INDA Names Four Finalists for Hygienix Innovation Award
Anabio, Confitex, LYCRA Company and Youth Crews are competing for the 2026 award, to be announced in Houston.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Home Cleaning
INDA has named four finalists for its 2026 Hygienix Innovation Award: Anabio Technologies, Confitex Technology, The LYCRA Company and Youth Crews. The winner will be announced on November 19, 2026, at Hygienix 2026 at the Hyatt Regency Houston.
Why it matters
The award spotlights new nonwoven and textile products in hygiene and home care, showing how manufacturers are addressing flushability, washability and fit. For Houston, the November event at the Hyatt Regency brings the industry's attention to the city.
Anabio's flushable pad has been independently tested against IWSFG flushability requirements, and Confitex's washable car seat protectors absorb 700 ml within a patented leak-resistant frame. The award decision and the final comparison of these products remain pending until the November 19 announcement.
The players
INDA
INDA is the association for the nonwovens and related industries, which organizes the Hygienix event and its innovation award.
Anabio Technologies
Anabio Technologies is a finalist whose patented flushable sanitary pad is designed to protect for up to 12 hours before dispersing when flushed.
Confitex Technology
Confitex Technology is a finalist that won the 2025 Hygienix Innovation Award for its washable nonwoven sanitary pad and is now a finalist again.
The LYCRA Company
The LYCRA Company is a finalist presenting LYCRA ADAPTIV fibre, which uses a specially developed spandex polymer that adapts dynamically to the wearer.
Youth Crews
Youth Crews is a finalist that makes tab-style diapers for disabled children aged 4-17.
The details
The four finalists were chosen for product innovations in hygiene and related textiles. Anabio's pad can run on standard converting lines, while Youth Crews' tab-style diapers, sized 9-12 for children aged 4-17, were developed after a father struggled to find a suitable diaper for his daughter.
Timeline
2025: Confitex won the Hygienix Innovation Award for its washable nonwoven sanitary pad.
November 16-19, 2026: Hygienix 2026 is held at the Hyatt Regency Houston.
November 19, 2026: The winner of the Hygienix Innovation Award will be announced.
Home Cleaning Trend
Confitex's 2025 Hygienix Innovation Award for a washable nonwoven sanitary pad set a precedent for reusable hygiene products, and its return as a 2026 finalist with washable car seat protectors continues that line. The trend pushes toward textiles that hold up through more than 30 washes rather than single-use disposables.
Houston hosts the November 16-19 Hygienix event at the Hyatt Regency, bringing industry visitors to the city. Consumers may see washable and flushable hygiene options such as Anabio's pad and Confitex's protectors reach the market as the finalists' products develop.
The takeaway
Washable and flushable hygiene products are gaining industry recognition, which may offer households reusable or disposal-friendly alternatives. Readers interested in home cleaning options can watch for the November 19 award result as a signal of where the category is heading.
What happens next
The Hygienix Innovation Award winner will be announced on November 19, 2026, at Hygienix 2026 in Houston.
Further reading
For more on washable and reusable options, see Home Cleaning guidance.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Textileexcellence.
