• Description
  • Programme
  • Speakers
  • Fees & practical info
  • Previous edition

The Circular Nonwovens Forum becomes the EDANA Sustainability Forum. 3 days to cover various topics around sustainability. More info will follow soon

This forum creates a platform for an in-depth engagement with stakeholders on challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of a sustainable future with nonwovens

NGOs, companies across all sectors and throughout the value chains, European regulators and legislators alike strive for a shift towards a sustainable economy. The new Forum is dedicated to addressing challenges and collectively finding opportunities in order to accelerate this transition. 

Join us and participate in this unique and interactive Forum to:

  • Hear from experts on the latest technologies and trends
  • Exchange views and ideas on issues and solutions
  • Inspire and get inspired in round table discussions
  • Identify topics for future cooperation on common initiatives 

Day 1
22 September 2023
08.45 > 09.20
Welcome coffee
09.20 – 09.30
Opening & Welcome
Murat Dogru General Manager EDANA
09.30 - 10.00
Fostering innovation and circularity in an evolving EU policy landscape
Hans Christian Eberl Policy Officer, Circular Economy and Biobased Systems European Commission
10:00 – 10:30
Market point of view on sustainable raw materials for the nonwovens industry: reality check of existing alternatives, current applications and hands-on opinions of the market
  • Brief market overview of existing sustainable raw materials for the nonwovens industry
  • 2Current applications
  • Pros, cons and current market acceptance of the existing alternatives from the point of view of market participants
  • Future challenges, developments and assessment of future market acceptance
Maria Teresa Ambrosi Senior consultant nonwovens and roll goods Schlegel und Partner
10:30 – 11:00
How does your biodegradable plastic behave in the environment?
Miriam Weber Director HYDRA Marine Sciences
11:00 – 11:30
The Global Plastic Crisis: Who will be the winners/losers in the marketplace?
Bryan Haynes Technical Director Global Nonwovens Kimberly-Clark
11.30 - 12.00
COFFEE BREAK
12:00 – 12:30
Credible sustainability certification of nonwovens
  • Risk assessment and monitoring of deforestation-free global supply chains
  • Supporting the circular economy with certified waste and residue feedstocks
  • Step by step traceability requirements and product carbon footprint calculations
Inna Knelsen Senior System Manager ISCC - International Sustainability and Carbon Certification
12:30 – 13:00
Enabling advanced recycling solutions for plastics
  • Overview of ExxonMobil’s advanced recycling activities
  • Creating a regulatory framework that allows the rapid scale-up of plastics recycling
José-Antonio Ruiz Socio-ecological Regulatory Affairs & Operations Manager ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical
13.00 - 14.30
LUNCH BREAK
14:30 – 15:00
Developing sustainable solutions for the nonwovens market: Approach to improve the end-of-life of nonwoven products by using bio-assimilation technology
  • Unique additive to accelerate degradation of polypropylene post-use
  • Polypropylene undergoes transformation creating smaller particles that can be consumed by micro-organisms
  • End products post degradation is expected to be Biomass, water and small amounts of CO2
Karthik Ramaratnam Director of Product Development - North America PFNonwovens
15:30 – 16:00
A new circular product portfolio using post-consumer textiles as feedstock in a cradle-to-cradle concept
  • Carbon footprint impact from virgin fiber-based solutions to full cradle-to-cradle solutions
  • rePEaT®Circular using max percentages of mechanically recycled Polyester fiber (up to 100%)
  • Case study of full cradle-to-cradle project from post-consumer polyester-based mattress covers
  • rePEaT®Social using minimum 10% of ocean-bound plastics
Hugo Christiaen Director CSR TWE Group (Belgium)
15.30 - 16.00
COFFEE BREAK
16.00 - 16.30
Going beyond circular limitations – connecting the puzzle pieces to pave a way towards a circular economy
  • Shedding light on Sandler’s approach towards sustainability and the idea behind the “Sandler Puzzle”
  • The solved puzzle piece of circular economy by sharing our best practice example of “Going beyond circular limitations” in cooperation with our customer National Sweden AB
Katharina Obergruber i.V.: M.Sc. BWL Senior Manager Sustainability Sandler
16.30 - 17.00
The rise of new category fusing wovens with nonwovens
  • In this thought-provoking session, industry innovator Frantisek Riha-Scott predicts the rise of an exciting new category that fuses nonwoven and woven technologies into a hybrid reusable that's more sustainable than disposables, yet better-performing and more economically viable for large-scale production than existing reusables.
  • He believes these new products will irrevocably change the industry, and companies that adopt a portfolio approach in order to meet distinct and complementary consumer needs will prosper. 
  • He takes a deep dive beneath the marketing hype to uncover the truth about how reusable pads and underwear really perform in comparison to nonwoven products.
  • Don't miss this insider's view of the absorbent hygiene market, what's driving it, the challenges blocking its growth and the key to unlocking its future potential.
Frantisek Riha-Scott Founder and Design Director Confitex Technology
17.00 – 17.40
Closing & goodbye drink
Maria Teresa Ambrosi
Senior consultant nonwovens and roll goods
Schlegel und Partner
More

Maria Teresa Ambrosi has been covering the position of Senior Consultant Nonwovens and Roll Goods for the German technical consultancy Schlegel und Partner since 2020. She has been working for Schlegel und Partner for 4 years, managing as a project leader and participating as a team member to more than 40 international projects most of which around the topic of nonwovens and other roll goods, filtration and sustainability. Maria Teresa Ambrosi holds a MSc. in Business Management from the Bocconi University in Milan and from the University of Cologne.

