RECYCLED MATERIALS THAT KEEP ON PROTECTING OUR HEALTH AND THE PLANET

SABIC have teamed up with Fibertex Personal Care, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of spunbond nonwovens for the hygiene industry. The collaboration resulted in the world’s first nonwovens range based on recycled plastics.

Nonwovens such as face masks and disinfecting wipes have played a huge role in the worldwide fight against COVID-19. But many people may not be aware that the use of nonwovens for medical purposes goes all the way back to WWII.

As the technologies gradually improved, nonwovens proved to be superior to conventional fabrics in terms of disposability, adaptability, effectiveness, and cost.

And now these new nonwovens will be made from SABIC’s circular polypropylene, which is created from recycled plastic items that have been broken and re-polymerized to create virgin plastics. This breakthrough is part of SABIC’s TRUCIRCLETM portfolio and provides an exciting step towards a more sustainable supply chain and greater recyclability for nonwovens.

Recent problems with cross-contamination and infections in hospitals have demonstrated that the re-use of masks and gowns is no longer acceptable. Nonwovens not only make it possible to dispose of potentially contaminated items, but they also provide effective barriers against bacteria and reduce air-borne contamination.

Medical nonwovens have virtually unlimited applications for healthcare products, including surgical gowns, masks, bedding, dressings, surgical drapes, implantables like sutures, orthopaedic & tissue structures, and more. Therefore, improving sustainability across all nonwovens would create a global impact in improving the sustainability of one of the world’s most important industries.

Mikael Staal Axelsen, Group CEO, Fibertex Personal Care, said: “This is an important step forward in supporting our sustainable strategy and important step in development and expansion of a supply chain for bio-based and circular polymers. SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE initiative makes this possible. We are proud to cooperate with SABIC in developing the first circular nonwovens for the hygiene market.”

Sergi Monros, Vice President of Performance Polymers & Industry Solutions for Petrochemicals at SABIC, said: “With Fibertex Personal Care’s expertise in nonwovens, brand owners can take full advantage of our innovative TRUCIRCLETM solutions and PURECARES product portfolio and integrate them into their hygiene applications. We are working together to find further solutions to drive forward the circularity in the hygiene industry.”

As medical nonwovens become increasingly important in surgery and medicine, the need for reliable, high-quality suppliers is becoming more critical. This solution supports a mutual wish to gradually replace fossil resources and thereby help reduce carbon emissions.