The trend to increase the number of bio- or plant-based materials in absorbent hygiene products has not slowed down in recent years, and hygiene brands like Kudos, Dyper and Sparkle have focused their businesses on reducing the proportion of fossil fuel-based components used in hygiene products. As consumers continue to desire absorbent hygiene products that are perceived to be more healthy, sustainable and plant-based, suppliers to the industry have been challenged with developing these products in a cost-effective way while also proving that they perform as well as traditional products. In addition to these challenges, suppliers to the hygiene industry continue to face escalating raw material and energy costs, supply chain disruptions and other cost pressures.

Describing some of the recent trends in the hygiene industry, Carmine Cimini, chief technology officer of Italy-based Texol, says feedstock price increases and more recently huge energy cost increases have created a lot of pressure on cost control, especially in Western Europe. “Consequently, the main players in the category were seeking price reductions. This pressure was magnified because countries not impacted by energy costs were able to offer materials that were very attractive from a price standpoint, despite facing quality gaps versus European solutions.”

Adding to this, Fabrizio D’Amico, commercial director of Italy-based backsheet manufacturer Poligof, says in Europe, recent crises, from the pandemic to raw material shortages to the last energy crunch, in a market which is not expected to grow, are creating a progressive reduction of players, both absorbent hygiene product (AHP) manufacturers and raw material suppliers. “Some companies have terminated their activities and some others have discontinued their hygiene branch; 2022 inflation growth is accelerating this trend. In NorthAmerica, traditionally dominated by A-brands, private label is growing and new players (some of them coming from Europe) have proven to be competitive thanks to their agile and cost oriented footprint,” he says.

From Poligof’s point of view, the three main needs today from a customer standpoint are cost reduction, sustainable products portfolio and capacity to adapt to a very volatile economic situation. From the supplier side, D’Amico says this means implementing an agile cost structure, to reduce costs and to be more flexible. Also, a complete portfolio of materials based on renewable sources and/or compostable materials is also a must-have. But, he adds, “the most important value a supplier can offer is an innovation program based on downgauging: with recent raw materials’ unprecedented costs, any single gram weight reduction is a significant saving. This means to propose the same or better product performance with less raw material, a challenge for both any R&D department and for process engineers.”

Poligof, unlike its competitors, it says, focuses its investments and strategic decisions on AHP backsheets, and its technical footprint is fully dedicated to these products. For the same reasons, D’Amico says new sustainable products are not borrowed from the packaging industry but are tailor made for diapers’ needs. ISCC Plus certification—obtained one year ago—and films from renewable sources and which are compostable represent a regular part of the company’s product portfolio today.

“Plant based films and laminates represent today one of the main pillars of our sustainable backsheets,” he says. “They are today fully commercial, as our R&D department started to work on [them] more than 10 years ago. Today, our energies are dedicated to securing raw materials for a stable and reliable supply chain. The cost of these raw materials and their availability remain, in any case, a limit to the vast scale diffusion of plant-based backsheets.”

Also, as part of its sustainability commitments, Poligof’s board recently approved the installation in its Mira, Italy, plant of a tri-cogeneration unit plus solar panels, which will allow the company to be more independent from energy cost fluctuations, significantly improving its green footprint. SoP is expected at the end of next year. Furthermore, two new lines dedicated to ultra-light breathable film for baby diaper backsheets—installed this year in the Mira plant—are running at 70% of their speed, in time for the company’s ambitious budget 2023.

Poligof also started up operations at its new production plant in San Luis Potosì, Mexico, earlier than expected—in March of this year. The company’s fifth production plant allows Poligof Group to broaden its geographical footprint, creating the base for growth in North and Latin American markets.

“Our know-how (two other production plants opened in India and Russia in the last six years), the same technical footprint as our Italian main plant and the support of highly skilled local management have allowed us to be ready with a greenfield plant in less than one year from the initial project,” says D’Amico. “Local, but especially multinational customers, the same we are serving from Europe, have driven our decision. Today we have two lines running and a third line will be installed early next year. Our plan is to double our capacity by 2024.”

