Bicomponent Fiber Market Growth Analysis | 2023-2028

Market Insights

The bicomponent fiber market was estimated at USD 1.75 billion in 2022 and is likely to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% during 2023-2028 to reach USD 2.3 billion in 2028.

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Market Dynamics

Introduction

Bicomponent fiber is a two-component fiber that is extruded from two polymers of the same spinneret that is, both polymers are constituted within the same filament. Bicomponent fibers are also known as “conjugate fibers”, particularly in Asian countries. The two polymers of a bicomponent fiber have different melting points and are accordingly structured for a specific application.

The properties of bicomponent fibers depend on several factors, such as the nature and properties of both materials, their arrangement in the fiber, the relative proportion of both materials, and the thickness of the fiber. The main objective behind producing bicomponent fiber is to exploit capabilities that do not exist in either polymer alone.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

Despite the widespread impact of the pandemic, the bicomponent fiber is among the few man-made fibers that recorded a low impact of the pandemic in their demand. The market for bicomponent fiber saw a decline of -6.8% in 2020. The sharp plunge in the home furnishing, automotive, and textile industries was partially offset by the exceptional growth in the hygiene and medical applications in the same year.

Market Drivers

The major factors driving the growth of the bicomponent fiber market are:

• The organic growth of various end-use industries such as hygiene, automotive, textiles, and home furnishing.
• Furthermore, exceptional advantages of bicomponent fibers, such as a wide range of bonding temperatures, unique cross-sections, enhanced bulkiness, as well as liquid acquisition properties.
• Compared to other competing materials (mono-component fiber), are driving an increase in their penetration across industry verticals. The market experienced exceptional growth over the past decade, creating huge interest among participants.

Recent Market JVs and Mergers & Acquisition: A good number of M&A and joint venture activities over the past decade prove that inorganic growth is indubitably the key strategy adopted by major players in order to stay ahead of the competition.

In 2020, Thailand-based Indorama Ventures and Japan-based Toyobo formed a joint venture to produce and sell bicomponent fibers for the automotive market. The joint venture allowed both companies to combine their expertise in bicomponent fiber production and gain access to new markets and customers.

In 2018, Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) and Huvis Corporation formed a joint venture, Indorama Huvis. The JV combines the manufacturing and technological expertise of both companies to produce and supply high-quality fiber products, including polyester, nylon, and spandex, to customers in various industries, such as automotive, apparel, and hygiene.

Huvis and Kolon Industries announced a merger of their polyester businesses, including bicomponent fiber production. The merged entity, which will be called Hyosung Huvis, aims to become a leading global player in the polyester industry.

Segment Analysis

By Material Type

The market is based on material types PE/PP, PE/PET, Co-PET/PET, and others. Co-PET/PET dominates the market in terms of both value and volume shipments. Co-PET/PET is used in a wide range of applications in the nonwoven industry with a melt temperature below 110°C.

Desirable strength, lightweight, better dyeability, wrinkle resistance, a cost-effective nature, and excellent wash wear properties are other key whys and wherefores of the product category. PE/PP bicomponent fiber has superior properties, such as enhanced softness, bulkiness, and liquid absorption properties, which have led to its significant demand in the USA and Western European countries.

By Structure Type

The market is segmented into sheath-core, side-by-side, islands-in-the-sea, and others. Sheath-core structure leads to the market. This structure type fiber is generally processed as bonding fiber for nonwovens.

Typically, these are used in two forms, concentric and eccentric types, based on the emphasis on product strength and bulkiness, respectively. Side-by-side fiber also offers a sizeable market opportunity and is generally used as self-crimping fiber.

By End-Use Industry Type

The market is segmented into hygiene, textiles, automotive, home furnishing, and others. Hygiene governs the market and is expected to remain avant-garde in the foreseeable future as well.

Improving the living standard of people, rising awareness towards good health, and an inclination towards the use of hygiene products, such as baby diapers, wipes, and feminine hygiene products, are burgeoning the demand for bicomponent fibers in the segment. Key requirements for hygiene products, such as softness, better fluid absorption, low irritation to the skin, high strength, and high bulkiness, are efficiently fulfilled by bicomponent fiber.

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By Web Formation Technology Type

The market is segmented into drylaid, spunlaid, airlaid, and wetlaid. Drylaid is expected to be the dominant segment during the forecast period. When bicomponent fibers are used in drylaid web formation, they can be used to create fabrics with unique properties.

By adjusting the ratio of the two materials in the bicomponent fiber, it is possible to control the melting temperature and other properties of the resulting fabric. This makes it possible to create fabrics with different levels of strength, stiffness, and heat resistance, as well as other properties that are useful in a variety of applications.

