Materials

By Adrian Wilson, International Correspondent

Flushable nonwoven wipes have become the unlikely subject of a legal debate on consumer rights and corporate responsibility.

In December, a Washington DC federal judge temporarily barred the District from enforcing part of its recently passed law requiring cautionary labels on Kimberly-Clark’s flushable products, saying the city’s approach probably violates the First Amendment.

EcoWipes, a manufacturer and converter of private label products for the wetlaid hydroentangled nonwoven segment, has ordered its third nonwovens production line. Located north of Warsaw, Poland, the firm was established in 2009 and has a strong focus on innovation and sustainability, and constantly monitors local and global market trends.

In view of the rising consumer interest in biodegradable materials, EcoWipes opted for Trützschler Nonwovens and Voith to supply the new production line.

JX Nippon ANCI, headquartered in Kennesaw, Georgia, USA, with manufacturing in Roanoke, Alabama, and Dalton, Georgia, has launched the Milife range of fine-denier polyester nonwovens for filtration applications. Milife uses a proprietary technology that results in continuous fibers like spunbond, but with a process that results in unique appearance and properties.