Learn about market growth and opportunities, sustainability, innovations, technological developments and regulatory activities for the diaper, wet wipe, femcare and incontinence product categories.
Exchange through multiple networking opportunities with all players from middle-to senior management in the Hygiene Products supply chain.
For the very first time, OUTLOOK™ this year will welcome an exhibition! Spaces are limited, so don't hesitate to secure your spot!
Special thanks to our sponsor:
"OUTLOOK has been fantastic! Meeting the industry, finding out about some of the key themes about sustainability and the development of new products going forward, but also about legislation and how that can affect future products as well. But for us, one of the major things is the networking opportunity. Meeting all people from all walks of the global supply chain.”
Ross Ward, New Business Development Manager at Nonwovens Innovation & Research Institute - 2023
“OUTLOOK is always a good event, even this year it was impressive the amount of people that attended. My personal expectation when I come here is to see good people and I know that will happen. Also, the quality of the conference was impressive”
Alessandro D’Andrea, Strategic Marketing & Business Development Manager at Curt G Joa - 2023
“OUTLOOK™ is a very exceptional conference because it leaves enough room for networking. A lot of people come here specifically to talk to people, as it’s a good mix between excellent panel discussions and networking opportunities. There are not many conferences out there that have that opportunity. I learned a lot and spoke to people that I only knew through email"
Dr Taryn Kirsch, Senior Toxicologist at Procter & Gamble - 2022
Stakeholders are invited to present their experiences and perspectives on working with new materials and using them in absorbent hygiene products to improve the sustainability profile of the end products. Presenters will be selected from across the entire value chain (from raw material producer to converter) to provide a holistic overview of the topic, after which speakers will debate the merits of using new materials in an interactive panel discussion.
Topics of discussion:
This high-level session will focus on key regulatory and industry-specific concerns related to product safety and environmental sustainability, such as:
Speakers will discuss how the supply chain is addressing current challenges and opportunities, how collaboration within the industry can improve operational efficiency, adapt more effectively to regulatory changes, and enhance overall market performance.
Insightful and forward-looking session that delves into the rapidly growing market of washable absorbent underwear products. As societal demographics shift and sustainability becomes an increasingly crucial factor, these products are poised for significant market expansion. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the current market landscape, emerging trends, and innovative product developments driving growth in these categories. Experts will share their insights on market dynamics, consumer behaviour and technological advancements.
Built in the late nineteenth century at the top of Monte Mario, close to the dome of St. Peter’s, it offers the widest and most exclusive panoramic view of Rome.
The Villa is directly accessible from the hotel via a short pathway, just a 5-minute walk away.
This session seeks to address the duality of wet wipes. This product segment has grown rapidly over the last 20 years as many consumers can’t live without them, yet environmental and sustainability concerns are resulting in stricter regulations.
Experts will discuss how to reconcile wipes' popularity among consumers, public services, and businesses with increasingly critical views from environmentally conscious consumers, NGOs, and some water companies. This has resulted in negative media coverage and increased pressure on legislators to regulate this product category. How can the wet wipes industry ensure that consumers and customers continue to benefit from high-quality wet wipes that also meet the need for sustainability, environmental protection, and a water and sewerage system that works smoothly and efficiently?
In 1995, I co-founded Living Tomorrow, "the House of the Future," a pioneering platform where corporations, governments, and academic institutions converge to showcase future possibilities to millions. This unique initiative has led to the creation of Living Tomorrow Vision 2030, a €30 million innovation campus that opened early this year in Brussels. Featuring demo zones, collaborative spaces, and a futuristic hotel, it's a landmark project backed by over 70 organizations, aimed at exploring smart homes, mobility, industry, cities, infrastructure, and health.
Additionally, in 2007, I established TomorrowLab within Living Tomorrow to guide organizations towards embracing the future through strategic innovation and scenario planning. Together, these initiatives employ 75 individuals dedicated to forging a forward-looking world.
Beyond my entrepreneurial ventures, I serve as a Professor of Future Foresight and Scenario Planning at the University of Ghent, where I impart the principles of anticipating and shaping future trends to the next generation of leaders. This role complements my work at Living Tomorrow and TomorrowLab, bridging academic insight with practical innovation.
Professor Sarah Harper CBE holds degrees from Oxford and Cambridge Universities. She is Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford, and Director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing. She served on the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology, advising the UK Prime Minister on the scientific evidence for policies and chaired the UK government’s Review on Ageing Populations.
