PRODUCTION OF CHINA'S NONWOVENS REMAINED STABLE DESPITE OF DECLINE IN EXPORT FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS

--- PRODUCTION OF CHINA'S NONWOVENS REMAINED STABLE DESPITE OF DECLINE IN EXPORT FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS ---

Since 2022, the production of China's nonwovens remained stable despite a decrease in investment and a decline in exports due to COVID-19.  But however, spunbonded, needlepunched and spunlaced remained  the main processes for nonwovens in China ever since. Till now, the demand for needlepunched nonwovens kept growing due to the growth of applications in automotive and environmental protection.

About the development of China's nonwovens in 2023, Li Guimei, president of CNITA (China Nonwovens and Industrial Textiles Association) said “In 2023, the positive factors driving the development of China's nonwovens industry will not change. It is expected that the output and sales of China's nonwovens will grow slightly and the profitability may improve. The industry's fixed asset investment, especially investment in new production capacity will tend to be cautious, but investment in intelligent manufacturing and green manufacturing will continue to maintain a certain growth. China's nonwovens's exports still face challenges.”

Packaging is a traditional important application field of nonwovens in China. With the restrictions on the use of plastic bags, the consumption of nonwoven shopping bags that can be reused multiple times has significantly increased. The performance requirements for nonwovens in the consumer packaging are not high, China's nonwovens industry will focus more on applications in industrial, medical and food packaging in the future.

Absorbent hygiene products such as diapers, sanitary napkins and adult incontinence supplies accounted for approximately 19% of the application of nonwovens in China. With the decline of China's birth rate and the increase of market penetration of baby diapers and sanitary napkins, the demand for such products has become increasingly saturated. Adult incontinence supplies represent a new growth area in this field in the future.

In the past two years, although volumes of anti-pandemic products has dropped, the medical and surgical field still accounts for about 10% of nonwoven applications. With the change of the prevention and control policy of the pandemic in China, the demand for nonwovens in the medical and surgical field will fluctuate. 

Absorbent hygiene products such as diapers, sanitary napkins and adult incontinence supplies accounted for approximately 19% of the application of nonwovens in China. With the decline of China's birth rate and the increase of market penetration of baby diapers and sanitary napkins, the demand for such products has become increasingly saturated. Adult incontinence supplies represent a new growth area in this field in the future.

In the past two years, although volumes of anti-pandemic products has dropped, the medical and surgical field still accounts for about 10% of nonwoven applications. With the change of the prevention and control policy of the pandemic in China, the demand for nonwovens in the medical and surgical field will fluctuate.