China’s Nonwovens Output Sees Strongest Post-Pandemic Growth in 2024

China’s nonwovens industry recorded its highest growth since the pandemic in 2024, with output reaching 8.56 million tons, a 5.1% year-on-year increase, as market demand continued to recover.

The stronger performance in 2024 signals a return to stability, driven by broader industrial and consumer demand.

Spunlaid nonwovens remained the largest process in China. In 2024, the output of spunbonded nonwovens was 3.88 million tons, up 4% year-on-year, accounting for 45.3% of the total. The output of meltblown nonwovens was 108,000 tons, down 22.9%. The proportion of spunlaid nonwovens is decreasing in China. Among the carded nonwovens, output of spunlaced nonwovens was 1.67 million tons, up 8.1% year-on-year, accounting for 19.4%, making this a fast-growing segment of nonwovens production. Needlepunched nonwovens was 1.848 million tons, up 6.8% year-on-year. In recent years, the use of air-through nonwovens in hygiene products increased, replacing spunbonded nonwovens in large quantities, driving production of air-through nonwovens to reach 126,000 tons, an increase of 7.9% year-on-year.

Raw materials used in nonwovens in China are mainly PET and PP, accounting for 46% and 38% respectively, with a total of 84%. In recent years, the proportion of viscose, lyocell, and wood pulp used in spunlaced nonwovens has been steadily increasing, while the use of natural fibers such as cotton has basically remained stable at around 100,000 tonnes due to the cost.

In the past two years, investments in China's nonwovens industry have focused on product quality, cost reduction and digitalization, while accelerating the elimination of old lines. Flushable nonwovens is also a hot sector for investment in China.
 
China's nonwovens exports continue to maintain a high growth as global demand for nonwovens recovers. According to China Customs data, China exported 1.52 million tons of nonwovens in 2024, valued at $4.04 billion, an increase of 15.69% and 6.25% compared with 2023, respectively.

Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, and the United States are the top four export destinations of China's nonwovens. Exports to the four countries accounted for 50% of the total in 2024, of which exports to Vietnam increased by 20.75%, exports to the U.S. still increased by 27.89% despite complex and severe trade situation, exports to South Korea and Japan showed a small decline, exports to other countries also maintained growth.

In 2024, the number of newborns in China increased after seven consecutive years of decline, reached 9.54 million. Demand for disposable hygiene products, such as diapers and sanitary napkins, maintained a steady and low-speed growth. The market for adult incontinence products is growing rapidly, but market penetration in China is still less than 10%. Wet wipes, soft nonwoven towels, and moist toilet tissue continued to maintain a 10% growth rate. 

Medical demand for nonwovens was stable, with disposable protective clothing and surgical gowns showing growth, while demand for masks continued to decline. With the implementation of plastic restriction regulations, nonwovens used in packaging large-scale replaced plastic products, the output was nearly one million tons of nonwovens for packaging.
The development of automobiles, especially electronic vehicles (EV), provides a huge market for nonwovens. The output of EV reached 12.88 million in China in 2024, an increase of 34.4%. The demand for lightweight, comfort, and safety in EV has expanded the application and quantity of nonwovens.
Engineered nonwovens such as for filtration, geosynthetics, and building/construction continue to maintain steady growth in China, their shares were 8.3%, 9%, and 7.2%, respectively.

Industry analysts suggest that the sector is now adjusting to post-pandemic market conditions, with companies focusing on innovation and efficiency to maintain competitiveness. As global supply chains evolve, China’s nonwovens producers are expected to play a key role in meeting both domestic and international demand.

Some of the above content is cited/excerpted from "NONWOVENS INDUSTRY".