Sarah has written several books including Ageing Societies: Myths, Challenges and Opportunities, and How Population Change will Transform our World.
Internationally, Sarah represented the UK on the European Academies’ Demographic Change in Europe Panel, served on the Council of Advisors of Population Europe and on the Advisory Board of the World Demographic Association. She has advised several governments in Asia and Europe on ageing populations.
Alongside keynotes at academic conferences, Sarah has spoken at World Economic Forums, presented various TED and TED linked talks and presented her work at Nobel Prize Dialogues.
James Kynge works for the Financial Times where he covers China and its interactions with European countries - commercial, social, diplomatic and geopolitical. He has been reporting on China and the way it relates to the world for nearly 40 years and was based in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong for a total of 18 years. He is the winner of numerous awards for journalism and his award-winning book, China Shakes the World, was a bestseller translated into 19 languages.
Jack is a leading retail expert and runs the renowned trends consultancy, Insider Trends. He has scouted stores and supported brands across 5 continents, to share first-hand experience of what works in retail – and what doesn’t. He's also a Rethink retail Top Retail Expert for 2023 and 2024. As an in-demand retail speaker, Jack has delivered keynotes and retail tours to audiences worldwide including blue-chip brands such as Nike, Hugo Boss, BNP Paribas, EE, Ikea, Marks & Spencer, Jaguar Land Rover, Costa Coffee, Diageo, Westfield, Nespresso, Microsoft and LVMH.
I have over 25 years experience of the wet wipes market, having worked in a variety of commercial roles for Nice-Pak in Europe since 1999. I currently head up the company’s Commercial team and am responsible for sales and marketing activities outside the US.
In the previous century (!) I gained early experience in the automotive and speciality chemicals markets, having originally graduated in Modern Languages, followed some years later by an MBA from Manchester Business School.
Ozlem is a highly experienced professional with over 20 years of experience in Quality and Regulatory in Textiles, Medical Devices, and FMCG sectors. She holds a Chemical Engineering degree from Osmangazi University, Türkiye and a master's degree in Chemical Technologies.
Ozlem joined Kimberly-Clark in 2014 and currently serves as a Senior Regulatory Affairs Product Manager and Subject Matter Expert for medical devices. She played a crucial role in the company's transition to the EU Medical Device Regulation and has previously worked for several medical device companies.
Ozlem is also a board member of KTSD (Turkish Cosmetics and Cleaning Products Association), where she provides her expertise on medical devices and general product safety regulations.
Bernhard Awolin is a seasoned expert with a diploma in physics, specializing in medical measurement technology and physiology from the University of Kiel. His professional journey commenced in product development for feminine hygiene products at Johnson & Johnson in Germany and Canada.
Expanding his expertise, he delved into diaper development and honed his skills in key account management within the private label business at Intigena GmbH & Co. KG. At imeco GmbH & Co. KG, Bernhard served as R&D and sales director for 3 years before assuming the role of CEO for 7 years. Notably, he significantly expanded the business for wet wipes, particularly in the realm of disinfecting wipes.
Since 2021, Bernhard has been an independent consultant for the nonwoven industry and a tutor at EDANA for Absorbent Hygiene Products. His primary focus lies in assisting companies in developing and marketing high-performing and sustainable new products made out of nonwovens.
Luminita has an extensive work experience in regulatory field for highly regulated products (medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic, cosmetics, food supplements, borderline products), being responsible for defining regulatory strategy, preparing technical documentation, ensuring approvals / clearances/ certifications are maintained appropriately
Education consists in a Complementary Master in Public Health at Université Libre de Brussels where she specialized in biostatistics and epidemiology, a Master of Business Administration at Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers Paris and a Bachelor in International Relations at the Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania.
I landed, almost 20 years ago, in Altroconsumo the most important Italian consumers' association after some experiences in multinationals, and consultancy companies.
I'm graduated in Chemical Engineering with a master's degree in environmental >communication.
Ethics and sustainability are my values both in work and in life, I love nature and animals, I am vegetarian almost vegan, I travel by bicycle and I like walking in the mountains.
Helga is Global Key Account Director at Confitex Technology, an innovation company specializing in world-leading absorbent and leakproof technology for reusable personal hygiene applications.
She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Iceland and an MA in Political Science and International Relations from Aarhus University in Denmark, and has extensive international experience in project management, multi-cultural communications and strategic business development in the public, private and humanitarian sectors.
