Protective Fabrics Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)

Protective Fabrics Market Overview

Protective Fabrics Market size is forecast to reach $6.5 billion by 2026, after growing at a CAGR of 7.2% during the period 2021-2026. The rising safety concerns for industrial workers from various industries are set to raise the demand for protective fabrics during the forecast period. Growing demand for aramid fibers and polybenzimidazole fiber that is both heat resistant and lightweight, in the healthcare, law enforcement & military, and oil and gas sectors have raised the growth of the market. 

Furthermore, the growth of the global protecting fabrics market depends on continuous research and development aimed at increasing the wearer's comfort, which is projected to bring new opportunities to the protective fabrics industry to expand during the predicted period.

Impact of Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting government-ordered lockdowns have declined the demand for protective fabrics in the year 2020. Furthermore, the shutdown of industrial protective fabric manufacturing facilities reduced demand for raw materials. However, in the year 2021 reopening and resumption of manufacturing operations in various countries such as the United States, Italy, India, Germany, and China, in the first quarter should drive the industrial Protective Fabrics Market growth.

Protective Fabrics Market Report Coverage

The: “Protective Fabrics Market Report – Forecast (2021-2026)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the Protective Fabrics Market.

By Raw Material:  Aramid Fibers, Polyamide, Polyolefin, PBI (Polybenzimidazole fiber), Cotton Fibers, Polyesters, and Others
By Type: Fire & Heat Resistant Fabrics, Chemical Resistant Fabrics, UV Resistant Fabrics, and Others
By Application: Building & Construction, Healthcare, Law Enforcement & Military, Firefighting, Oil & Gas, and Others
By Geography: North America (U.S, Canada, and Mexico), Europe (U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Belgium, and Rest of Europe), APAC (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Rest of Asia Pacific), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Rest of South America), and RoW (Middle East and Africa)

Key Takeaways

• The demand for specialty work wear in buildings and construction is expected to trigger with increasing construction spending in emerging countries, which in turn is anticipated to drive the growth of the market.
• Due to a lack of protective gear and growing industrial fatalities of the safety and health of employees, and rising workplace accidents in developed economies are projected to fuel growth during the forecast era.
• Furthermore, in line with international trends of sustainability and strict environmental legislation, changing preferences of manufacturers toward natural fibres such as cotton, is estimated to increase the product demand.

Figure: Asia Pacific Protective Fabrics Market Revenue, 2020-2026 (US$ Billion)

Protective Fabrics Market Segment Analysis - By Raw Material

Aramid fibers held the largest share in the Protective Fabrics Market in 2020.  Due to their superior properties such as low flammability, abrasion resistance, non-conductivity, weight loss and superior fabric integrity, aramid is commonly used to manufacture industrial protective fabrics. They also have high resistances to organic solvents and fire, in addition to their abrasion and piercing resistance. Although there are currently a variety of alternatives on the market, aramid fabrics remain an outstanding choice for many protective textile applications. 

In the petrochemical industry, aramids are widely used because they give strong resistance to chemicals. Aramid fibers have the strength of steel, aluminum and E-glass several times per unit of weight and are thinner than fiberglass. However the fibers cannot be completely destroyed, because they are susceptible to UV rays, acids and salts. Thus, the increasing use of aramid fibers in protective fabrics will led towards the growth of the market.

Protective Fabrics Market Segment Analysis – By Type

ire & Heat Resistant Fabrics held the largest share in the Protective Fabrics Market in 2020. This is expected to increase demand for fire and heat-resistant fabrics, since they are favored for their ultra high strength, and high fire and thermal resistance. They are extremely favored in safety & security applications because of their properties. The growing demand for safety equipment like helmets, boots, fireproof garments and fire-resistant equipment adds to the market for fire-resistant fabrics. In addition, the increasing demand for polybenzimidazole fiber for the production of fire & heat-resistant fabrics used in  various end use industries is anticipated to drive the market growth in the forecast period.

Protective Fabrics Market Segment Analysis – By Application

The oil and gas sector held the largest share in the Protective Fabrics Market in 2020 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period 2021-2026. Many of the oil and gas industries' frontline officials are vulnerable to life threats. The risk emerges from the installation of well bases and the construction of tanks to hydraulically crack wells. Moreover the danger of blow-outs, hydrogen sulfide leakage and formaldehyde is raised in offshore boilers, which represent a hazard to professionals in these areas.  Thus, hazard assessments for the procurement of personal protection equipment are carried out in refineries. 