By Consolidation Process Type

The market is segmented into spunlaid, needle-punched, and thermally bonded. Thermally bonded is expected to be the dominant as well as the fastest-growing consolidation process during the forecast period.

This process creates a nonwoven fabric with unique properties such as enhanced strength, durability, and elasticity. The choice of bicomponent fibers and the specific thermal bonding process used can be tailored to create fabrics with a wide range of properties for different applications, such as in the manufacturing of medical textiles, protective clothing, and industrial fabrics.

By Fiber Length Type

The market is segmented into short-cut fibers and staple fibers. Short-cut fibers are expected to maintain their lead during the forecast period. They are used in a wide range of applications, such as in the production of nonwoven fabrics, insulation materials, and filtration media.

Short-cut fibers are often used as reinforcements in composite materials, such as plastics, to improve their mechanical properties.

Regional Insights

Asia-Pacific is likely to remain the most dominant as well as the fastest-growing region in the long-term scenario, owing to a host of factors such as a large population base, increasing disposable income of consumers, and increasing awareness of hygiene products such as diapers and feminine hygiene products. Emerging nations, such as China and India, are experiencing a rapid increase in the use of bicomponent fiber.

North America and Europe have a high penetration of bicomponent fiber and offer sizeable market opportunities.

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Key Players

The market is highly concentrated. Most of the major players in order to expand geographically and broaden their product offering, companies have been performing M&As and JVs.

The following are the key players in the bicomponent fiber market. Most of the major players provide a variety of materials to various end-users.

• Far Eastern New Century Corporation
• Indorama Ventures
• Huvis Corporation
• Jiangsu Jiangnan High Polymer Fiber Co. Ltd.
• Jiaxing Xinwei Chemical Fiber Co. Ltd.
• Toray Industries Inc.
• Freudenberg Group
• Cha Technologies Group
• Yaolong Nonwoven 
• Hangzhou Zhongcai Chemical Fiber Co. Ltd.

Note: The above list does not necessarily include all the top players in the market.

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Research Methodology

• This strategic assessment report from Stratview Research provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects bicomponent fiber market realities and future market possibilities for the forecast period.
• The report segments and analyzes the market in the most detailed manner in order to provide a panoramic view of the market.
• The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for market participants as well as investors in the identification of the low-hanging fruits available in the market as well as to formulate growth strategies to expedite their growth process.
• This report offers high-quality insights and is the outcome of a detailed research methodology comprising extensive secondary research, rigorous primary interviews with industry stakeholders, and validation and triangulation with Stratview Research’s internal database and statistical tools.
• More than 1,000 authenticated secondary sources, such as company annual reports, fact books, press releases, journals, investor presentations, white papers, patents, and articles, have been leveraged to gather the data.
• We conducted more than 15 detailed primary interviews with market players across the value chain in all four regions and industry experts to obtain both qualitative and quantitative insights.

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights into market dynamics and will enable strategic decision-making for existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:

• Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis.
• Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter’s five forces analysis, SWOT analysis.
• Market trend and forecast analysis.
• Market segment trend and forecast.
• Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, Service portfolio, New Product Launches, etc.
• COVID-19 impact and its recovery curve
• Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities.
• Emerging trends.
• Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players.
• Key success factors.

Market Segmentation

This report studies the market covering a period of 12 years of trend and forecast. The report provides detailed insights into the market dynamics to enable informed business decision-making and growth strategy formulation based on the opportunities present in the market.

The bicomponent fiber market is segmented into the following categories:

By Material Type

• PE/PP
• PE/PET
• Co-PET/PET
• Others

By Structure Type

• Sheath/Core
• Side-by-Side 
• Islands-in-the-Sea
• Others

By End-Use Industry Type

• Hygiene
• Textiles
• Automotive
• Home Furnish
• Others

By Web Formation Technology Type

• Drylaid 
• Spunlaid
• Airlaid
• Wetlaid

By Consolidation Process Type

• Spunlaid
• Needle-punched
• Thermal Bonded

By Fiber Length Type

• Short-Cut Fibers
• Staple Fibers

By Region

• North America (Country Analysis: The   USA, Canada, and Mexico)
• Europe (Country Analysis: Germany, France, The UK, Russia, and The Rest of Europe)
• Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: China, Japan, India, and the Rest of Asia-Pacific)
• Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Others)

Report Customization Options

With this detailed report, Stratview Research offers one of the following free customization options to our respectable clients:

Company Profiling

• Detailed profiling of additional market players (up to three players)
• SWOT analysis of key players (up to three players)

Competitive Benchmarking

• Benchmarking of key players on the following parameters: Product portfolio, geographical reach, regional presence, and strategic alliances.

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