Helga has worked with Confitex Technology since 2021 and currently leads the team responsible for client management. She is heavily focused on product development, quality assurance and regulatory compliance. She is a key player in Confitex Technology's ongoing advocacy for standardized testing methodologies and international performance standards for reusable personal hygiene products.
Per is a research consultant at Euromonitor International with a focus on Tissue and hygiene. Based in London, he has more than 5 years of experience in the industry. Per advises clients on key trends, market movements and new developments, delivering an understanding of the product categories as well as country specific insights. Per also participates in conferences and writes tissue related articles in various trade press as well as develop content that is published by Euromonitor International.
Thomas Broch graduated with a Master in Chemistry, and a Minor in History both from the University of Aarhus, Denmark. Starting in R&D he has worked at Fibertex Personal Care in various positions since 2001, and currently holds the position of Sustainability & Regulatory Affairs Director.
He is listed as inventor on 15 patent families and has made a number of presentations at international conferences over the last 20 years (including at previous OUTLOOK's) on diverse technical, regulatory and sustainability topics.
Bert Clymans, graduated a BSc. in Mechanical Engineering & MSc. in Biochemical Engineering at the University of Leuven (KULeuven), Belgium and an Executive MBA at Solvay Brussels School of Economics&Mgmt.
Bert held various positions in research at VIB Life Sciences Institute, as Quality Engineer & Quality Manager at Caterpillar and Technical/Key Account Manager roles at Barentz (biochemical ingredients) and Henkel Adhesives technologies. Having maintained a passion for cleantech and sustainable industries, Bert joined Corbion in 2016 as EMEA business development manager and is currently Global Market Segment Leader at TEC, driving cross value-chain adoption of PLA in nonwoven applications in cooperation with the application & business teams.
Elisabeth Eppinger is a professor for sustainability and textile technology at the University of Applied Sciences for Technology and Economics Berlin (HTW Berlin), where she is the head of the study programme B. Sc. and M. Sc. Apparel Engineering/ Textile Processing. She holds an engineering degree in textile technology from the University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein, and studied science and technology studies at Maastricht University and the University of Strasbourg.
Over the last decades, she has been researching sustainable innovation, technology transitions and innovation collaboration, focusing on sustainable textile solutions. Before joining academia, she worked in R&D in the chemical and textile industries where she developed fibres and fabrics for protective garments.
Anders graduated in 1995 from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) Stockholm, Sweden with a MSc degree in Chemical Engineering, specialization in polymer science.
He started his career in the Swedish pulp & paper industry and joined Fiberweb in 2000 as Line Manager at the plant in Norrköping, Sweden. He held the positions of Production Manager, Plant Manager/MD (in 2012, during this period, the business was acquired by Fitesa) and Director of Operation Europe. Anders moved to a global role in November 2016 which presently includes global responsibility for HS&E, QA, Management Systems and Process Improvement for Fitesa.
A wife, two mostly grown children and a dog make up his family. His happy place is on our boat or summer house on the Baltic sea. Please give him any tips for good music, new or old!
Alexander Heusch is Regulatory Affairs Manager at EDANA, having joined the organization in May 2023. He previously worked in the EU Cane Sugar Industry in the Indian Ocean, where he played a pivotal role in defending the industry's interests against imports from third countries.
Alexander holds a diverse educational background in EU law and Political Science, including a Master of Laws from the European Law School at the University of Maastricht, a Master's in Advanced European and International Studies from CIFE, and a Master of EU Law from Université Panthéon-Assas Paris II.
His main mission is to support the Members of EDANA in their management of regulatory affairs, by monitoring and alerting on the EU, domestic, and international regulatory environments, providing assistance in interpreting regulatory provisions likely to impact the nonwovens and related industries, and facilitating industry-wide actions at the EU level
With a truly international profile, Alexander is fluent in French, English, and Italian.
Richard Lambert is responsible for Business Development & Partnerships Bio-Polymers EMEA and joined Braskem’s Bio-Polymers team in 2019. He has held various Commercial, Development & Managerial roles within the Polymer Industry for almost 20 years.
Richard & the Braskem Bio-Polymers Team are working towards growth and the goal to bring one million tonnes of biopolymers to market by 2030.
With experience in sustainability, strategy, advocacy and communications, Coline is Vice President at FleishmaHillard and Head of the Environment and Chemicals Team. She specializes in Circular economy and sustainability, advising clients on government relations and advocacy campaigns with a focus on ecodesign, packaging, waste shipment and biodiversity, among others.
