CARY, N.C. — October 9, 2006 — Six unique consumer products from the United States and Europe – ranging from advanced hygiene products to pet care to beer can construction – have been nominated as finalists for the prestigious 2007 Visionary Award.

Now in its sixth year, the Award – which is given annually to a new consumer product that utilizes nonwoven fabrics in its final form – will be presented at the VISION 2007 Consumer Products Conference, January 21-24, 2007 in Denver, Colo. The finalists will make presentations during VISION 2007 and Conference attendees will vote on the recipient of the 2007 Visionary Award.

“The Visionary Awards recognize advances in incorporating nonwovens technology into consumer products and these finalists illustrate the diversity of the many uses of nonwoven and engineered fabrics being developed around the world,” says Visionary Award Chairman Michael Jacobsen, of INDA. “Once again, there were close to two dozen nominations this year and the Selection Committee spent a considerable amount of time analyzing the products before naming these six products as finalists for this prestigious Award.”

The six finalists are:

1. Cotton Feminine Hygiene Products, Corman SpA, Italy. These 100% pure cotton napkins and panty liners are designed specifically for women with sensitive skin and for those who prefer a natural alternative. The pads are comprised of a core 100% pure cotton wool for high absorbency, an acquisition and filtration layer of 100% pure cotton nonwoven, a breathable protection layer and a large “Secure-fit” adhesive.

2. Cool2Go Insulating Wrap, DuPont, U.S. Labatt Blue Cold One cans are wrapped with DuPont Cool2Go, a thin, insulating layer that protects beer from warm hands, condensation and the outside temperature. The Cool2Go wrap is made by placing a nonwoven polymer insulation between two layers of Melinex film, creating a thin thermal barrier that keeps beer colder up to twice as long a conventional aluminum cans.

3. Johnson Baby Extracare Wipes, Johnson & Johnson Europe. The construction of J&J’s Baby Extracare Wipes separates the lipid and the aqueous phase of the emulsion, allowing it to incorporate incompatible components in the different phases.

4. Petsleeves Petwear, Petsleeves, U.S. Petsleeves are part of a unique product category called “petwear,” reusable but disposable apparel for dogs and cats. The retail version is made with a 1.95 osy spunbond polyester from BBA Fiberweb. Also available in a veterinary model and a version for “work dogs.”

5. Pampers Cruisers, Procter & Gamble, U.S. Pampers Cruisers feature a new AbsorbAway Liner with 5 Star Absorbency that helps keep wetness away from a child’s skin, even upside down. Cruisers also feature snug leg cuffs for leakage protection. The new AbsorbAway Liner has a soft mesh weave that also helps hold wetness away.

6. Swim Pants, Tyco Healthcare Retail Group, U.S. Through a use of a machine direction stretch film, the Swim Pant product provides BM containment for babies not yet potty trained. This containment is provided without the swelling typically seen in a pulp or airlaid cores while the child is in the water. The colorized stretch film allows for smooth side panels providing a swimsuit appearance and aids in the prevention of product sagging and BM leakage.

Last January at VISION 2006 in New Orleans, Chicopee was presented with the 2006 Visionary Award for its Disaster Relief Blanket. As has become a tradition at the Vision Conferences, Chicopee will make a presentation at VISION 2007 to provide an update on the winning product.
 
Other previous winners include BBA Fiberweb’s Resolution Print Media (2005); Brillo Scrub ‘n’ Toss (2004), FMJ ChemBio for its Civilian Quick Escape Mask (2003) and Procter & Gamble's Swiffer (2002).

For more information on VISION 2007: http://www.inda.org/events/vision07/index.html