Hempitecture Company Wins RISE® Innovation Award with PlantPanel™ Insulation Material
The winner of the RISE Innovation Award organised by the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry Association (INDA) has been announced. Hempitecture Inc. was awarded the RISE® Innovation Award with PlantPanel™, a rigid continuous insulation material used in exterior above-ground applications.
Industry innovators, technology scouts, and business leaders in nonwovens and engineered materials came together for the RISE® (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics) Conference, held October 1-2 in Raleigh, NC. Co-hosted by INDA and The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University, the event delivered cutting-edge insights into sustainability, focusing on advanced recycling methods, bio-based materials, circular economy strategies, potential plastics regulations, and packaging solutions. Attendees explored a comprehensive range of technologies aimed at recapturing the inherent value of fibers, nonwovens, and textiles. Breakthroughs in process technology and product design were showcased, emphasizing how manufacturers and consumers can achieve more with fewer resources. The event also spotlighted alternative, carbon-negative raw materials as a key innovation.
Ahlstrom, Berry Global and Hempitecture Compete for the Award
During the event, the winner of the RISE® Innovation Award was announced. Ahlstrom, Berry Global and Hempitecture competed for the award.
Hempitecture, Inc. won the RISE® Innovation Award for their PlantPanel™ material. PlantPanel™ is a rigid continuous insulation material used in exterior above-ground applications. With an R Value of R3.25 per inch, PlantPanel™ adds to thermal and acoustic comfort and performance. Engineered with a density to resist compression and deflection, PlantPanel™ is used in split-insulation wall and roof assemblies with either a rain screen cladding or roofing material, depending on the application. With 100% biobased and recycled content, PlantPanel™ is a sustainable, low carbon continuous insulation solution that’s easy to install and safe to handle.
Dual-Layer Filtration Media by Ahlstrom Italia S.p.A.: Ahlstrom’s new dual-layer filter media technology enhances engine air intake filtration performances, offering up to double the dust holding capacity and extending filter lifetime by over 50% compared to single-layer media. It also enables smaller, lighter filter designs, meeting current and future engine specifications, including fuel cells. Dual-layer filter media can be offered with flame-retardant functionality for various transportation and industrial applications, ensuring safety, improved performances and reduced environmental impact.
ENDURA rPP Spunbond & SMS by Berry Global: A pre-consumer recycled spunbond and SMS product, recognized by SCS Recycled Content Certification. With spunbond products containing up to 90% recycled content and SMS products containing up to 40% recycled content, customers/consumers are provided a product with greenhouse gas emissions benefits, validated with life cycle assessment tools assumptions based on the actual production. ENDURA Spunbond products have the opportunity to reduce CO2 emissions per kilogram of production by 70%, versus previous generation of product.
INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award Presented to Arnold Wilkie
Arnold Wilkie, President and Owner, Hills, Inc. has a distinguished career in advancing yarn, fiber, and nonwoven technologies since 1970. Wilkie has over 40 patents and applications covering yarns, bicomponent fibers, ultra-fine fibers, nanofibers, dissolvable filaments, meltblown nonwovens, and polymer processing innovations. He established Hills as a leading innovator in bicomponent fiber nonwovens and in the equipment to produce these materials. During Wilkie’s time leading Hills, their pilot capabilities have become well-known and highly regarded for enabling material innovations.
Posters of Graduate Students Exhibited
During reception, posters from 30 graduate students representing top nonwoven, textile, and fiber programs, along with corporate presenters, were displayed. Students, their faculty advisors, and industry professionals shared their latest research, engaging with attendees to discuss key findings and future goals.
