IDEA® 25 Show in Miami Brings the Heat

IDEA® 25 held concurrently with FiltXPO™ 2025 was a tremendous show, with more exhibitors than ever before, which presented a daunting task for visitors accustomed to smaller shows. IDEA, the global nonwovens and engineered materials exhibition, and FiltXPO, the international filtration conference and exhibition, featured over 650 exhibitors, showcasing a comprehensive view of the latest innovations and solutions across the supply chain. Approximately 6,500 professions explored the nonwovens and filtration sessions and showfloor over the two and a half days.

“The energy and engagement at IDEA and FiltXPO were outstanding,” said INDA President & CEO Tony Fragnito. “Seeing thousands of global leaders and innovators converge in Miami Beach underscores the vital importance of face-to-face interactions not just for project updates and business development but also for discussing industry challenges and opportunities. The quality of the attendees and the volume of business conducted are a powerful testament to the industry’s interconnected supply chains and vibrant global industry outlook.”

The IDEA Behind IDEA®25

Sustainability was top of mind for everyone at the event. The Sustainability in Nonwovens Conference held in conjunction with the exposition allowed industry global experts to share perspectives on pertinent issues from regulations, technology, and product and process design to the potential of biofibers and bioplastics. The conference concluded with sessions on extended-life nonwoven products and next-life for nonwoven fabrics.

The conference began with an overview of the regulatory environment in the USA and Europe with speakers from INDA and EDANA. The “In God We Trust, All Others Bring Data” session brought speakers from Suominen, Lenzing, and Magnera who highlighted the criticality of thorough and transparent documentation of sustainability data and applications of this data in crafting claims that consumers can believe and trust. This foundation was essential to appreciating the impact of the materials and process innovations presented during the remaining conference.

Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar of Texas Tech University reminded us in his session that Mother Nature has been providing us with sustainable fibers for millennia with an in-depth review of the role of cotton in value-added nonwovens.

The first day finished with a slate of talks and panelists from IND Hemp, Zylotex, Davey Textile Solutions, and Hempitecture. Together they showcased a rapidly maturing North American hemp value chain. Other sessions both Tuesday and Wednesday covered natural fibers and biopolymers.

One new feature at the INDA Booth were a series of “Lightning Talks,” presented by exhibitors. These five-minute presentations highlighted their ‘latest and greatest’ product offerings, which allowed visitors identify must-see booths to visit.

Around those Lightning Talks, there were INDA-led sessions on the Quality and Audit Program for the absorbent hygiene and wipes market, global nonwoven market updates from regional associations, as well as industry news.

Drawing attention was the immensely popular update on tariffs provided by Wes Fisher, CAE, Director of Government Affairs at INDA. In addition to providing up-tothe-minute guidance on an ever-changing tariff landscape, Fisher highlighted the recently released INDA Trade Handbook (a free resource for INDA members). He will be updating readers on tariff action and more in upcoming issues of International Fiber Journal, (see page 42) and EDANA is will inform readers on happenings in Europe that may effect them (see page 38).

Achievements Announced: Outstanding achievement was celebrated with the presentation of six IDEA achievement awards, in partnership with Nonwovens Industry magazine, honoring (left to right, by row) Dilo Systems GmbH (Equipment), Woolchemy NZ Ltd. (Raw Materials), Magnera (Long-Life), Egal Pads, Inc. (Short-Life), Innovatec Microfibre Technology (Nonwoven Products), and KINDCLOTH™ (Sustainability Advancement). Caryn Smith

More on Sessions

Hearkening back to the talks from Suominen, Lenzing, and Magnera regarding complete characterization of processes while assembling sustainability data, there were two extensive sessions considering the impacts of process and product design on water, energy, and carbon reduction.

A particularly compelling talk was given by Frantisek Riha-Scott discussing shifting the paradigm from single-use nonwoven products to reusable nonwoven products. Nonwovens have historically displaced woven fabrics for price reasons, but at the loss of extended use – what if that wasn’t the case?