Specialized protective protection is used to shield employees from different physical threats. Also, consumer shift towards the use of aramid fibers and polybenzimidazole fiber owing to its alluring properties for the production of protective fabric has raised the market growth. Thus the growing demand for protective fabrics in oil and gas applications will drive the market growth in the upcoming years.

Protective Fabrics Market Segment Analysis - BY Geography

North America held the largest share with 36% in the Protective Fabrics Market in 2020. The growing market for personal protection clothing in the oil and gas, electricity and chemicals industries stimulates development in the region. Also, the number of fatal accidents caused by exposure to hazardous substances or the environment has prompted the government to introduce safety requirements for industries and encouraged manufacturers to develop high-quality, creative goods to support worker safety. 

The number of fatal workplace accidents caused by exposure to hazardous chemicals or conditions rose by 17% in the United States, from 531 in 2017 to 621 in 2018. Moreover the supporting government legislation, including the OSHA Building PPE requirements, should encourage sales of industrial protective fabrics in the general industry, and the PPE standards that include employers for compulsory employee safety. Thus, increasing concerns regarding the safety of workers in workplaces has therefore raised the growth of the market.

Protective Fabrics Market Drivers

Strict safety regulations in the developed countries

Government representatives are becoming more worried about the health and safety of employees at work. Some laws and government requirements compel end-use companies to include safe equipment for employees who work in unsafe conditions. For instance, according to the U.S. 2010 memorandum, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is obliged to wear fire- and flame-resistant garments for staff of the oil & gas industry. It also allows employees to wear high visibility protective gear at building sites, when they are exposed to either traffic or moving machinery. The market for innovative durable fabrics is driven by the increased demand for protective fabrics. Thus, owing to the strict safety regulations in various industries, increase in demand for protective fabrics is being witnessed.

Rising demand from firefighting sector  

The firefighters primarily rely on the protective equipment to fulfill the specifications of their demanding work. Firefighting suits are designed to shield the firefighters from the toxic contamination and danger of being injured during intense climate. The fabrics are used mostly for making garments because they are light and comfortable. The fibre-based protective clothing provides fire protection, robustness, longevity and other benefits. The fiber thickens on the exposure to heat, raising the barrier of defense between the consumer and the heat source. 

In essence, this aims to avoid accidents and offers enough time to get away from an emergency. Not only chemicals but also toxic industrial chemicals are exposed to firefighters. Therefore the creation of clothing for different exposures requires multiple forms of protective fabrics. In water-based emergencies, high volume fire suits are used and non-Structural firefighting professional recovery suits are deployed. All the aforementioned factors are expected to drive the Protective Fabrics Market during the forecast timeline.

Protective Fabrics Market Challenges

Increasing cost of basic materials such as aramid fiber, carbon fiber, and silicates, which are being employed in protective textile compositions, will act as a restraint for the growth of the Protective Fabrics Market. The production of aramid fibers is a complex process as it requires a huge capital investment in terms of machinery, technology, and supply of raw materials. The complication of production technology, along with its related R&D investments, constitutes a dynamic to the development of the aramid fibre industry. The fuel price fluctuations also influence the cost of aramid fibers. The rising costs of raw material, energy, fuel and transportation thus affect the cost directly and significantly. Hence, the growing cost and production of basic materials will further create hurdles for the protective fabrics market in the forecast period.

Protective Fabrics Market Landscape

Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the Protective Fabrics Market. Major players in the protective fabrics are Tencate Fabrics EU, Cerex Advanced Fabrics, Inc, Tex Tech Industries, W. Barnet gmbh & co., KOLON Industries, KLOPMAN INTERNATIONAL,TEIJIN LIMITED., Beijing BW Protect, W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc, Glen Raven, Inc., DuPont, Inc., Loyal textiles mills, Ltd and among others.

Acquisitions/Technology Launches

In September 2019, Coats, the world's leading industrial thread manufacturer, launched FlamePro Splash Protect, a revolutionary product aimed at the personal protection market. The flame and heat resistant protective fabric is designed to be light, smooth, and flexible while still being durable enough to last a long time.

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