Before joining FleishmanHillard, Coline lead the policy and outreach strategy of the ZOE Institute for Future-fit Economies, where she run various projects on the economic transition. She also developed advocacy campaigns on circular economy and the sustainability strategy for the European aluminium industry.
Coline holds a Master degree in EU administration and policies from the University of Strasbourg and is certified in non-financial reporting from the GRI and in Sustainability Leadership Management from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
Michele is the Paper Technology Innovation Director at Fater SpA, a joint venture between Angelini Industries and Procter & Gamble. With over 25 years of experience in the Absorbent Hygiene Products industry, Michele has made significant contributions to various innovative projects within the hygiene business, spanning from upstream to downstream.
Michele holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy. He has worked at Procter & Gamble in Germany and Italy for nearly two decades, holding various R&D positions. Since joining Fater SpA in 2021, Michele has been responsible for leading technology innovation in adult incontinence, diapers, and feminine hygiene products.
Throughout his career, Michele has gained extensive experience in product development, material development, technology innovation, and process development. His expertise and leadership have been instrumental in driving advancements in the hygiene industry.
Graham has 35 years of experience advising major companies, trade associations and NGOs on public affairs, policy, corporate communications, sustainability and corporate responsibility in the UK, EU and globally.
Graham has advised the EDANA UK Working Group since the end of 2022 on all of the issues relating to the proposed plastic ban on consumer wet wipes in the UK and on flushability. In addition to working with EDANA, Graham has also advised the UK Cosmetics, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA), the main UK trade association for cosmetics and personal care, since 2017.
Graham’s clients have included L’Oreal, Unilever, National Grid, AstraZeneca, BHP, Mondelez, Kingfisher and HSBC. Graham for formerly a Principal at Teneo prior to which he was at Blue Rubicon to whom he sold his award-winning consultancy Open Road of which he had been the CEO and co-founder.
Dr Asta Partanen is a senior expert at nova-Institute, working in the Technology and Markets and Policy and Economics departments. She has a PhD in Forestry and Wood Science and is a recognised expert in the field of renewable fibres such as cellulose based and natural fibres and bio-based polymer fibres and their markets. The political framework and issues related to social acceptance, green premiums, standardisation and certification of sustainable products are her daily business.
She is currently leading several consulting projects focusing on renewable materials. As such, she conducts EU projects on promising biocircular use cases of renewable materials, leads customer research and investigates certification options for them. Her extensive market experience has led to excellent networks in innovative industries, enabling her to build bridges between application areas and engage innovators.
She is the content manager for the Cellulose Fibres Conference and finds the best innovations year after year supporting several Innovation Awards at nova-Institute. The Cellulose Fibres Conference 2025 will be organised by the nova Institute for the sixth time next March, for the first time including biosynthetics.
Jacques Prigneaux leads EDANA’s Market Analysis and Economic Affairs department and provides industry analyses to the nonwovens community.
He graduated with a Masters degree in Economics from the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium) and he focused his researches in industrial economics and econometrics. He has been with EDANA since April 2007. Before that he worked for CIRFS, the association of European man-made fibres’ producers for ten years.
He is responsible for managing research, market analysis and statistical activities at EDANA.
Marta Roche Díez is the Sustainability and Technical Affairs Manager for EDANA, the leading global association advocating the benefits of nonwovens for society, a position she has held since January 2022.
Based in Brussels, Marta manages EDANA’s sustainability and technical affairs work across all nonwovens applications. This includes updating the Nonwovens Standard Procedures, as well as supporting the development of international standards – both ISO and CEN – including technical work as necessary. This work is key, as standards provide a reference point for the nonwovens industry and help to ensure fair trade.
Prior to joining EDANA, Marta spent four years in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, primarily dealing with homecare products. There she gained experience in product development, consumer understanding, and packaging technology. Having originally studied environmental science, Marta is currently finalizing a second master’s degree in Sustainability and CSR.
Lori Shaffer is the Vice president of Global Research & Engineering at Kimberly-Clark. She leads a team of PhDs, scientists, engineers, and lean manufacturing experts who work on the leading edge of science and materials innovation. She has a proven track record of identifying growth opportunities for Kimberly-Clark’s personal care and Kimberly-Clark Professional businesses, and in driving technical breakthroughs that have transformed the consumer experience across brands such as Huggies®, Kotex®, and Depend®.
