EDANA’s OUTLOOK™ 2026 will mark its 25th anniversary edition in Cascais, Portugal, with programming focused on market growth, sustainability, technology and regulation in hygiene and personal care nonwovens.
The global hygiene and personal care nonwovens sector will gather this September for a milestone edition of OUTLOOK™. Organized by Brussels-based EDANA, the European association representing the nonwovens and related industries, OUTLOOK™ 2026 will mark its 25th anniversary edition September 22-24 in Cascais, Portugal. The choice of venue — the Hotel Miragem — is a deliberate nod to the event’s history, bringing the international nonwovens community back to a coastal location familiar to many long-standing industry participants.
The three-day conference serves as a centralized hub designed to bring more than 500 senior professionals and decision-makers from across the entire supply chain together under one roof.
Mapping Out The Technical And Regulatory Horizon
The educational core of OUTLOOK 2026 targets the critical trends shifting the market. Plenary sessions will feature insights from industry experts analyzing the macro-environmental forces impacting businesses globally. Specifically, the program is built around four core pillars designed to help companies navigate a complex commercial landscape:
- Growth Trends: Market intelligence evaluating where demand is expanding;
- Sustainability Initiatives & Innovations: New materials and design practices shaping eco-friendly products;
- Technological Advancements: Engineering and manufacturing updates driving sector efficiency; and
- Regulatory Updates: Compliance strategies to manage shifting legislative requirements.
These targeted presentations will address the latest commercial developments across the primary product sectors of the absorbent hygiene and wipes industries, including baby diapers, consumer wet wipes, menstrual products and adult incontinence solutions.
Facilitating Face-To-Face Business
While market intelligence anchors the conference program, the structural design of OUTLOOK focuses heavily on face-to-face commercial interaction. The venue accommodates a focused tabletop exhibition area featuring 20 dedicated booth spaces, giving suppliers a direct line to present their technical capabilities to prospective buyers.
The high demand for private business dialogue at this 25th edition is already evident: The private meeting rooms allocated for confidential, closed-door negotiations are almost sold out as of IFJ’s press time. For attendees seeking less formal networking opportunities, the event balances its technical hours with structured coffee breaks, lunches and evening receptions.
A Coastal Backdrop For Corporate Strategy
The networking events take full advantage of the Portuguese coast. The day-one cocktail reception will be hosted poolside at the Hotel Miragem, looking out over Cascais Bay, the local marina and the Atlantic Ocean. On day two, the evening reception moves to the Valverde Sintra Palácio de Seteais — an 18th-century palace located in the nearby hills of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Building On Momentum
The 2026 gathering follows the momentum of last year’s event in Budapest, which drew 475 delegates representing 207 distinct companies across 37 countries. That iteration highlighted a shared corporate focus on converting strict European and global regulations into distinct competitive advantages through rapid, credible innovation.
With a stable of confirmed industry players — including key sponsors and exhibitors like Investkonsult Sweden, Lenzing, Birla Cellulose, Optima, Saudi German Co., Americhem and Pulsar Engineering — OUTLOOK 2026 continues to serve as a major forum for the personal care value chain. Registration is ongoing via EDANA’s website for organizations looking to secure their place in Cascais.
For more information about OUTLOOK 2026, please visit edana.org/events/outlook/outlook-2026
