Nonwoven Composites Market Size (2024 - 2030)

The global evaluation of the Nonwoven Composites Market suggests a value of USD 9.87 Billion in 2023, with projections indicating a growth to USD 11.97 Billion by 2030. This growth trajectory reflects a consistent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.8% throughout the forecast period from 2024 to 2030.

Nonwoven Composites Market

Nonwoven composites represent a category of products created by the amalgamation of one or more nonwoven fabrics or technologies with additional materials or technologies. This amalgamation aims to produce an enhanced fabric that retains the distinctive properties of its individual components. Various manufacturing processes, including spun-bonding, melt-blowing, spun-melt, wet-laid, dry-laid, air-laid, or other nonwoven techniques, are employed to create these composites. Due to their exceptional properties such as heightened strength, durability, enhanced absorbency, bacterial protection, resilience, softness, washability, and sterility, nonwoven composites find applications across various sectors. These include hygiene products, medical items, geotextiles, filtration systems, insulation solutions, and automotive components. The manufacturing process for nonwoven composites comprises two crucial steps, each pivotal in determining the final product's characteristics. The initial step involves forming a fiber web, where fibers are deposited onto a moving conveyor belt or drum to create a web. These fibers can be of diverse types, either natural or synthetic. Alternative methods for web formation include needle punching, spun-bonding, melt-blowing, and spun-melt, among others. The subsequent step is the web bonding process, essential for augmenting the web's strength and stability. Thermal bonding, chemical bonding, and mechanical bonding are viable methods to bind the formed webs of nonwoven composites. Depending on the intended application, these composites can undergo further processing and finishing subsequent to these pivotal steps.

Global Nonwoven Composites Market Drivers:

The automotive industry's escalating demand for nonwoven composites is a significant driver propelling the global market's growth.

Nonwoven composites, renowned for their attributes of high strength, durability, breathability, softness, and smoothness, contribute significantly to weight reduction, enhanced comfort, improved aesthetics, advanced insulation, fire retardancy, and resistance to various elements. By amalgamating essential properties requisite for optimal performance and safety, these composites aid in rendering automobiles safer, aesthetically pleasing, longer-lasting, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable. The applications of nonwoven composites within the automotive industry are extensive, encompassing dashboard insulation, carpets, flooring, door panels, seat cover slip sheets, and even wheel housing. Thus, the demand for nonwoven composites continues to surge owing to this driving factor.

Another contributing factor to the global nonwoven composites market's growth is the increasing adoption of these composites across the healthcare sector.

Nonwoven composites are witnessing heightened acceptance in medical applications due to their cost-effectiveness, a crucial consideration for healthcare facilities operating within budget constraints. Hospitals frequently utilize nonwoven fabrics for various purposes, including disposable and reusable surgical gowns, surgical masks, drapes, gloves, and instrument coverings. Additionally, several governmental initiatives advocate for the utilization of nonwoven medical items, such as disposable patient gowns, drapes, and linens, to curb Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). Consequently, this factor acts as a catalyst for the escalating demand for nonwoven composites within the healthcare industry.

Global Nonwoven Composites Market Challenges:

The global nonwoven composites market encounters challenges, primarily revolving around the volatility in raw material prices and the lack of awareness regarding these composites.

Fluctuations in the prices of raw materials essential for nonwoven composites, including polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and rayon, pose potential challenges. Such price fluctuations may impact manufacturers' profitability and elevate the costs of finished goods, thereby potentially restricting the widespread adoption of nonwoven composites. Furthermore, a considerable segment of the populace remains unaware of the properties and advantages offered by nonwoven composites, often preferring conventional materials. These challenges present hurdles to the unfettered growth of the global nonwoven composites market.

Global Nonwoven Composites Market Opportunities:

Technological advancements in nonwoven composites present lucrative avenues for growth within the global market.

Major manufacturing companies of nonwoven composites stand to benefit significantly from advancements aimed at enhancing the production methods. Addressing the existing limitations of nonwoven composites, such as relatively lower strength and durability compared to woven composites, limited heat resistance, and constrained design flexibility, can significantly bolster market demand. This advancement trajectory promises to elevate the quality of nonwoven composites, subsequently augmenting their demand. This, in turn, enables companies to expand their customer base and enhance overall revenue.

COVID-19 Impact on the Global Nonwoven Composites Market:

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on the global nonwoven composites market.