24-year veteran of the CPG industry, Shaffer started her career at Kimberly-Clark as a mechanical engineer working at the company’s diaper manufacturing facility in Wisconsin. She subsequently joined Kimberly-Clark Professional in Roswell, GA, where she held leadership roles in research, product development and marketing, launching first-of-a-kind products and services for commercial customers across a wide range of industries.
Gustaf Tobieson is Application Marketing Manager (AMM) - Consumer Products at Borealis and responsible for extrusion coating and fibres and meltblown.
Bart Waterschoot is the Director of Sustainability & Product Stewardship at Ontex, leading global initiatives to enhance sustainability and transparency across the product lifecycle. With over 25 years of experience in quality assurance and sustainability, he ensures regulatory compliance, manages environmental systems, and promotes supplier transparency. His role involves advocating for sustainable policies, conducting scientific risk assessments, and maintaining global regulatory adherence.
Bart holds a Master’s degree in engineering/science and is well-versed in management systems. He integrates sustainability into Ontex’s operations, reinforcing the company’s commitment to responsible stewardship. Bart’s extensive expertise in these areas positions him as a key figure in driving the company's sustainability agenda, ensuring that Ontex remains at the forefront of industry standards and practices globally.
His leadership and scientific approach have been instrumental in advancing Ontex’s sustainability objectives, making him a pivotal player in the organization's ongoing commitment to environmental and regulatory excellence.
You can book your room at the conference hotel. Preferential rates have been negotiated for our group. Note, that you need to book at least 2 nights. Book your hotel here
Delegate fees: Fees include entrance to the conference, lunches, coffee breaks, 2 evening receptions, and conference presentations in digital format. Fees exclude 22% ItalianVAT.
Networking fees: A company is entitled to buy one networking pass for each registered delegate. This pass gives access to the first keynote on DAY 1, lunches, coffee breaks and 2 evening cocktails. Fee excludes 22% Italian VAT.
| Members | Non-members |
| Delegate fees: 1.750€ | Delegate fees: 2.250€ |
| Networking pass: 1.100€ | Networking pass: 1.600€ |
Discount: Benefit from a 15% discount by registering a minimum of 4 delegates. Registrations must be done simultaneously to benefit from the discount. Discounts do not apply to networking passes.
This year, OUTLOOK™ will feature an exhibition. Only 20 booths available!
Our exhibition offers a unique opportunity for you to showcase your brand's expertise and connect directly with delegates. Book your booth before it's too late.
The fees include a space with a desk, chair and backdrop which can be personalised and an electrical connection, as well as 1 delegate pass per company. Fees exclude the 21% Belgian VAT.
| Members | Non-members |
| 3.500€ | 4.300€ |
Discover the booths and the exhibition area:
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Our high-visibility sponsorships are powerful, cost-effective solutions for increasing your presence and standing out from the crowd.
Have a look at our sponsorship brochure and become an official sponsor.
EDANA has prebooked 17 meeting facilities, divided into 3 categories according to their level of quality (Standard, Premium, Deluxe).
Companies that have registered at least one delegate can book a meeting room to organise business meetings in a confidential space during the conference. Check out our brochure and book your meeting room
OUTLOOK™ 2023 took place on 18-20 October in Portugal, gathering almost 450 delegates from 193 companies and 32 countries across the nonwovens hygiene and personal care products value chain. Split into six sessions, the agenda featured 31 high-level speakers presenting on a broad range of topics including a market overview, sustainability, AI, start-ups, the next generation, diversity equity and inclusion, as well as consumer expectations.
For Ross Ward it was his first OUTLOOK “and it's been fantastic! Meeting the industry, finding out about some of the key themes about sustainability and the development of new products going forward, but also about legislation and how that can affect future products as well. But for us, one of the major things is the networking opportunity. [Meeting] all people from all walks of the global supply chain.”
Returning visitors also shared positive feedback on why they keep coming back. “OUTLOOK is always a good event, even this year it was impressive the amount of people [that attended]. My personal expectation when I come here is to see good people and [I know that] that will happen. Also, the quality of the conference was impressive,” shared Alessandro D’Andrea.
While, Rahui Bansai noted: “I'm a regular visitor. It has been a phenomenal show. We are fibre suppliers to the hygiene and the wipes industry, and this is the one platform where we can find all our customers and the value chain [in one place]. We meet our customers often, because we deal with them directly, but [being able to] meet the value chain, machinery suppliers, and the entire industry at one platform, I think only EDANA can do it, and that's why we love this show.”
To receive all pictures, please contact delphine.rens@edana.org
