Nonwovens for society
The EDANA Innovation Forum is designed to be an immersive experience including inspirational activities focusing on innovation across all nonwovens' applications.
The Forum gathers an interdisciplinary group of young academics, start-ups, researchers, scientists and nonwovens professionals across all sectors. It explores the significance of innovation for nonwovens and what it entails. While innovation is typically associated with Confidential Business Information, partnerships can be the key to success.
Taking place in unique hubs of creativity and pioneering ideas, cultivating bold thinking and innovative solutions, the Forum comes with a mix of presentations and insights, drawing from the nonwovens industry and from other forward-thinking industries. Without a doubt, this cross-pollination of ideas sparks new perspectives, and fresh solutions to the complex challenges companies face.
COMING SOON
EDANA Innovation Forum 2025 Inspires Bold Ideas for the Nonwovens Sector
EDANA’s Innovation Forum 2025, held on 11–12 June in Station F, Paris, brought together a vibrant cross-section of industry leaders, researchers, startups and innovation experts from over 50 companies from 18 countries to explore the dynamic evolution of the nonwovens sector. With a rich two-day agenda that combined high-level keynote addresses, thematic sessions, research showcases and networking events, the Forum served as a hub for ideation, collaboration and inspiration around the sector’s most urgent challenges and exciting opportunities.
“Innovation is a key factor to stay competitive — but more than that, it’s the foundation for resilience and long-term relevance. By embedding sustainability, digitalization and collaboration into the core of our innovation culture, we’re not just keeping pace with change — we’re shaping the future of our industry.” said EDANA General Manager Murat Dogru in his opening address.
On day one, speakers explored how textile waste can become high-value products, how fibre-level modelling replaces costly prototyping, and how AI enables more autonomous and sustainable manufacturing. The Forum also welcomed nature-powered innovations set to transform the fibre landscape, and turned its spotlight on research institutes from across Europe, examining how their strategic priorities align with industry needs.
"Some of the most transformative ideas are born from surprises, and we need to make space for it to imagine the imaginable.” - Dieter Eichinger, CEO & Founder of Eichinger
Day two began with a provocative and practical keynote on AI as a creative partner in product development. “AI doesn’t replace creativity,” said Oliver Breucker, Co-CEO & AI Consultant at Roover Consulting. “It amplifies it. It clears space for us to think bigger, iterate faster, and design better — with the customer always at the centre.”
To end the second day, Maxime Guillaud, CEO of INSKIP, mapped out how startups and ecosystems are evolving — and what the nonwovens industry can learn from other sectors. “Innovation doesn’t just come from technology — it comes from how we organise people and capital around ideas,” said Maxime. “That’s where ecosystems matter.”
The event concluded with a guided visit to Station F, the world’s largest startup campus, reinforcing the importance of ecosystems in scaling transformative ideas.
For more information, please read the full press release.
For any questions please contactDelphine Rens