Nonwoven fabric is a material that is made out of long fiber that is bonded together by mechanical, chemical, heat or solvent treatment. The aim of this report is to evaluate the present and projected trends of the nonwoven materials market, as it is expected that demand for these materials would increase as they are considered a substitute to polyurethane. The study covers a deep dive analysis of the market of the various fibers and applications of the market. The report analyzes opportunities in the developed and emerging economies so that companies can make strategies as per their targeted regions.

Nonwoven materials are very useful in manufacturing disposable items as they can be bonded by multiple treatments. The demand for disposable products, especially in the medical sector is constantly growing, which is the key driver for the market. Additionally, the increase in geotextile industry has also spurred the demand for nonwoven materials as nonwoven items can be used extensively to manufacture durable products for the geotextile industry. The nonwoven materials are prone to health and safety related problems such as chemicals, airborne fire, thermal burns, etc. Various government organizations have made regulations for workers’ health and safety; therefore, these health and safety related problems act as restraints for the market. The major opportunity for the market is in the construction sector, where the use of durable products is constantly increasing and nonwoven material producers would look forward to tap this market.

Global Nonwoven Materials & Products Market Analysis by Fiber Type

The key fibers used to make nonwoven materials are cotton, wood pulp, polypropylene, polyester, nylon and others.  Cotton is one of the most natural fibers predominantly used to make nonwoven materials; hence, it has the largest revenue share in the market. However, it is expected that polypropylene would have the best market potential as it can be used to produce durable items that are used in the geotextile industry on a large scale.

Global Nonwoven Materials & Products Market Analysis by Application

The application market is segmented into disposable and durable product applications. The disposable products are used in large volumes in medical and personal care sectors; therefore, the disposable product applications have the largest revenue share. However, it is expected that the demand for durable products in geotextile and construction sector would spur the growth of durable product application and these applications would have the best market potential.

Global Nonwoven Materials & Products Market Analysis by Geography

Geographically, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East and Africa (LAMEA). The North American region has the highest revenue share as it started using nonwoven materials in various industries, especially in the medical sector. The market in North America has plateaued and almost stagnated. However, it is expected that the industrial developments in geotextiles in the developing nations of the Asia-Pacific region would push the market growth in this region. Therefore, the Asia-Pacific region would have the best growth potential. 

Competitive Landscape

Product launch is the key strategy opted by companies to increase their market share as the market in both disposable and durable applications is volume driven. Some of the key companies profiled in the report are DuPont Inc., Ahlstrom Incorporation, Kimberley-Clark Corporation, Freudenberg SE, Polymer Group Incorporation, Mitsui Chemicals Incorporation, Toray Industries, Asahi Kasei Corporation, Fibertex Personal Care A/S and Suominen Corporation.

High level analysis

The report analyzes the bargaining power of buyers & suppliers, threat of substitute products and new entrants based on the Porter’s five force model. Since the market is volume driven, the switching cost of buyers is very low, which increases their bargaining power. The bargaining power of suppliers is low as they have to constantly make innovations to attract the buyers by developing better products. Threat of substitute products is high as multiple nonwoven materials can be developed using the various fibers available in the market. The market does not need high technical expertise, as it is a very mature market; therefore, the threat of new entrants is high. Constant development of new and better products increases the intensity of rivalry in the market. The key investment pockets are analyzed based on the market estimations of each segment. The key strategies adopted by the companies are analyzed in detail to give inference of the competitive scenario.

KEY BENEFITS 

• Comprehensive analysis of the factors that drive and restraint the growth of the market are provided
• Market estimations are done according to the present market scenario and expected  trends for the period between 2013 and 2020 with 2012 as base year
• In-depth analysis of various geographies would give an understanding of the trends in various regions so that companies can make region specific plans
• Deep dive analysis of segments such as fibers and applications provide insights that would allow companies strategically plan their business moves
• The detailed discussion of the supply chain participants of the market is provided in value chain analysis

KEY DELIVERABLES

The market is segmented into products, applications and geographies as follows:

BY FIBER

• Cotton
• Wood pulp
• Polypropylene
• Polyester
• Nylon
• Others (bio-component fiber, nano-fiber)

BY APPLICATION

• Disposable Applications
• Durable Applications

BY GEOGRAPHY

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• LAMEA