As a result, the Poligof global product offering will now include backsheet films and laminates, breathable and non, synchro printed as well as a wide portfolio of sustainable products. The strong increase of breathable films sales budgeted for 2022 (bringing a 50% plastic reduction compared to standard films) will naturally and significantly reduce the carbon footprint of Poligof’s backsheet operations. On top of this, sales will benefit from a solid portfolio of sustainable films and laminates including PoliGREEN and PoliBLUE from renewable sources; PoliBIO, biodegradable and compostable according to UNI EN 13432; and PoliECO, which features a minimum of 50% recycled-safe polymers content.

Texol, a designer and producer of elastic and perforated films, has also been developing products in response to the increase in new hygiene products that are positioned as sustainable or green. “Almost all main players now have a green/sustainable line up that is a niche, but proving the attention on sustainability. Some of these new products are reusable products for either baby diapers or sanitary pads,” says Cimini.

The Texol-Orma group, he adds, is fully committed to sustainability and therefore focusing on managing the transition from the converting of oil derivative feedstocks to sustainable ones, including natural components. Since sustainability in the hygiene market cannot be concentrated on a single solution, Texol has been looking at multiple options available on the market. These include feedstocks from mechanical recycling; feedstocks from chemical recycling; feedstocks from natural sources (polyolephine from sugar cane); biopolymers; natural fibers (hemp, flax, cotton, kapok); and artificial fibers (viscose bamboo).

In the past 12 months Texol has developed new solutions to address the need of some key customers. Thanks to its SPS (Spunlace/Pulp/Spunlace) technology available from Orma, a maker of hydroentanglement specialty products it acquired in 2017, the company has developed absorbent substrates to be used as absorbent cores with a “plastic free” formulation. Another important development has been on the converting of hemp staple fibers. Texol’s partnership with Bast Fibre Tech has been very fruitful and the company has developed a substrate that is a blend of viscose with hemp. So far, this material has been technically qualified for personal care applications, while other qualifications are in progress.

Of course, a main challenge, according to Cimini, is that natural components are offered at a higher price compared to conventional ones. In addition, the existing converting technologies are not able to convert with the same efficiency of today, and this requires either upgrades to current assets or making new investments. “The challenge is how to handle the transition,” he explains. “To face this situation, we are supporting the market with material solutions produced with existing assets while in parallel we are evaluating the opportunity of a new investment designed for the converting of natural feedstock.”

For Berry Global, the largest nonwovens manufacturer in the world and a maker of films for the hygiene market, its customers strive to meet the consumer trends for skin health and sustainability but are facing rising costs and inflation in all aspects of their operations, according to Joseph Sternad, product management director – Hygiene, Berry Global. Berry provides these customers with innovative, cost-effective material solutions that help meet consumer demands for improved skin health. “Customers depend on Berry for our full range of capabilities and the broadest range of manufacturing assets in the industry,” Sternad says. “With our global footprint, we have the ability to understand how our consumer needs are changing and quickly develop the right solutions, procure the latest raw materials available, and provide the business continuity that our customers require.”

Within its portfolio of films, Berry offers a full range of print and extrusion capabilities that delivers the requirements of its customers while also supporting their sustainability initiatives. With core competencies in cast, blown and print manufacturing across its hygiene facilities, Berry currently produces pigmented, siliconized and white films that can be customized for breathability to fit any application as well as non-breathable films which are more commonly found in adult incontinence products and feminine care wrappers. In addition to its film capabilities, Berry has a full in-house printing team that can help support, develop and transition its customers’ needs for artwork including plate making, separations and has an internal ink room.

Berry’s patented Sof-Flex Technology provides its customers breathable film as low as 10gsm with the properties required for conversion, as well as provides a reduced level of fossil-based materials. With the use of Braskem I’m Green resin and advanced recycled material, Berry Global has the capabilities to produce film with up to 90% of the total virgin resin be displaced with a sustainable solution. Additionally, Berry’s Nashville, TN, film plant has received the ISCC+ certification which provides the manufacturing processes required to utilize advanced recycled material. Its Mooresville, NC, and Waynesboro, VA, nonwoven plants also recently achieved the ISCC+ certification.

“Sustainability is top-of-mind at Berry,” says Sternad. “We believe that success in sustainability can be achieved through many methods like product down-gauging for reduced carbon footprint, increasing operational efficiencies, and through the use of plant-based or circular resins. As experts in the industry, we collaborate with customers to help meet their individual sustainability goals and leverage tools like lifecycle analysis software to guide us to the most impactful product decisions.”

