When discussing vehicle safety, attention is often focused on the ‘airbag’ itself. However, one of the most critical elements behind its performance remains largely unseen, the specialized ‘fabric’ that enables an airbag to deploy within milliseconds and perform reliably under extreme conditions.
As global automotive safety standards continue to evolve, the importance of high-performance airbag fabrics has grown alongside them. This increasing focus on occupant protection is driving steady growth in the automotive airbag fabric market, which, according to Stratview Research, is expected to grow from USD 3.0 billion in 2026 to USD ~4.0 billion by 2031. To address the evolving requirements of vehicle safety systems, manufacturers are investing in production expansion, advanced weaving technologies, and material innovation.
Stratview Research recognizes the top 5 companies that have established a strong presence in the automotive airbag fabric market through their expertise in technical textiles and automotive safety applications.
Let's take a closer look at the companies driving growth in this market.
1. Kolon Industries, Inc.
A key supplier of automotive safety materials, Kolon Industries has built its expertise in high-performance technical textiles since its establishment in South Korea in 1957. Its portfolio includes automotive airbag fabrics, industrial yarns, tire cords, aramid fibers, and other materials used across mobility and industrial applications. Its experience in technical textiles supports its role in the global automotive airbag supply chain.
Kolon signed a long-term supply agreement with Autoliv, the world’s largest automotive safety supplier, in December 2025, and announced plans to invest approximately US$48 million in a new airbag-fabric production facility in Vietnam. Scheduled to begin operations in 2028, the facility is expected to expand Kolon’s airbag-fabric manufacturing capacity and strengthen its ability to serve global automotive safety system manufacturers.
2. Toray Industries, Inc.
With a legacy dating back to 1926, Toray Industries has grown into one of the world’s leading advanced materials companies. Its diverse portfolio spans synthetic fibers, textiles, carbon-fiber composites, and specialty polymers, with nylon 66 fibers and airbag fabrics serving critical applications in automotive safety systems. The company combines expertise in high-performance materials with a global manufacturing network to serve automotive airbag manufacturers worldwide.
In February 2025, Toray reported progress in nylon 66 recycling through depolymerization technology designed to recover reusable monomers from waste materials, including used airbag materials. Its 2026 IR Day presentation also outlined plans to strengthen its airbag-fabric business through production integration, regional capacity development, and sustainable material innovation. Toray forecasts global airbag-fabric demand to grow by approximately 2.2% annually from 2025 to 2028.
3. Hyosung Corporation
With expertise spanning airbag yarns, woven fabrics, and one-piece-woven (OPW) airbags, Hyosung has established a strong position in the automotive airbag fabrics market. Founded in South Korea in 1966, the company serves automotive safety applications through its integrated technical-textile operations. Its acquisition of Global Safety Textiles (GST) expanded its global manufacturing footprint, strengthening its presence across the airbag-fabric and finished-airbag value chains.
HS Hyosung announced a US$100 million investment in a new manufacturing facility in Vietnam through HS Hyosung Quang Nam in February 2026. The planned plant will produce polyester curtain fabrics and nylon fabrics for automotive airbags, expanding the company’s regional production capacity. The investment is intended to strengthen supply capabilities and support growing demand for automotive airbag materials and safety systems worldwide.
4. HMT (Xiamen) New Technical Materials Co., Ltd.
HMT (Xiamen) New Technical Materials Co., Ltd., founded in 2002, is a leading Chinese supplier of automotive passive safety materials. The company specializes in airbag fabrics, airbags, seatbelt materials, and one-piece woven (OPW) airbag technologies, serving major automotive safety system manufacturers globally. Unlike diversified material producers, HMT focuses strongly on automotive safety textiles as its core business. Continuous investments in R&D, weaving technologies, and intelligent manufacturing have strengthened its expertise, positioning HMT as a key contributor to the growing automotive airbag fabric market.
5. Indorama Ventures
Indorama Ventures, established in 1994 and headquartered in Thailand, is a leading global producer of industrial fibers and technical textile materials. Through its mobility business, the company supplies high-performance yarns and materials used in airbags, seat belts, tire reinforcement, and other automotive safety applications. Its vertically integrated manufacturing network across multiple regions ensures a reliable global supply to automotive safety customers. The company is also expanding into sustainable fibers and advanced mobility materials, strengthening its role in the global automotive airbag fabric value chain.