Other talks from Tentoma, Valmet, Dukane, and Reifenhauser focused on the EU Directive to reduce consumption, whether by elimination of unnecessary materials, reuse/upcycling of equipment, and waste avoidance – whether during production or during transport and storage.

The theme of “thoughtful product design” continued into the final sessions that reflected upon end-of-life and next-life aspects of nonwoven products.

ExxonMobil, the corporate sponsor of the conference, led with a presentation that tied together elements from throughout the two days, as they presented materials for circular product design. A key takeaway is the need to consider materials in all aspects of cradle-to-next-life rather than just in-use or end-of-life.

There were also fascinating talks on returning materials to nature. Eric Ricciardi of HIRO Technologies shared the use of fungal digestion of diaper plastics and Asis Patnaik of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology covered biodegradation of footbed materials from smart footwear.

Individually, each talk on sustainability provided actionable options to support the sustainability journey of the nonwoven industry. Taken together, they covered nonwoven sustainability from regulatory push and consumer pull, through material selection and thoughtful process and product design, to end-of-life and next-life considerations.

As one attendee noted, “The challenge we face came from multiple sources, so it makes sense that the solution will require many components. This conference brought those elements together.”

A Lifetime of Service

Behnam Pourdeyhimi, PhD, and Lynda Kelly accepted their Lifetime Awards at IDEA®25.

Lynda Kelly said, “I am truly humbled and honored to receive the INDA Lifetime Service Award. Growing up in this amazing industry has been a remarkable journey, working alongside so many incredible colleagues across the globe to develop and sell unique nonwoven product solutions and technologies. As an industry, we have achieved so much over the decades, and I am proud to have been part of its evolution. It has truly been an incredible experience!

Lynda Kelly served as Senior Vice President, Americas & Business Development for Suominen Corporation until her retirement in 2023. She dedicated nearly a decade to Suominen, where she led the Care team then transitioned to lead Americas sales team alongside global product and business development professionals. Lynda began her career at Kendall, which later merged into International Paper/Veratec and eventually became BBA Nonwovens. Throughout her tenure, she managed sales and marketing across various sectors, advancing into leadership roles.

In addition to her time at Suominen, Lynda brought deep expertise to the nonwovens industry through 11 years at First Quality Nonwovens, and also gained valuable insights into consulting during her two years with John Starr.

A devoted contributor to the nonwovens industry, Lynda remains a longterm supporter of INDA initiatives. She played a significant role as a key member of INDA’s AAMI medical disposable standards committee, helping to shape critical industry-wide guidelines. From 2019 to 2022, she served on the INDA Board of Directors, navigating the challenges and opportunities of the pandemic and advocating for collaboration across the sector.

Behnam Pourdeyhimi, PhD said about his IDEA® Lifetime Achievement Award, “I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this award. My journey has always been about pushing the boundaries of knowledge, innovation, and collaboration in nonwovens. I’m grateful for the extraordinary colleagues, students, and industry partners who’ve shared this path and whose contributions have been essential to my achievements that are being recognized today.”

Dr. Pourdeyhimi began his academic career at NC State University after earning his Ph.D. from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. He went on to serve at Cornell University, the University of Maryland, and Georgia Tech before returning to NC State in the 1998–1999 academic year.

He currently serves as the William A. Klopman Distinguished Professor of Materials in the Wilson College of Textiles at NC State University, where he also holds appointments as Associate Dean at the Wilson College of Textiles and as an affiliated professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He is the Executive Director of The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), the globally recognized center for research, education, and innovation in engineered fabrics.

His return to NC State was driven in part by the opportunity to join the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC), which, under his leadership, evolved into The Nonwovens Institute (NWI). Today, NWI is the largest universitybased research institute of its kind in the United States and the world’s first accredited academic program dedicated to engineered fabrics.

He has authored more than 600 research publications and three books, presented at over 250 conferences, and holds 30 U.S. and 65 international patents.

— By Caryn Smith, Chief Content Officer/ Publisher, IFJ ; Matt O’Sickey, Director of Education and Technical Affairs, INDA; and Misty Ayers, Marketing Administrator, INDA.