Turkish manufacturer Korozo, which has nine production facilities and four sales and distribution offices in the U.K., Germany, France and Russia, exports hygiene components and flexible packaging mainly to EMEA markets. Its Korozo Hygiene Components business offers a wide portfolio in backsheets and frontal and closure tapes for the baby diaper, adult incontinence and feminine care categories. Its most recent products include nonwoven frontal tape, a sustainable based bamboo and cotton bearing textile backsheet, and breathable and special thinner non-breathable PE backsheet for feminine care products. “We are further looking into new product ideas with a focus on innovation, sustainability and downgauging,” says Huseyin Odemis, Hygiene Business unit director, Korozo.

Like most suppliers to the industry today, Korozo executives recognize that consumer behavior is increasingly shaped by the climate crisis, and consumers today are more interested than ever in shopping for sustainable products that truly make a difference for the environment. “The diaper industry in some way lacks clear definitions and standards to label products ‘green’ or sustainable,” Odemis says. “One reason for this is the complex view on what is sustainable.”

Korozo’s strategy is to reduce its carbon footprint by decreasing the amount of materials used in production, replacing them with greener alternatives, reusing its waste, and partnering with customers or suppliers to reduce consumption across the production cycle. “Plant-based components still make up a small portion of the market but the demand has been increasing for these types of materials over the last year,” he adds. “We receive several questions mainly for sustainable backsheets. Customers are interested in either PLA, Bico, Green PE usage in the product construction or using PIR/PCR at certain levels. Sustainability in raw material supply is also very important and supplying green-PE is not easy due to limited availability of suppliers in the market. Together with our suppliers we work on meeting our customers’ requirements for plant-based components.”

Aplix, a manufacturer of fastening solutions based in Le Cellier, France, offers a complete product line to ensure a proper fit and a secure closure system for baby diapers and adult briefs, with solutions tailored to all market segments—premium, mainline and pants. This includes SoftGrip by Aplix (hooks and hook tapes), TexLoop by Aplix (knit loop frontal tapes), SoftLoop by Aplix (nonwoven frontal tapes) and SoftFit by Aplix (elastic ears).

Recently, the company launched a new hook platform to be able to provide customized and value-added materials (cross-over, hook on stretch, patch and single hook). And, in parallel to its petroleum-based solutions, it has replicated its complete hygiene product line using compostable materials.

“We work diligently to source the right industrially compostable PLA materials for all our hygiene products,” says Olivier Blanc, marketing & sales director – EMEA Personal Care, Aplix. “We proved that we are technically capable of running PLA on our industrial lines without compromising performance or quality. Our materials have already been converted on several diaper lines, with different partners, and the results are very promising. It is now crucial for us to closely collaborate with our customers to understand how to continuously improve our line of compostable products to meet the expanding needs of the market.”

Aplix has also been developing products without adhesives, and with PP based resins, for several years. “Our objective is to have recyclable materials which could be recycled, not only by our customers, but also by us to be reused in our production. Our objective is zero waste material. Nevertheless, we know that it is only the first step,” Blanc says.

In Pakistan, Ihsan Sons is focused on the improvement of current products in the hygiene market and of driving growth for cotton nonwovens in areas where they are not currently being used or where their use can be increased. A manufacturer and exporter of cotton waste, surgical bleached absorbent cotton, yarns and nonwovens, Ihsan Sons produces a 100% cotton spunlace fabric as a topsheet for feminine care products.

With several new biodegradable fibers being marketed in the nonwovens industry these days, Ihsan believes cotton still has an advantage over other “natural” fibers. “Cotton fortunately markets itself—it is a fantastic versatile fiber,” says Yahya M. Ihsan, director, Ihsan Sons (Pvt) Ltd. “[It is] hypoallergenic and from an annually renewable source. Whilst there are newer fibers being used in nonwovens, many are engineered fibers. Yes, they might be biodegradable, but they are not as ‘natural’ as cotton. People trust cotton and as long as it is sustainably sourced—which all our cotton is—then there really can be no better fiber.”

Ihsan Sons is focused on 100% cotton only, and most of its partners are using organic cotton. Despite price pressures, the company’s partners are staying true to their values and not moving away from this, Ihsan says. “Interestingly, we have not seen customers trying to reduce the basis weights to get some cost savings. Their customers are very loyal and like the brand. The risk of changing specifications to save a few cents is not a risk worth taking.”

