Polypropylene Nonwoven Fabric Market

Market Overview

The global polypropylene nonwoven fabric market size was valued at USD 30.45 billion in 2021. It is projected to reach USD 53.67 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period (2022-2030). 

Polypropylene nonwoven fabrics are among the most adaptable materials in the market. The materials are distinct from other fabrics created through weaving, knitting, and other techniques because they were designed to satisfy the customers' varied demands. It is primarily made of polypropylene (PP), with some thick nonwoven materials containing cotton and polyester. Polypropylene nonwoven fabrics naturally decompose if left outside and have a maximum life of just 90 days. If PP nonwoven fabric is kept indoors, it lasts for five years. Nonwoven fabric does not pollute the environment because it burns non-toxic, odorless, and with no residue other than dust. Thus, nonwoven polypropylene is environmentally friendly.

In textile manufacturing, non-fabric polypropylene fabric is primarily used to describe neither knitted nor woven materials. The increasing popularity of PP nonwoven material is due to its low cost, lightweight, and environmentally friendly nature. The PP nonwoven material is cheaper than woven materials and provides stability with moderate strength. Furthermore, the material's flexibility makes it easier to mold the material in different sizes and shapes. The various applications of PP nonwoven fabrics in manufacturing hygiene products like sanitary pads, baby napkins, and personal care products will drive the market's growth over the forecast period.

Market Dynamics

Global Polypropylene Nonwoven Fabric Market Drivers

Rising Demand for Personal Hygiene Products

Nonwoven fabrics have historically been used in medical applications. However, they have made significant progress in the developing field of hygiene applications due to their relatively low production costs, adaptability in incorporating different mechanical properties, ease of disposal, and low lint, which lowers cross-infection and allows for the maintenance of high levels of hygiene.

Traditional napkins can cause infections, inflammation, and allergies in females because they contain many synthetic materials, such as metal dyes that cause allergies, rayon dioxin, and excessively processed wood pulp. Additionally, some of these chemicals can cause carcinogenic conditions after prolonged use. Due to growing awareness of these adverse effects, most women worldwide are becoming more inclined to use polypropylene nonwoven products like sanitary pads and napkins. Using such products can also reduce the health risks from the dyes, dangerous chemicals, and irritants found in sanitary napkins. For the development of feminine hygiene products, companies involved in the market for those products are taking cues from changing consumer behaviors.

Increasing Demand for Geotextiles

Geotextiles are used to improve soil properties made of synthetic and permeable materials primarily used in civil construction projects. Since geotextiles can separate, filter, strengthen, protect, and drain soils, they improve the suitability of poor soils for construction. The construction of roads, landfills, harbors, drainage systems, and other infrastructure projects benefit from geotextiles. The rapid construction activities in developing countries worldwide have increased the demand for nonwoven geotextiles.

Due to their lightweight, nonwoven geotextiles also offer environmental benefits and save transportation costs compared to gravel in construction. They also offer advantages in constructing foundations and retaining walls and erosion control. The increasing demand for cost-saving and durable construction is expected to drive the demand for nonwoven geotextiles, eventually contributing to the growth of polypropylene nonwoven fabric.

Global Polypropylene Nonwoven Fabric Market Restraint

Volatility in the Price of Polypropylene

The price of polypropylene depends on the price of crude oil used to produce polypropylene. With the changes in the socio-political environment worldwide due to war and natural calamities, crude oil prices fluctuate heavily, adversely affecting the production of PP nonwoven fabrics. The increased cost of raw materials results in the higher price of PP nonwoven fabrics, which can reduce the demand for the fabric in producing masks, sanitary pads, sanitary napkins, and baby diapers. Due to the Russia-Ukraine war of 2022, crude oil prices soared, affecting the production of polypropylene, which resulted in the decline of PP nonwoven fabric production. The volatile nature of crude oil prices can restrain the growth of the polypropylene nonwoven fabric market over the forecast period.

Global Polypropylene Nonwoven Fabric Market Opportunities

Initiatives by Governments to Promote Feminine Hygiene

The growing awareness about the importance of feminine hygiene is accelerating the demand for its products, primarily made of PP nonwoven fabrics. Feminine hygiene also needs to be maintained at home and workplaces due to the growing numbers of women worldwide. Several organizations have understood the importance of feminine hygiene to reduce the chances of female employees falling sick and increase their productivity. Due to poor feminine hygiene, women face health-related issues, leading to other expensive treatments that are not affordable to most of them in developing or underdeveloped nations. Thus, governments in these regions are providing feminine hygiene products at subsidized cost to increase the use of such products and reduce underlying health problems in women.

For instance, the Indian state of Maharashtra introduced a scheme to provide sanitary pad packets at a subsidized cost of Rs. 5 to girls across its government schools and ten sanitary napkins per month for Rs. 1 to women below the poverty level. With the growing use of feminine hygiene products like sanitary pads and napkins, the demand for PP nonwoven fabric will increase and contribute heavily to the market’s growth over the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

Asia Pacific Dominates the Global Market

The global polypropylene nonwoven fabric market is bifurcated into four regions, namely North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Asia-Pacific is the most significant shareholder in the global polypropylene nonwoven fabric market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period. The larger share is linked with the mass production of PP nonwoven fabric in China, the largest producer worldwide. Disposable baby diaper usage is increasing in urban cities in china. As per one study, around 7 out of 10 mothers used baby diapers regularly twice daily to provide a hygienic environment for their kids. India has also increased its production capacity to keep up with the rising demand for sanitary napkins and face masks, which is helping the PP nonwoven fabric market in the area to expand.

