Recognizing the growing role of females working within the global nonwovens industry, a new networking group, to be known as Women in Nonwovens (WIN) is forming, in person and through LinkedIn. Envisioning a vibrant, supportive community that empowers women in the nonwovens industry through mentorship, leadership and collaboration, WIN hopes to shape a future where women thrive and inspire one another to lead with confidence, innovation, and purpose. Co-founded by a group of industry veterans, who happen to be women, WIN’s premiere in-person event, a networking luncheon, will be held Wednesday November, 19, 2025 during INDA’s Hygienix 2025 conference at the Omni Orlando Champions Gate Resort in Orlando, FL. Attendees at the event will not only have the chance to hear about future plans for the group but also to help to support the mission of WIN by offering valuable feedback on what this community could help them accomplish in the nonwovens industry. “I’ve worked in nonwoven products for over two decades, and from the very beginning, it’s been the women around me who made the difference,” says WIN co-founder and principal of Crown Abbey Consultancy Heidi Beatty. “Every time I walked into a room full of strangers, it was usually a woman who greeted me with a smile and started a conversation. That sense of connection wasn’t just about advancing my career — though I owe many women for their support — it was about feeling at ease, being able to talk about work, my kids or even my aching feet. It was about building real friendships. I’ve tried to be that welcoming face for others in our industry, and for me, WIN is about continuing that ethos — being the hand that reaches out and the smile that says, ‘You belong here.’” WIN launched earlier this month with the formation of a private linked in group (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13359078/). This group is providing a dedicated space for women in nonwovens to connect and support each other as they face the unique challenges of being a female in a global, manufacturing-based industry. Share your interest in attending WIN’s inaugural networking luncheon using this link, https://forms.office.com/r/keneVkX8Bt; The lunch event fee is $95.For more information about WIN, please visit the WIN LinkedIN Group, https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13359078/.