OUR KEY SECTORS
Multi-Sector Expertise on a Global Scale
NEXT GENERATION PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Our Key Sectors
By operating in these key sectors, we address critical needs and challenges, driving progress and competitiveness for our clients in an ever-evolving global market.
Agriculture
NIRI supports innovation in the agriculture sector by creating fabrics that improve crop growth, protection and cultivation, irrigation efficiency, and livestock health. Applications include fabrics used in biodegradable mulch and capillary mattings, hydroponics, evaporative cooling systems, and crop storage.
Automotive
NIRI’s support for the sector includes developing fabrics, fibres, and advanced materials for exterior and interior features in automotive manufacturing. Our support spans a range of key applications, including wipes for paint and surface finishing, NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) fabrics, filtration and coalescing media, headliners and interior trim, thermal management systems, and battery separators, all integral to the vehicle’s construction.
Building & Civil Engineering
NIRI works with the building and civil engineering sector to produce durable and sustainable fabrics essential for the built environment, above and below ground. Applications include insulation, roofing, various structural components and composites for sustainable buildings, and geosynthetics for filtration, separation, and drainage.
Defence
NIRI supports the creation of fabrics that enhance safety and operational efficiency in the defence sector by developing next-generation fabrics for ballistic and stab protection, CBRN protection, thermal protection, and smart protective fabrics with integrated sensors for real-time monitoring.
Fashion
NIRI plays a pivotal role in developing innovative fabrics for fashion, offering alternatives to traditional apparel materials such as new forms of leather. NIRI’s expertise extends to creating interlinings and linings, sportswear fabrics, and components for footwear and accessories. NIRI’s work in fashion also focuses on fabrics that adapt to environmental changes, providing enhanced comfort and functionality. Additionally, nonwoven technologies are utilised to recycle waste fibres into new, functional fabrics, contributing to the fashion industry’s sustainability.
Filtration
NIRI continues to improve the performance of high-efficiency, low-pressure drop filter media used for gas and liquid filtration and liquid-liquid separation in various industries. This includes work on HEPA filters, adsorptive filters, membrane filtration supports, and emerging filtration technologies that depend on nonwoven substrates.
Food & Beverage
NIRI addresses the needs of the food and beverage sector by creating high-performance tea and coffee bag fabrics, protective food packaging for storage and transit, including absorbents for moisture and bacterial control, and advanced filter media for food and drink processing and dispensing.
Homeware
NIRI supports the homeware sector by developing fabrics with improved aesthetics and long-term durability compatible with circular economy principles. Key applications include carpets and flooring, upholstery, wall coverings, mattress and bedding components, blinds and curtains, and numerous other consumer products.
Hygiene
NIRI works extensively to improve the performance of hygiene products, including baby diapers, period care, adult incontinence, personal care, and other types of wipes. Innovations focus on liquid management, next to skin comfort, integration of renewable materials, as well as operational status and new health diagnostic functionalities.
Medical
NIRI assists the sector by developing fabrics for a variety of medical devices, including assistive technologies, advanced wound care, drug delivery, innovative diagnostic tools, PPE and infection control.
Packaging
NIRI supports the packaging sector with high-performance materials for protective packaging of pharmaceuticals and other environmentally sensitive products, food packaging, and industrial and disposable packaging. Harnessing nonwoven process technology to make new forms of packaging is another area of development.
Performance Clothing
NIRI’s expertise in performance clothing is centred around developing high-performance fabrics for critical applications. This includes Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) designed for specific environments, such as space, aquatic, CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear), ballistic and stab protection for the military, police and security services and firefighting gear, which require advanced thermal regulation, moisture management, and durability. NIRI also contributes to developing specialised medical clothing that enhances safety and functionality in healthcare settings. In sports clothing, NIRI has significant experience developing fabrics that meet the demands of athletic and motorsports activities, offering superior breathability, flexibility, and comfort under various environmental conditions.
Wipes
NIRI works across the wipes sector to improve their functionality and value, enable plastic-free compositions and differentiate fabrics in terms of aesthetics. Technical developments relate to flushable wipes, personal care, disinfecting and industrial wipes. Improving cleaning efficiency, modulating lotion loading, light-weighting and designing wipes for low environmental impact following end-of-life disposal are key areas of technical development.
VP Global Marketing, $5.2 Bn Company
“NIRI has an extensive array of services that complement our R&D capability. They have helped us identify new opportunities and then transition our ideas into full working products”
WHY CHOOSE NIRI
Unique R&D Capabilities Designed to
Accelerate Products to Market
NIRI is a cutting-edge innovation consultancy dedicated to advancing the field of fibres, nonwovens and advanced materials through innovation, research, and market intelligence.
Our mission is to provide our clients with the tools and knowledge they need to stay ahead of the curve in rapidly evolving global industries.
Contact us to explore how NIRI can help your company can decrease its time to market and increase its market share and competitiveness.