Four finalists have been selected to compete for the World of Wipes Innovation Award competition being held as part of the annual World of Wipes (WOW) Conference, set for June 5-7 at the Hotel InterContinental in Chicago, Illinois.

The annual WOW Conference, organized by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, is devoted solely to wipes, with a concentration on substrates, active ingredients, packaging, market metrics, industry challenges and market opportunities, particularly in Asia and Europe. The World of Wipes Innovation Award recognizes and rewards the industry members who bring new and value-added processes and products to the wipes market.

The four finalists, chosen from products nominated by the industry, are:

1. Fibertect High-tech Nonwoven Wipes, Oil and Vapor Sorbing Wipe, from Hobbs Bonded Fibers.

The multilayered wipe has both absorptive and adsorptive properties, a unique combination said to be needed to have both liquid wiping and toxic vapour holding capability. Fibertect’s structure is said to give enough flexibility to vary the fibres in the nonwoven layers and can also be functionalized to achieve antimicrobial characteristics and absorb different chemicals, acids and bases.

2. Raptor SAFE-T Wipe (Substance Activated Fast Evaluation Technology), from Raptor Detection Technologies, LLC.

SAFE-T Wipes aim to quickly and easily detect explosives and provide a simple colorimetric indicator for the user and are available to military, law enforcement and first responder organizations worldwide. SAFE-T technology uses molecularly imprinted polymers that act as functional sensors to detect multiple explosives in a single wipe.

3. Table Turners No-Rinse Sanitizing Wipes, from Sani Professional.

Table Turners No-Rinse Sanitizing Wipes (TTSW) are a total cleaning solution for foodservice operations. The product is EPA-registered and meets guidelines for both front-of-house and back-of-house cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces. TTSW is a cost-saving replacement for the traditional, cross-contamination prone, reusable ‘rag and bucket’ solutions.

4. Clean & Cream Wet Wipes Cream Dispenser, from Wetnaps Ltd.

Wetnaps is offering wipes with nappy cream all in one package. The wipes travel pack includes a container of baby cream, for quick and efficient baby or cosmetic use. Inside the plastic lid, which covers the wipes exit, there is a compartment with eight grams of cream. The compartment is part of the package and can be refilled until wipes run out.

The four finalists will give 10-minute presentations during WOW 2012 and attendees will then vote on the recipient of the 2012 World of Wipes Innovation Award. The Award will be presented during a session on the final morning of the Conference.

Full registration for INDA members is $1350 and $1895 for non-members. Networking Registration, which allows access to the two evening receptions and table-top displays, is $595 for INDA members and $695 for non-members.

Follow the link for more information on the 2012 World of Wipes International Conference