EDANA, the international association for the nonwovens and related industries, has announced the categories for the prestigious INDEX 17 Awards, which recognise innovative, cooperative, creative and sustainable achievements in nonwovens.

Starting this month, companies can download an application form from the dedicated INDEX 17 page, which must then be completed and returned with samples and supporting details to EDANA before 12 December 2016.

While companies may only submit one product per category, they may apply in as many categories as they wish. Products must be commercially available at the time of submission, and must not have been commercially launched before April 2014.

Award categories

The Award categories for 2017 include:

• Nonwoven roll goods
• Finished products made from, or incorporating nonwovens
• Raw materials or components - innovation in a raw material or component (e.g. polymer, fibre, binder, film, tape) of special relevance to the nonwovens and related converted products industry
• Innovation in machinery of special relevance to the nonwovens industry
• Achievement for the most original marketing campaign for a product made from, or incorporating nonwovens
• Sustainable product
• Sustainable process or management practice

In addition, applicants to at least one of the above categories may also apply for a brand new complementary Award: Cooperative innovation between industry and centre of excellence. This category aims to reward successful cooperation between industry and (non-commercial) centres of excellence.

Jury panel

The panel of judges is made up of several independent experts with technical, converting and marketing experience, and one member of the nonwovens press. The judges are looking for creative ideas, new technology and innovative products. They will first assess the relevance of entries from each category, then select a maximum of three qualifying entries per category.

All qualifying entries will be recognised three weeks before INDEX 17, and the winners chosen from among the qualifying entries will be presented with their Awards at a special ceremony. This ceremony will be held on 4 April 2017, on the first day of the INDEX 17 exhibition, which takes place from 4-7 April in Geneva, Switzerland.

INDEX 17

INDEX, the leading nonwovens exhibition that takes place every three years, is the global showcase for the potential that nonwovens have to offer. It aims to unite leaders in all spheres of manufacturing, machinery, and raw materials supply with leading industry decision-makers, top purchasing and sales professionals and key marketers.

Over 12,000 professional visitors from around the world converge upon INDEX to see the latest cutting-edge advances in nonwovens technology and exciting perspectives on new applications areas.

www.edana.org