principal, Absorbent Hy- giene Insights, LLC and fellow attendees focuses on the Components and Interaction of the Absorption Systems, like SAP, Fluff, Adhesives, and Acquisition Layers. Later that evening, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the Welcome Reception is a perfect opportunity for attendees to meet and greet each other before the meetings officially kick off.

Innovation Power

The first full conference day of Hygienix™ 2023 starts with an in-depth view on AHP Trends, Drivers and Insights, moderated by Nick Carter, Freeze Point Consulting. Other morning presentations include:

• An In-depth Look at the Forces Changing the Industry and the Overlooked Opportunities They Present, with speaker Courtney Scharf, Futurist & Chief Client Officer, Trend Hunter, Inc. She reviews consumer behavior-based megatrends, how to utilize them in innovation, and how you can expect them to evolve in the future.

• Accelerating Innovation Embracing a Consumer-Centric Approach, with presenter Ashish Chatterjee, Principal, INNOVATEGRN and Entrepreneur in Residence, Cintrifuse. She’ll look at sustainable fibers in hygiene innovation, in light of pressure that consumers are not willing to pay more for green products. She also highlights consumer-centric innovation and accelerated innovation cycles, allowing industry to embrace relevant megatrends including personalization, sustainable lifestyle, and health & wellness sooner with viable solutions.

• Spiraling into Business: How a Dramatic Innovation to the Tampon Met the World’s Largest Manufacturer of Feminine Hygiene Products, with Sequel CEO & Co-founder Greta Meyer and Shlomo Helvits, Technical Manager, Albaad Fem. They discuss how the small California startup uniquely entered a strategic partnership with one of the world’s largest tampon manufacturers, and the teamwork that brings new energy to a space that is ripe for disruption.

Shifting the focus to the viability of the circular economy in the afternoon, some of the sessions are:

• A panel discussion on Navigating Consumer Voice, Sustainable Innovations and the Circular Economy, moderated by Richard Koefler, CEO, SynTouch, Inc.;

• Sustainability and Circularity in Absorbent Hygiene Products Industry with Chirag Virani, Co-Founder and CEO, Sparkle Innovations Inc.; and,

• Increasing Plastics Circularity for the Hygiene Segment Through Advanced Recycling, with Christy Sapp, Strategic Feedstock Sourcing Director, Nexus Circular.

Talking in Circles

Day two brings more information, education and inspiration starting with a panel on the Possibilities of Closed Loop Circularity, moderated by Heidi Beatty, CEO, Crown Abbey, LLC.

Other presentations of the day include:

• Squaring the Circle: Why Demonstration Projects = Good Sustainability Strategy with Colin Alexander Hanna, Director of Market Research, Price Hanna Consultants; and

• Closing the Circularity Gap One Used Pad at a Time with Penelope Finnie, CEO, Egal Pads, Inc.

Sessions continue into the afternoon, with key topics such as Sustainability Inputs and Packaging; Bio-based and Biodegradable Superabsorbent for Hygiene Products; Consumer Mindsets; and Wellness and Natural Materials; Hybrid Products; Flushability, and more.

Show Features

Throughout the show, attendees will be treated to networking breaks, award presentations, and a popular feature – Lightning Talks from various vendors of the exposition. The nightly Tabletop Exhibits with Reception are a great place to discuss the day with colleagues. The exciting Expo will host vendors who are pivotal to take your concepts and company to the next level. You won’t want to miss out on these valuable new and renewed connections!

Backdrop

If all that was not enough to entice you to Hygienix, New Orleans is known as the foodie capital of the U.S. The Hygienix experience will feed your mind … and your stomach. The historic city was designated as the Best Food Destination in the United States in the 2023 Travelers’ Choice Awards, TripAdvisor, 2023. For history buffs, the city is also home to the The National WWII Museum, which is hosting a special exhibit highlighting Disney’s 100th Anniversary, “The Walt Disney Studios and World War II,” which explores how one of America’s most beloved entertainment companies helped achieve Allied victory.

For hygiene professionals, the real victory is attending the show and walking

Award-Winning Ideas on Display

away with new ideas for segment growth and an edge on the competition, learning from the excellent lineup of speakers, sessions, and exposition participants. www.hygienix.org

The HYGIENIX Innovation Award™ recognizes and rewards innovation within the entire disposable absorbent hygiene value chain that utilizes nonwoven fabric or technology in a way that expands the usage of nonwovens. Presented annually at the HYGIENIX™ Conference, eligible categories include, but are not limited to: raw materials, roll goods, converting, packaging, active ingredients, binders, additives and end-use products. This year’s contenders are:

Glatfelter:

GlatPure™

GlatPure™ is a range of bio-based absorbent hygiene components derived from renewable materials. This product range consists of a variety of plant-based and natural topsheets, an acquisition distribution layer, an absorbent core, a newly improved backsheet, and a landing zone. Crafted from 100% renewable fibers and biodegradable materials, and enriched with bio-based binders, GlatPure™ stands as the industry’s first fully functional, fossil-fuel free range of solutions.

Mundao: Diap’Earth®

From nature to nature: Mundao brings onto the market DIAP’EARTH®, an industrially compostable disposable baby diaper as a solution to AHP waste problem for a clean, useful and circular end of life. Ecoconception (DIAP’EARTH is the most biobased and plastic free diaper on the market) makes it possible to compost it in an industrial composting facility to bring back carbon to soil and fertilize it. DIAP’EARTH is successfully used and composted in major French cities.

Sequel: The Sequel Spiral™ Tampon

The Sequel Spiral™ Tampon features a proprietary spiral design that is engineered to be more fluid mechanically efficient, meaning it is designed to absorb more evenly and not leak before it’s full. In August 2023 the Sequel Spiral™ Tampon received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a medical device and the company will now begin a series of consumer trials, with broad availability expected in Q1 of 2024.