The shortlist shows how wipes innovation is moving beyond convenience into material substitution, garment care and field safety applications.
INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, has named three finalists for the 2026 World of Wipes Innovation Award, highlighting a broader shift in the wipes sector toward performance, sustainability and specialized end-use functionality. The finalists are Clorox Refreshables from The Clorox Company, Lenzing DualWipe from Lenzing Fibers, and First Defense Fentanyl Detection Wipe from Rockline Industries.
The finalists will present their products at the World of Wipes International Conference, scheduled for June 29–July 2, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt Nashville in Tennessee. The winner will be announced during the closing session on July 2.
Function moves beyond cleaning
Clorox Refreshables targets a fast-growing consumer need: extending garment freshness without a full wash cycle. The in-dryer clothing refresher is designed to revive lightly worn apparel in 15 minutes, addressing odour, wrinkles, static and pet hair while adding fragrance. For brands and retailers, the product points to a growing intersection between wipes, laundry care and garment-life extension.
Cellulose takes centre stage
Lenzing DualWipe represents the material-innovation side of the shortlist. Enabled by Lenzing’s Nonwovens Technology, the product combines two surfaces in one material: an abrasive side for removing dirt and residues, and a soft absorbent side for finishing. Lenzing says the wipe contains no synthetic fibres, binders or finishing chemicals, reducing the risk of plastic and microplastic shedding associated with synthetic wipes.
This makes DualWipe commercially relevant for industrial, professional and household cleaning markets, especially as regulators and buyers scrutinize fossil-based materials and single-use plastic claims more closely.
A safety-focused wipe
Rockline’s First Defense Fentanyl Detection Wipe, developed with Visual Detection Systems, takes wipes into a more technical safety role. The single-use presumptive test is designed to detect trace fentanyl through a visible colour change, using indicators bound to viscose fibres with a starch-based system. It is aimed at law enforcement, first responders, military, airports, schools and correctional facilities.
The next signal to watch is which value proposition wins: consumer convenience, plastic-free material redesign, or high-stakes field detection. That outcome will say much about where wipes innovation is being rewarded in 2026.
