Cheers to 50 Years

摘要

In 1970, Rodman Zilenziger, the president of a small publishing company in Northern New Jersey, saw an opportunity in the disposables market and launched a trade magazine dedicated to a growing technology that was, at the time, targeting a number of small but growing consumer markets-like baby diapers. That magazine, Disposable Soft Goods, went through a few name changes before settling on its current moniker, Nonwovens Industry, which better reflected the scope of this industry. Early issues of this magazine offer some predictions for future market growth that now seem pretty comical. In June 1970, in a survey of readers, just 8% predicted that diapers-which has been the largest market for nonwovens for decades- would become the largest market for nonwovens. Meanwhile, 30% said that medical linens and pads would be the top nonwovens market someday. Editorial coverage also offered predictions for the nonwovens industry's future. Probably the one most unfounded was the technology's influx into the clothing market. Early prototypes of so-called paper dresses never caught on in the fashion world, despite the potential of that market.