The worldwide market for dyes and organic pigments is expected to grow six per cent per year. While China will remain the dominant player, rapid growth will also be experienced in smaller Asian markets such as Bangladesh, India and Vietnam. The textile market accounted for over half of world dye and organic pigment demand in 2014.

Textile and plastic producers continue to move production to countries with the lowest labor costs. Additionally, consumer preferences for new, unusual textile colours that do not fade and yet are environmentally friendly will boost growth in value demand as textile producers increasingly turn to these newer, higher value products.

The fastest growth in dye and organic pigment demand is expected to be in paints and coatings applications, driven primarily by strong advances in construction expenditures in North America and continued growth in the Asia/Pacific region. While the outlook for many organic colorant applications remains healthy, more moderate advances in printing inks, due principally to the growing publication of information in electronic form, will restrain overall dye and pigment demand. Opportunities will exist, though, for dyes and organic pigments that can be used in digital inks.

Dye and organic pigment consumption will remain concentrated in the Asia Pacific region, where the majority of world textile and consumer plastic product production occurs.