The nonwovens industry announced its latest INDEX™ Awards winners at the opening of INDEX 2026, recognizing developments that focus on material efficiency, recyclability, product performance, and manufacturing speed.
This year’s award-winning entries reflect how companies across the supply chain are working toward more circular product designs while still meeting the demands of hygiene, cleaning, and industrial applications.
Lenzing wins in nonwoven roll goods
In the nonwoven roll goods category, Lenzing AG received the award for LENZING™ Dualwipe, a cellulose-based cleaning wipe designed for industrial, professional, and household use.
The material combines two different surface functions in one wipe. One side is designed for scrubbing dirt, grease, and residues, while the other provides absorbency for liquid pickup and surface finishing. The product is made using regenerated cellulose and avoids fossil-based synthetic materials, binders, and chemical additives.
Another key point is compatibility with existing converting and processing systems, allowing manufacturers to adopt the material without major production changes.
Corman recognized for light incontinence pads
Corman S.p.A. won the single-use finished products category with its Organyc “Personalized Protection” light incontinence pads.
The product focuses on three common concerns linked to light incontinence: leakage, odor, and skin irritation. Its Smart-Cotton™ cover includes a citric acid buffer intended to maintain a skin-friendly pH level. The absorbent core directs liquid toward superabsorbent polymers, while an organic odor-control ingredient targets ammonia formation instead of simply masking odors.
According to the company, the pads have also been clinically tested for skin comfort and performance.
Confitex introduces washable nonwoven bed pads
In the durable products category, Confitex Technology received the award for reusable nonwoven bed pads that can be machine washed and tumble dried.
The company developed a fibre-stabilisation bonding process that allows the absorbent nonwoven structure to maintain performance through more than 30 wash and drying cycles. The pads include a fast-wicking top layer and an absorbent core capable of holding over two litres of liquid.
A bonded edge structure also helps reduce leakage around the sides, which is often a weak point in stitched textile bed pads.
Bostik awarded for recyclable hygiene adhesive
Bostik won in the raw materials and components category with Kizen™ Miles 9.0, an adhesive developed for disposable hygiene products.
The adhesive is designed to separate on demand during recycling when exposed to a specific chemical process combined with heat and mechanical stress. This allows plastic components to separate more cleanly and helps reduce contamination during recycling.
The material is made with up to 75% renewable content and is designed to maintain stable bonding performance across substrates such as PP, PE, and PLA, including under wet conditions.
Zuiko recognized for high-speed diaper converting technology
In the machinery category, ZUIKO Corporation received the award for its recloseable baby diaper converting machine.
The system produces adjustable pull-on pant diapers that combine the fit flexibility of open diapers with the stretch characteristics of pant-style products. Because the diaper design is asymmetric, the converting process requires precise folding and attachment without glue during certain stages.
At the center of the line is ZUIKO’s Stretch Re-pitch Drum™, which controls elastic tension and product spacing during production. The system can reportedly produce more than 700 diapers per minute while reducing the need for multiple folding units.
Focus shifts toward circularity and material efficiency
The 2026 INDEX™ Awards show how the nonwovens sector is increasingly focusing on solutions that balance performance with recyclability, durability, and resource efficiency.
From washable nonwoven products and cellulose-based wipes to adhesives designed for easier recycling, many of this year’s winners addressed practical industry challenges rather than purely experimental concepts. The selected technologies also highlight how suppliers, material developers, and machinery manufacturers are working together to improve product lifecycles across the nonwovens value chain.