He adds: “There has been an unprecedented shift towards natural and biodegradable materials recently. Whilst it was once a niche consumer product it is now very close to becoming the norm. All the major players have some offerings in the femcare market to give their consumers the choice. The market that is still massively lagging though is the diaper market. Of course, the complexity of the many components for diapers makes this challenging but we do feel change will happen there as well.”

In investment news, Ihsan Sons recently added a Jossi inspection system which has been helping the company to become more efficient and to control the natural contamination that comes with using cotton. It has also heavily invested in a solar farm that is now online to produce renewable energy. The new 600 kW system is poised to supply over 870,000 kWh each year and avoid an estimated 100 tons of CO2 a year, equivalent to planting 5450 trees. All are part of its drive to reduce its energy consumption by half by 2025.

Adhesive Innovations

Like other hygiene components suppliers, there’s also a been a focus on sustainability for adhesive producers.

“It is the goal of many hygiene manufacturers to reduce add-on levels of adhesives, energy consumption and carbon footprint while also minimizing waste by incorporating thinner substrates and modified core designs,” says Nora Behrens, EIMEA Personal Care Marketing Specialist, Hygiene, Tissue & Towel, Health & Beauty, H.B. Fuller.

Adhesives derived from renewable feedstocks are not totally new to the industry, she adds. “Years ago, there was a change from renewable to fossil fuel-based feedstocks. Now the industry is back to looking at bio-based adhesives with the overall aim to reduce the carbon footprint. At H.B. Fuller, we are dedicated to finding innovative solutions that help reduce the environmental impact. As bio-based adhesives gain more popularity, our scientists around the globe are already working on new adhesive formulations that meet the bio content levels desired by our customers.”

On the new products side, H.B. Fuller recently introduced its new elastic attachment adhesive Full-Care 8068 to address the growth and increasing popularity of pull-on pants in the baby diaper and adult incontinence market. This elastic attachment adhesive is designed to meet the high-performance standards required by both producer and consumer. Full-Care 8068 is a clean-running adhesive providing excellent creep resistance and in-use performance while maximizing manufacturer production efficiency.

In other news, to address the growing needs of its customers in Egypt, Turkey, the Middle East and Africa, H.B. Fuller has invested in a new green-field plant in Cairo which will increase its capabilities and commitments to the emerging markets. H.B. Fuller will be able to supply high-quality adhesives solutions in various vital areas, thanks to the facility’s anticipated world-class manufacturing capabilities.

Bostik, another key adhesive supplier to the hygiene industry, takes a holistic approach to meeting its customers’ needs. “Every Bostik product needs to bring value to the article producer and/or the consumer,” says Jack Hughes, global digital marketing manager, Bostik. “As such, it should be connected with their goals in one or more of the following areas: enhanced operational efficiency, improved consumer confidence, greater profitability and/or the ability to deliver improved social responsibility, i.e., to be more sustainable. Our products should do more than bond; they are enablers.”

Across Bostik’s comprehensive product lines for construction, elastic attachment, core, pad attachment and hot melt wetness indication, the company uses adhesive attributes to help its customers decide which product is the best fit for their needs. “Not every product for every application has the same selection of attributes,” Hughes explains. “This reflects the differing needs, expectations and business goals of our customers across applications, market segments and across geographies.”

Viewing the adhesive as the enabler, Bostik needs to ensure that its products will bond the article manufacturers’ substrates of choice. “Although just 3% of the weight of a diaper, the role of the adhesive is critical; even more so with plant-based materials, as typical alternatives to adhesives fail to sufficiently bond these substrates at all,” Hughes says. “As new substrates become available, we have the responsibility to ensure that we can offer adhesives to allow the customer to incorporate these materials in their products. Bostik’s adhesives can enable the production of more sustainable products, and also support more sustainable and efficient production processes.”

As product manufacturers look to increase the levels of renewable content in their products, Bostik recently launched its Nuplaviva renewably sourced adhesive product line. Nuplaviva is not only renewably sourced but bonds well to a full range of renewable substrates. The first two products available in this series were construction adhesives Nuplaviva c50 and Nuplaviva c75. In May 2022, Nuplaviva i90, a 90% renewably sourced hot melt wetness indicator, was added to Bostik’s ‘socially responsible’ product line. “We will continue to add products beyond construction and wetness indication as well as solutions with greater levels of renewable content to this product line in the coming months,” says Hughes.