Stringent lockdown measures, travel restrictions, and social distancing protocols imposed across numerous nations disrupted manufacturing capacities and led to a shortage of skilled labor in many companies. These disruptions in turn impacted the supply chains and distribution networks, significantly affecting the production and distribution of nonwoven composites. This factor negatively influenced the growth trajectory of the global nonwoven composites market. However, the pandemic also accelerated the demand for medical nonwoven products, such as surgical masks, gowns, and other protective apparel, thereby boosting the demand for nonwoven composites. This positive impact amid challenging times contributed to the market's resilience and adaptation.

Global Nonwoven Composites Market Recent Developments:

In March 2022, Freudenberg Performance Materials, a prominent German manufacturer specializing in high-performance technical textiles and nonwovens, introduced a new geogrid composite named EnkaGrid MAX C. This innovative product aims to enhance efficiency in construction projects by combining a separation and filtration non-woven geotextile with a reinforcing grid.

In June 2020, Lydall, Inc., a US-based manufacturer focusing on specialty engineered products for thermal/acoustical and filtration/separation markets, announced an investment in a new machine for manufacturing fine fiber melt-blown material. This strategic decision stemmed from the heightened demand for high-quality filtration media for face masks within the United States and globally.

In January 2020, Sigmatex, a US-based carbon fiber textile manufacturer, launched a novel nonwoven fabric in the composites market, developed from recycled carbon fiber. This innovative fabric, created using high-quality carbon fiber waste along with intact sizing, offers superior bonding strength between the fiber and resin. The fabric boasts exceptional adaptability and uniform properties, thereby exhibiting impressive mechanical capabilities.

Global Nonwoven Composites Market Segmentation: By Material Type

• Polypropylene (PP)
• Polyethylene (PE)
• Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
• Wood pulp
• Rayon
• Others

In 2022, the segment featuring polypropylene (PP) demonstrated the highest market share. This growth is attributed to the inherent advantages of polypropylene over alternative materials, such as its resistance to high temperatures and moisture, moderate tensile strength, lightweight nature, durability, and cost-effectiveness. Consequently, there is a rising demand for nonwoven composites based on polypropylene in various applications within the hygiene product sector, including baby diapers, sanitary napkins, and incontinence products. Moreover, the wood pulp segment is projected to witness the fastest expansion over the forecast period, driven by the increasing demand for sustainable and biodegradable materials in hygiene product applications. These materials offer notable advantages like superior strength and durability.

Global Nonwoven Composites Market Segmentation: By Manufacturing Process

• Spunbond
• Meltblown
• Spunmelt
• Others

The spun bond segment claimed the highest market share in 2022. This growth is attributed to the surging demand for spun bond nonwoven composites across various sectors, including hygiene products, agriculture, construction, filtration, battery separators, and coating substrates. The popularity of spun bond composites is due to their exceptional strength, durability, and cost efficiency. Additionally, the spun melt segment is expected to witness the most rapid expansion over the forecast period, owing to the growing demand for manufacturing processes that impart properties such as fine filtration, lightweight characteristics, softness, and non-irritation to nonwoven composites.

Global Nonwoven Composites Market Segmentation: By Application

• Automotive
• Building & Construction
• Filtration
• Hygiene
• Medical
• Others

The hygiene segment dominated the market share in 2022. This growth is attributed to the increasing adoption of nonwoven composites in hygiene products due to their exceptional properties, including high strength, durability, comfort, softness, breathability, smoothness, stretchability, and cost efficiency. Furthermore, the medical segment is poised to witness the fastest expansion over the forecast period, driven by the rising demand for medical nonwoven products such as gowns, surgical masks, coveralls, and hospital disposables.

Global Nonwoven Composites Market Segmentation: By Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East and Africa

In 2022, the Asia-Pacific region secured the largest share of the global nonwoven composites market. This growth can be attributed to the increasing demand for hygiene and medical nonwoven products due to the expanding working population in countries like China and India. Additionally, there is a growing demand for nonwoven composites in the automotive industry for applications such as sound and thermal insulation. Moreover, the presence of key market players including Toray Industries, Inc., Autotech Nonwovens Pvt Ltd., Mitsui Chemicals, Asahi Kasei Corporation, and HOGY Medical further boosts the region's market growth. With the rising adoption of nonwoven composites across various industry verticals such as geotextiles, building and construction, and industrial applications, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to continue its rapid expansion over the forecast period.

Global Nonwoven Composites Market Key Players:

1. Johns Manville Corporation (United States)
2. DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (United States)
3. Freudenberg Group (Germany)
4. Toray Industries, Inc. (Japan)
5. Kimberly-Clark Corporation (United States)
6. AVINTIV Specialty Materials Inc. (United States)
7. Fitesa S.A. (United States)
8. Lydall Inc. (United States)
9. Glatfelter (United States)
10. TWE Group GmbH (Germany)