 

Maria Teresa Ambrosi will give a presentation on: 

Market point of view on sustainable raw materials for the nonwovens industry: Reality check of existing alternatives, current applications and hands-on opinions of the market. 

Hugo Christiaen
Director CSR
TWE
More

Hugo Christiaen started his career 40 years ago and entered the nonwovens industry 35 years ago in 1987 with the company Libeltex in Belgium, at that time belonging to The Vita Group. Since 2012 Libeltex was acquired by the TWE Group with HQ in Emsdetten, Germany.

Hugo is a Master of industrial engineering and is currently director CSR for the TWE Group.

Hugo has performed several management roles within both the Vita and TWE organisations in Procurement, Sales, R&D and Operations. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences of the fibre and nonwovens industry and has published several articles in international magazines

 

Hugo Christiaen will give a presentation on: 

A new circular product portfolio using post-consumer textiles as feedstock in a cradle to cradle concept

Murat Dogru
General Manager
EDANA
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Murat, M Sc in Advertising and Communications, has over 10 years of association management experience through various management consultancy positions within MCI, following 5 years as advertising sales executive for The Economist. He is fluent in English and French, with an excellent command of Arabic and Turkish. 

Hans Christian Eberl
Policy Officer, Circular Economy and Biobased Systems
European Commission
More
Bryan Haynes
Technical Director Global Nonwovens
Kimberly-Clark
More

 

Inna Knelsen
Senior System Manager
ISCC - International Sustainability and Carbon Certification
More

Inna Knelsen will give a presentation on: 

Credible sustainability certification of nonwovens

Katharina Obergruber
i.V.: M.Sc. BWL Senior Manager Sustainability
Sandler
More

Katharina Obergruber will give a presentation on:

Going beyond circular limitations - A closed cycle

Karthik Ramaratnam
Director of Product Development - North America
PFNonwovens
More

Karthik Ramaratnam will give a presentation on: 

Developing sustainable solutions for the nonwovens market: approach to improve the end-of-life of nonwoven products by using bio-assimilation technology

Frantisek Riha-Scott
Founder and Design Director
Confitex Technology
More

Frantisek Riha-Scott will give a presentation on: 

The rise of new category fusing wovens with nonwovens

José-Antonio Ruiz
Socio-ecological Regulatory Affairs & Operations Manager
ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical
More
Moderator - Gil Stevens
External Relations & Sustainability Director
EDANA
More

Gil Stevens is the External Relations and Sustainability Director for EDANA, the international Association representing the nonwoven and related industries, a position he has held since March 2018.

With a Master’s Degree in Product Development and in Environmental Science, Gil started his career as product engineer in the building industry. Pursuing his passion for sustainability, Gil joined the Cradle to Cradle Platform in 2012, where he has been guiding companies in different sectors, such as textiles, cleaning agents, building, office equipment towards the integration of C2C and preparing them for a circular economy. As sustainability coach at Sustenuto, Gil supported organisations in developing and implementing a sustainability strategy. At the beverage group Spadel, Gil’s responsibilities included the coordination of local CSR representatives at the various European sites and external CSR communication. During his career, Gil also concluded an Executive MBA programme at the Antwerp Management School.

Gil currently has responsibility for managing sustainability and maintaining external relations for EDANA. He manages several of the association’s Working Groups including the Circular Economy WG, Sustainability WG, Construction WG and the Communication & Advocacy SG. 

Miriam Weber
Director
HYDRA Marine Sciences
More

Miriam Weber will give a presentation on 

How does your biodegradable plastic behave in the environment?

Practical info

Hybrid format

The Forum is a hybrid event. You are invited to attend in person. The EDANA team, is happy to welcome you at the beautiful Dolce La Hulpe Hotel, located near Brussels in the middle of the forest. 
For those who can't travel, the Forum is available online through our event platform. 

 

Sponsorship opportunities

Give more exposure to your company at the circular Nonwovens Forum. Sponsorship package includes: 

  • Your logo on the homepage of the event on our website
  • Your logo in the "sponsor section" of the Circular Nonwovens Forum on our website
  • Your logo on the company list
  • Your logo in the programme (online and printed)
  • Your logo in every email sent about the event 
  • Your logo on the conference screen
  • Promotion of your sponsorship through our social media (linkedin and twitter)
  • A promotional popup message + push notifications sent to attendees on the online platform
  • Your promo ad + banner on the online event platform

Sponsorship fees:

  • Member: 550€
  • Non-member: 900€
Previous edition

Wider reach for second edition of Circular Nonwovens Forum

180 key actors gather to debate challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of a circular economy. 

Gathering key stakeholders and industry players, the second edition of EDANA’s Circular Nonwovens Forum enabled engaged professionals to discuss the latest trends and innovations around circularity within the sector.

Held on the 30th of September, both online and in person at La Hulpe Brussels, the forum gathered nonwoven manufacturers, their suppliers and converters for an in-depth engagement with stakeholders on challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of a circular economy for nonwovens... Read more

2021 Programme

2021 Company list

 

If you wish to receive the pictures from the event, please contact giovanna.merola@edana.org

 

For any questions please contact
Delphine Rens
Contact