The nonwoven textiles market is set to grow at an estimated CAGR of 7.86 per cent by 2020. The growth in nonwovens is due to increasing technological advancements which have led to numerous product developments.

Polypropylene is set to gain the maximum grip during the forecast period. Polypropylene is a raw material used in the manufacturing of nonwoven fabrics. This has applications in manufacturing hygiene products, home furnishings, and the automobile market. In terms of value and volume, the spun melt technology accounted for the largest share of the market in 2014, and is further expected to act as a catalyst in the coming years too.

Emerging economies – India and China, the Asia-Pacific region – have held the largest share among all the regions in the recent past. The nonwoven fabrics industry is dominated by large players such as E.I. du Pont De Nemours (US), Kimberly-Clarke Corporation (US), Avintiv (US), Ahlstrom Corporation (Finland), and Freudenberg (Germany).

The market is classified on the basis of technology (spun melt, wet laid, dry Laid), material (PP, PET, PE, rayon, wood pulp), function (disposable, non-disposable) and end use (hygiene, wipes, construction, upholstery, filtration). As compared to the traditional woven and knitting technology, a larger volume of materials can be produced at a lower cost by using nonwoven technology.