EDANA Organises First Edition Of Sustainability Forum

European nonwovens association EDANA organised the first edition of the EDANA Sustainability Forum which saw participation from over 150 nonwovens professionals.

The Forum was organised specifically to address issues from the future of value chain transparency to bioeconomy innovations and was addressed by 35 speakers.

This new conference has evolved out of EDANA’s popular Circular Nonwovens Forum and sustainability was also reflected in every element of the forum’s sessions.

The three-day event included presentations from European Commission staff and culminated with a tour of the European Parliament.

According to EDANA, the nonwovens industry is associated with progress, and provides society with materials that touch nearly every aspect, from healthcare to hygiene and automotive to agriculture.

“The development of our products, however, comes also with a critical responsibility for people, the planet, and prosperity,” the association said.

“To achieve a truly sustainable nonwovens industry, we need to be responsible for the footprint that our innovations leave behind on our planet and this goes beyond circularity,” EDANA noted.

This led to EDANA reviewing and updating its sustainability vision, unveiling the new vision at the start of the forum.

Available on the EDANA website, the revised vision is split into three pillars addressing climate action, circular solutions, and a sustainable value chain.

The forum programme had a panel discussion on how plastics can fit into a sustainable future and presentations on how to move towards a renewable economy, and more.

There was also a session on end of life management of AHPs (Absorbent Hygiene Products), which presented an opportunity to share the results from EDANA’s AHP Waste to Resource Initiative.

EDANA also launched a new learning offer, adding sustainability to its portfolio of training courses. The first course, Sustainability Basics for nonwovens professionals is already available.