Moreover, the Indian government has launched several schemes to promote the use of sanitary pads and napkins to prevent urinary infections in women. The rise in population and surge in demand for PP nonwoven fabric in various industries such as healthcare, agriculture, construction, and geotextiles are driving the market in the region. The key market players are focusing on manufacturing products, including features of comfort, sustainability, and water and dust resistance.

Europe is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.6%, generating USD 9.2 billion during the forecast period. The countries in Europe, such as the UK, Germany, France, and Italy, have contributed heavily to the growth of the market in the region due to increased penetration of feminine hygiene products and adequate awareness about the benefits of sanitary pads and napkins during the menstruation period. For instance, Scotland became the first country to provide free sanitary pads and napkins to anyone who needs them, with a primary aim to tackle the stigma and lack of education around menstruation periods and to increase the accessibility of feminine hygiene products. Similarly, Germany reduced the tax on female sanitary products from 19% to 7% on 1st January 2020 to promote its use and increase its accessibility for women under the poverty line. Furthermore, the increasing adoption of PP nonwoven fabric in the textile industries of the region will assist in driving the growth of the market in the region over the forecast period.

North America is also growing at a substantial CAGR, owing to the use of geotextiles in the construction sector, nonwoven fabric in the automotive industry, and increasing awareness of feminine hygiene products in the region. Top automotive manufacturers in the region are focusing on reducing the weight of their vehicles with good performance, durability, and safety. This has increased the usage of PP nonwoven fabric, and over 40 automotive components are made with nonwoven fabrics, including trunk liners, carpets, air filters, and fuel filters. Furthermore, PP nonwoven fabric is used to enhance comfort, aesthetics, insulation, water resistance, and fire resistance and reduce the vehicle's weight to increase fuel efficiency. Due to the versatility and enormous benefits of PP, nonwoven fabrics are also widely used in manufacturing components for airplanes, trains, ships, and spacecraft.

LAMEA region is projected to contribute to the growth of the polypropylene nonwoven fabric market, with the increased production capacity and consumption of geotextiles in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Rampant construction activities in middle-east oil-rich countries have led to the adoption of geotextiles in the region for cost reduction and increasing durability. For Instance, Bonar Natpet, a leading geosynthetics manufacturer, established a plant for PP nonwoven fabric production in Saudi Arabia's Yanbu industrial city to meet the growing demand for geotextiles in the construction industry. The presence of ports in the region, which accommodates a large number of trades through waterways joining Asia with Europe, has also increased the use of geotextiles in the construction of ports due to their strength and filtration quality, which helps in protecting coastlines and prevents the structure from mixing with soil. 

Segmental Analysis

The global polypropylene nonwoven fabric market is segmented by product and application.

Based on product, the global market is bifurcated into spunbonded, staples, meltdown, and composites.

The spun bonded segment is the highest contributor to the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period. The larger share is linked with the enormous benefits of spun-bonded nonwoven fabrics that help lower costs and provide heat and water resistance. It is made by spinning and dispersing fibers into web-like deflectors. The PP spun bond nonwoven fabric has a three-layered structure that offers waterproofing ability and resistance to low-temperature, chemical attack, corrosion, and microbial attack.

The significant uses of spun bond nonwoven fabric are in medical, personal care, hygiene, apparel and accessories, agriculture, construction, and furniture packaging, which increases the penetration of spun bond nonwoven fabrics in various industries. The spun bond nonwoven fabric is recyclable and can be reused easily, reducing the impact of the fabric on the environment and making it more favorable than traditional plastics. The COVID-19 pandemic positively impacted the spun bond nonwoven fabric market due to a surge in demand for masks.

Based on application, the global market is bifurcated into hygiene, industrial, geotextiles, and automotive.

The hygiene segment owns the highest market share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.7% during the forecast period. The market share is linked to the increased demand for feminine hygiene products, baby diapers, and adult incontinence products. PP nonwoven fabrics are smooth, soft, stretchable, water resistant, and recyclable, which makes them favorable for their application in hygienic products. Additionally, government attempts to encourage sanitary pads to lower the incidence of health concerns for women, like STIs and UTIs. Improving living standards in developing countries has also contributed to the demand for baby diapers, increasing convenience in caring for babies.

The need to replace non-degradable and non-recyclable plastics in electric appliances like air-conditioners and other industrial-grade fabric has increased the adoption of PP nonwoven fabric in the industrial sector. PP nonwoven fabrics are primarily used in manufacturing conveyor belts, cable insulation, air conditioner filters, noise absorber felt, and tapes. The polypropylene nonwoven fabric can also be quickly altered, and its rapid advancement increases its versatility in producing filters, conveyor belts, and textiles.

Recent Developments

• October 2022- Mitsui Chemicals group will produce chemically recycled polyethylene from plastic waste.
• April 2022- Pegas Nonwovens announced an exclusive partnership with smart plastic technologies to develop nonwoven fabrics using SPtek ECLIPSE technology.