Sabic to show polymer solutions for hygiene at Index23 in Geneva

“The hygiene industry is a very demanding market for fabrics and films providing technical performance, wearability and efficient manufacturability for soft, loft, pure and moisture absorbing applications in personal care. As brand owners and suppliers are constantly seeking advanced material solutions to help them push the limits of safety and convenience, function, sustainability and cost control, we welcome the opportunity of the Index show to highlight our innovative material technology designed to drive performance, enhance sustainability and optimise consumer comfort in this dynamic business environment,” Abdullah Al-Otaibi, general manager, ETP & Market Solutions at Sabic, said.

At Index, Sabic will highlight a joint project with two market leaders, using certified circular polymers from the Trucircle portfolio in recyclable films for feminine hygiene, baby care and disposable medical applications. In all of these cases from diapers to surgical drapes and medical gowns, the sustainable materials can serve as direct drop-in alternatives with no compromise in production efficiency and product performance, the company said in a press release.

Further examples on display at the company’s booth will feature Trucircle solutions for facemasks, including an N95 design that localises the value chain with Sabic Purecares PP spunbond and meltblown polymers in Saudi Arabia. Sabic provides complete solutions for facemask production as part of its localisation strategy and has been a key enabler of the Saudi Made initiative. Also shown will be closed-loop facemasks developed in collaboration with industrial and research partners in Europe.

“Industrial partnerships through the value chain with brand owners, converters and institutes are instrumental in implementing technically and economically feasible solutions to close the loop on materials. Such collaborations will accelerate the industry’s journey towards circularity with high added value for safe and functional hygiene applications,” added Hans Pierik, global hygiene and healthcare leader at Sabic.

Index is the largest global venue of the nonwovens market. As the name implies, Sabic’s Purecares solutions for nonwovens and hygiene films combine high purity and care – two of the most important considerations when it comes to personal hygiene products. Importantly, Sabic Purecares polyolefin products are based on technologies free of both tris (nonylphenyl) phosphite (TNPP) and phthalates. Consumer comfort is achieved by using Sabic polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) polymers for bi-component fibres to answer multiple needs for soft and loft handfeel nonwovens, enabling easy lamination to other building blocks on medical nonwovens or absorbent hygiene applications.

In addition, the company produces Trucircle certified circular polymers for Sabic Purecares PP and PE portfolio with feedstock based on advanced recycling of mixed and used plastic that would otherwise typically not be suitable for mechanical recycling processes. These more sustainable solutions can be adopted in downstream processes as direct drop-in alternatives to incumbent materials with no compromise in production efficiency, purity and product performance. Moreover, they meet with global megatrends to extend the circular plastics economy also to the market of personal hygiene products and increase efficiency by creating value from used materials that would otherwise end up as waste in landfill sites or incineration plants.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)