Fibertex Personal Care AG, (Innowo Print) has invested in a backside inline printing unit at its print facility in Germany. This new technology enables fully inline application of wetness indicators, surfactants and functional coatings – delivered in perfect register with the surface print with no compromise in subsequent processability. The investment, which is fully integrated into existing W&H flexographic press, responds to increased demand for the company’s Innowo Print speciality solutions.

As baby care and adult incontinence care products evolve, the need for more advanced design and product performance continue to shape product development. One area particularly ready for innovation is the wetness indicator – traditionally applied offline, limited in format, and constrained by process complexity.

Traditionally, wetness indicators have been simple, offline-applied linear stripes limited to technical zones –the new Innowo Print solution changes that. Register control and wide format printing capability allows brand owners to integrate functional elements directly into the overall artwork.

“A major breakthrough is the ability to print functional backside elements in perfect register with the frontside artwork. This gives our customers a level of creative and technical precision they have never had before. At the same time, the system handles surfactants and functional coatings on nonwovens, adding new opportunities for product performance”, says, Carsten Brøndum Pedersen, Global Print Director.

This expanded capability unlocks a wide design landscape, such as pattern-based functional zones, icon-based indicator systems, full-surface graphic integrations and design elements aligned front-to-back.

Beyond wetness indicators, the system supports coating and functional printing on various nonwoven materials. This enables improved fluid management, targeted hydrophilic or hydrophobic zones and other performance-improving features applied directly during printing. As Pedersen explains, “Function and design no longer need to be separated. A wetness indicator can now be part of the product brand expression.”

According to the company, the introduction of backside inline printing marks a significant step toward the next generation of Innowo Print solutions, where precision, functionality, and aesthetics can be seamlessly integrated in hygiene products.